RESIDENTS of a Wirral village have united to protest against plans for a new housing development.

Protect Port Sunlight action group was formed after plans to build 12 townhouses in the area were announced.

They fear that if approved the development will cause traffic problems and double the housing density compared with the rest of the village.

The proposals include the building of a set of family houses on Water Street with a car park but developers state that the plans are "in keeping with the unique character and scale of the village and other policies of the local plan".

But residents are worried it will spoil the "traditonal feel" of the historic village.

Spokeswoman for Protect Port Sunlight, Claire Evans, said: "I have lived here for six years now and I love the village.

"But to keep building new housing complexes such as this will eventually destroy what everyone loves about the place - the fact that it represents so much history and beauty."

The plans, put forward by the Port Sunlight Village Trust, suggest that the new building would help screen the nursing home, which is thought to have "inappropriate architectural structure" for the village.

Chief executive of the Trust, Lionel Bolland, said: "The site in question has never been a sacred piece of Port Sunlight land. It was used as a commercial landscape depot and is by no means a green space.

"We are well acquainted with residents' issues but we need to use the land sensibly. We are not prepared to leave the land fallow because there is no sense in doing that.

"We do not believe that 12 additional family houses will make a significant impact."

But the action group argue that the complex would contribute to the future demise of the village and turn it into an "urban sprawl".

Ms Evans said: "In 20 or 30 years' time, if development is set to continue, Port Sunlight will not be Wirral’s Historic Model Village, it will be just a collection of random, old houses interspersed with Disney-style imitations of Port Sunlight design. Port Sunlight will be lost forever.

"Residents and many other people adore Port Sunlight but we need to save it before it is too late."