AFTER months of rumour and speculation, residents of Greasby were finally confronted with the prospect of a new fire station complex to be located on the green in the village centre.

Without clear details of the proposal, its impact and potential benefits, it was inevitable that there would be a hostile reaction.

In the jam-packed recent public meetings, this failure of communication was compounded by the Merseyside chief fire officer's admission the consultation was concerned only with operational response times and not planning issues.

The advice of Wirral Council's planning officers that this is the only suitable site, clearly placed him in a straight-jacket, rendering the consultation process pointless.

Initial public consultation should be with the local planning authority rather than the fire authority.

If officers were able to justify their diktat that no other site is available and persuade residents that the development would bring tangible benefits, including a much-needed new community centre as well as a replacement of the library, a meaningful dialogue may be possible.

Without rational debate, the worst outcome for Greasby could be to throw away a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure real long-lasting improvements for the village.

Rod Hutchinson by email.