THE building of a controversial fire station on Green Belt land at Saughall Massie is due to start next month.

It emerged this afternoon that Wates Construction will start work on June 11, with construction likely to take approximately 40 weeks.

The development - part of Merseyside Fire Authority's drive to reduce spending to meet Government-imposed budget cuts – was given the green light following a heated two-and-a-half hour debate during a planning committee meeting at Wallasey Town Hall last July.

More than 100 members of the public watched as councillors heard arguments for and against the planned station. But they voted by seven to six in favour.

Those against development argued it would lead to noise pollution, add to traffic congestion, destroy the greenbelt and affect quality of life for nearby residents.

A subsequent campaigners' request for then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid to call in the decision to grant planning permission for public inquiry was rejected.

The original application was refused by Wirral's planning committee in December 2016 when Labour chairwoman Cllr Anita Leech swung the decision by voting against the development.

Amendments to the scheme included reducing the site’s overall size by 30%, cutting the length of building by 30ft, removing the access road to the west of the building and moving planned car parking in a nearby close nearer the fire station.

A report by planners said the proposal represents the "very special circumstances" needed to break Green Belt guidelines and are recommending approval.

Their report to planning committee last July added that: "Response times to the West Kirby area from the proposed fire station - and the increased rates of survivability related to those quicker response times - constitutes very special circumstances to outweigh the harm and justify inappropriate development in this particular case.

"The lack of any available alternative sites in suitable locations would further support this conclusion."

It viewed merging West Kirby and Upton into a single site at Saughall Massie as a means of cutting costs.

However, resistance to the controversial scheme increased since the last submission with a protest petition growing from 3,700 names to more than 4,000.

Moreton and Saughall Massie Conservative councillor Steve Williams, who lives nearby, told the Globe this afternoon: "I've learned that work is going to take about 40 weeks, turning a valuable part of our green space into a building that most residents did not want.

 

"When we fought this through the planning process, we raised concerns about the impact the construction phase would have on the local roads and environment.

 

"Sadly, councillors from outside the area dismissed these concerns and gave it the green light.   

 

"We intend to keep a really close eye on this site and do what we can to ensure that measures to protect the quality of life for residents are upheld as best we can. 

 

"But be under no illusion, this development means more HGVs on local roads, as well as pollution from noise and dust."

 

Chairman of Merseyside Fire & Rescue Authority Cllr Dave Hanratty told the Globe after the station was approved last year: "In an emergency situation, literally every second counts and the selection of Saughall Massie was based on achieving the best possible response times in the circumstances.

"Ongoing budget cuts have impacted the service significantly and it is becoming ever harder for us to provide the service the public have become accustomed to.

"We will do all in our power to maintain some of the fastest response times in the country however there are no options available to us that do not adversely affect our speed and weight of attack.

"We understand that many residents had concerns with the location of the station and we made every effort to take those concerns into account, which thankfully the planning committee recognised.

"We will now endeavour to be good neighbours and to keep the community and surrounding areas safe.

"Our intention has only ever been to ensure the safety of residents in West Wirral and across Merseyside."