In September 2023, Sefton Council’s Health & Public Protection Department lodged an application for:
Outline planning permission for the development of a three story building on the site of The Green car park, with associated landscaping and car parking, with all detailed matters reserved apart from access.
Full planning permission for the change of use of a section of The Bypass (A565) from footway to vehicular access - to create a new entrance point to Cooksland car park ; and the demolition / change of use of the existing toilet block building into car parking spaces and realignment of the boundary fence to create an accessible ramp.
The 3-storey building was described as providing a Library, Café and Health Hub. The proposed library is described as being 800sq metres in area, which is 300 sq metres larger than Carnegie library and which the Council closed 10 years ago. There is no description of whether the NHS have committed to the scheme or whether the Health Hub is a clinic, GP Surgery or specialist health unit. There is no evidence of how it would be funded. However, as an outline application, details would hopefully be provided at a later stage.
Of immediate concern is the planned reduction in car-parking spaces in the Village, especially as there will be greater pressure for spaces due to the new housing at Central Buildings and Telegraph House.
The Council’s proposals showed that the number of parking spaces available within the Village would be reduced by 62 spaces to some 242 standard spaces, plus a handful of disabled places and electric vehicle charging points. This falls below the Council’s own standards laid down in their own Planning Documents. Not surprisingly, this prompted concern from several residents who were concerned that parking would migrate to the adjoining roads.
What we do know is that the Council have granted themselves consent to bring a road connection from the By-Pass into the “Cooksland” car park, behind Home Bargain. This involved demolishing the toilet block and removing the recycling bays behind the Peacock store. The brick-built toilet block would be replaced by an unsightly portakabin for use by the street cleaners and parking attendants.
One might have expected a healthy debate about the issue at Planning Committee but the application was not presented for discussion or debate. Instead it was merely approved by the Chief Planning Officer on 28 th March 2024 with no reference to local residents or the 9 Ward Councillors from Blundellsands, Manor and Victoria Ward.
There is no published report by the Planning Officer on the website to explain what consideration was given of comments by residents or other interested parties.
Sefton once again have excelled in failing to adopt democratic principles, with one department granting planning consent to another department of the Council with no reference to accountability or public interest. Sefton Council has demonstrated that they are not interested in local democracy and one has to ask why the 9 local Labour Ward Councillors are not expressing their fury at decisions being made in isolation, despite local concerns.
Sefton’s Labour Councillors are again failing to represent the electorate and need to be replaced.
