RESIDENTS have voiced their anger after plans were submitted for dozens of homes on a Prenton playing fields where they believe building restrictions were 'sold to the council for £270.'

If approved by Wirral’s planners this week, 28 four-bed houses will be built on land off Glenavon Road in Prenton, which would also see an entire home demolished to make way for a new access road.

But 44 objections have been submitted to the local authority citing fears including the impact on privacy, congestion and wildlife on site, which previously belonged to Pershore House School before it closed in 2000.

There is also a great deal of opposition surrounding the covenant for the fields – the restrictions preventing building on a specific section of land.

A number of allegations were made in the report to be discussed by councillors, including that the covenant on the field was 'sold' to the council for £270.

Others believe the land cannot be built upon due to the covenant.

Public body Sport England is also opposed to the plans on the grounds that it believes playing pitches must be protected, and that if development must go ahead, provision is made at another site.

But addressing the objections, the report said it was an 'efficient use of the land', the effects of congestion would be 'negligible', and ecological surveys found no evidence of any protected species on site.

It added that the covenant was a 'legal matter outside the planning system.'

The council was contacted for more information.

The plans include 20% affordable housing on site, and the demolished house would be replaced with a smaller dwelling.

The proposals submitted by Elite Land Group follow six previous proposals for the site that were refused over the past 40 years.

Most recently, plans to build homes on the site was approved back in 2016 following an appeal, but these fresh plans require new permission.

Planners are recommended to approve subject to a response from the Secretary of State, who will step in if Sport England’s objection stands.

Concluding, the report mentioned the findings outlined by the Government’s planning inspector when the development was approved following an appeal back in November 2016.

It said: “The Inspector found there was no convincing evidence that the site is likely to be taken up for pitches or any other form of open space and the value to the district of new housing far outweighs the loss of a long-redundant school playing field, which has made almost no contribution to the community as open space or as a sports field.”