PLANS to build an operations centre serving windfarms off the coast of Wirral were rejected for a second time last night.

Birkenhead shipbuilders Cammell Laird had hoped to create up to 45 jobs with their plans, which would have helped to maintain wind farms off the Merseyside coast.

But their proposals for a marine operations facility at Alabama Way – a pay and display car park - in the town were turned down by planners last year, with fresh plans submitted in December also rejected by the authority’s planning committee on Thursday.

Objections had been raised by those living near the site, as well as those who use the slipway – said to be the only publicly accessible slipway not affected by the tide.

Alabama Way is in the historic Monks Ferry area of Birkenhead, where monks are believed to have run the first regular Mersey crossing.

The plans were rejected for the “negative impact it would have on residents”.

Documents prepared ahead of Thursday’s planning meeting said Lairds wanted to construct an “on shore office, warehouse building and pontoon to serve as a marine operations and maintenance facility for off shore projects”.

Lairds said the current pay and display car park on the site is “rarely used”.

A report to Thursday’s meeting said: “This will contribute to the development of a key growth sector in Wirral’s Investment Strategy, the local economy and to the borough’s skill base and assist in sustaining and be sustained by Cammell Lairds, which is considered to supply long term employment opportunities.

“Furthermore, it is understood that if this development is not forthcoming, the investment in this type of economy will be forced to relocate elsewhere.”

A petition signed by 531 people urged the local authority to approve the application, while 176 people signed three petitions against the plans.