PLANS to turn council-owned land in Moreton into stables for use by a community pony club have been approved.

Councillors on Wirral’s planning committee voted unanimously in favour of recommendations to house Upton Pony Association on Kerr’s Field in Pasture Road, Moreton, with stable blocks for up to 10 horses, during a meeting on Wednesday night.

The club had been based on council-owned land at Fernbank Farm in Upton for more than 40 years.

But the plot was repossessed by the local authority - which wanted it back to raise capital - under a County Court ruling last year.

As part of a consultation process for the club’s re-homing on Kerr’s Field, 37 letters were sent to nearby homes and notices were displayed at the site.

A petition of 184 signatures was also received against the move.

Main concerns were over the smell from horse manure, inconvenience caused by construction and worries about extra traffic on Pasture Road.

The decision allowing the council to repossess Fernbank Farm caused public outcry with claims of "underhand dealing" by the town hall.

An investigation by the Information Commissioner later found the council had acted legally in its repossession of the land.

The club was given a year’s grace while a new a new home was being sought.

An independent investigation found Wirral Council acted legally in its repossession of Fernbank Farm.

But it partially upheld a complaint that the authority did not advise the club of its decision to sell the land in a timely fashion “which led to an unfortunate sequence of events.”

The inquiry, by data watchdog the Information Commissioner, also agreed the authority should have told the club to seek professional advice as soon as the decision to sell had been reached.