PUBLIC consultation over ambitious plans to build a deluxe golf complex in Wirral has come in for criticism by an MP as a new website is launched to gauge people's views.

The private complex is earmarked to be built on Hoylake's Municipal Golf Course.

Wirral Globe:

Course designer and golf supertsar Jack Nicklaus 

The scheme envisages an 18-hole championship course - designed by Jack Nicklaus - a luxury five-star Marriott hotel with health club and spa, new clubhouse and a training academy.

Up to 150 luxury homes could be built around the course's perimeter.

Wirral Council is spearheading the scheme and staged a series of "roadshows" in November allowing visitors to examine the plans.

Wirral Globe:

An image showing proposed layout of Hoylake golf resort

However, the shows have drawn criticism as being of "little value."

Hoylake householder John Hutchinson has set up an online forum allowing contributors to air their views on the £250m plan.

He said: “At the consultation drop-in session over three afternoons in Hoylake and West Kirby, we learnt little of value.

“The resort has implications for flood-risk in Meols and Moreton, which was flooded in September 2015.

"It will also mean the loss of farmland, green belt, highly bio-diverse habitat systems and will lead to increased traffic in wards to the east of Hoylake, while no affordable homes will be built."

“When completed, about 1,500 extra vehicles will access the site every day.

"The Hoylake Golf Resort is an open secret. Councillors have failed to react.

“The council says this project - the biggest ever in cost and implication for North Wirral - will affect every person and business in the borough - but the authority is telling us nothing.

"I want to hear what people think about all this. The golf resort must not pass in apathy.”

Wirral West Labour MP Margaret Greenwood has written to the town hall asking for a far more detailed overview on the proposed residential aspect of the resort.

She said: “It is important the public is given the opportunity to consider the proposals fully, particularly given that they include plans for development on the green belt.

“The residential aspect of the plans are a cause for concern for many people, in particular with the precedent it would set with development policy in Wirral.

“It is very important that as much information as possible is provided so that people can make an informed decision.”

A council spokeswoman said: “While we appreciate there is a great deal of interest in such an exciting project for Wirral, there is still a lot of work for the joint venture group to do on working up their detailed proposals.

“As the project develops, there will be opportunities for residents and all interested parties to have their say.

“We are currently in the process of replying to Margaret Greenwood MP in relation to her letter.”

Wirral Globe:

Birkenhead-born golfer John Singleton at the 2014 Open in Hoylake 

When the masterplan was first announced back in July, Wirral golfer John Singleton - who played at the 2014 Open in Hoylake - said the links training academy would have hugely changed the way his golfing career unfolded had it been around when he was growing up.

He said at the time: "This is great news for golf in Wirral.

"The links academy would have made a massive difference to me.

"When I was progressing through the game, I had to go to America to really hone my game to a professional standard so obviously if this was here then I wouldn't have had to have left.

"To have the opportunity to future generations to train here is fantastic. What people can achieve with that type of structure is endless.

You can see Mr Hutchinson's website by clicking here and have you say on the project.