PLANS for an apartment block likened to the 'Berlin Wall' that was subject to dozens of objections has been approved by Wirral council’s planners.

The block of five flats, which will now be built on Telegraph Road in Heswall, was one of the developments pushed through at Thursday’s planning meeting.

It means an existing two-storey detached house on site will be demolished for a new three-storey building.

Despite being approved by councillors, it was not without opposition, with a 39-signature petition and objections from the Heswall Society received by the local authority.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Kathy Hodson said the plans, which include an off-street parking space per flat, bike storage and new access point from Telegraph Road, would mean 'over-development' in the town.

She said: “If I was living in that nearby bungalow it’d look like I had the Berlin Wall behind me.

"We need to make sure we don’t have over-developments. If we don’t look after our residents, who will?”

Wirral Globe: Plans for the apartment block

She said the roof of the new development would be 18-20ft higher than the previous building, and that the 'cumulative effect' of apartment blocks in Heswall could soon be likened to the growing number of houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) in Birkenhead.

Before the meeting, the plans had been amended and downsized, but even with the changes, objections remained.

Ward Cllr Andrew Hodson was at the meeting to represent those opposing them.

In his five-minute speech to the committee, he said: “There are currently 50 unsold flats on Rightmove in Heswall.

"Although the new plans reduced the size of proposals, the increased height of the building goes far beyond what is necessary or reasonable for this site.

“There can be no doubt they are seeking to maximize the value of the plot – the plans stretch the size of the building beyond what is reasonable.

“It is an over-development. I would ask members to refuse this application.”

Neither the applicant nor agent was present at the meeting to comment.

Recommending councillors to approve the plans, the report concluded: “Whilst the proposed replacement apartment block is larger than the existing dwelling, the scheme is considered to be acceptable in terms of appearance, scale, siting and character of the area.

“The footprint, height and mass of the replacement building greatly exceed the existing house, however given the design, footprint and appearance of the apartment block the building is not considered to have an overbearing or dominant impact to neighbouring amenity, in particular the houses either side or opposite.”

It added that the development is 'similar to nearby flat developments in terms of number of units, scale and appearance of the building', adding: “Whilst the building is larger than the house it replaces, the mixed character of the area allows for a building of this type without causing harm to the amenity of existing neighbouring dwellings.”

The plans were approved by the committee after a motion for refusal failed to gain enough support.