STATE-of-the-art trains and a grand leisure centre are promised to accommodate the tens of thousands of people set to arrive in Wirral over the next 15 years.

But critics say Wirral Council is underestimating the scale of the challenge.

Cllr Pat Cleary, leader of the council's Green Party, was disappointed at the continued focus on cars.

He said the council needs to focus on public transport and 'active travel' instead.

Reacting to the announcement of 12,000 homes on the Facebook group Crimewatch Wirral, Suzanne Bordley said: "There's virtually no employment on the Wirral and developers build where councils allow them to build so they can rake in more money for said council.

"Whilst ignoring the fact that people need infrastructure and jobs to earn money."

Posting on the same group, Betty Anderton said: "No one says how the few hospitals cope with more influx of people on the Wirral.

"They can’t cope now."

What we know so far

Probably the biggest area of concern locally is the extra demand 12,000 homes will place on the roads.

Wirral Council believes building most of the homes in small, concentrated areas in Birkenhead and Wallasey will "limit the need for travel".

But there are also big plans for public transport and active travel.

One part of this is the new fleet of trains coming to Merseyside this year.

Replacing a 40 year-old fleet they will be able to carry more people with reduced journey times and with improved accessibility such as sliding steps.

Wirral Council hope they will improve the attractiveness of the rail network as a transport option.

Another important factor is the transport innovations mooted by Wirral Waters.

Peel's director of development at the site, Richard Mawdsley, said: "Monowheels and e-scooters will become a lot more popular, but we also intend to have a light railway running from Hamilton Square to Wirral Waters.

"This will fundamentally transform the area."

The light railway, or ‘streetcar’, is an idea which could remove the need for many new residents to drive to Liverpool.

It would see the heritage tram redeveloped to cover the distance between Wirral Waters and Hamilton Square station.

Cllr Cleary said commitment to supporting this idea is a "serious test of the council going forward."

He added: "If they are going to show people the way forward, they must think creatively."

For Cllr Cleary, supporting this initiative was central to this creativity.

Wirral Council's current position on the issue is that they need to study the option in full and assess its cost implications before making a decision.

Another part of the council's agenda on transport is their Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.

Wirral Council are adamant this will see them develop plans which enable more people to travel on foot or by bike by creating a safe, integrated and well linked network of walking and cycling routes.

While keen to support eco-friendly modes of transport, the council said "roads will still play a role in meeting future travel infrastructure needs".

As individual housing plans develop, the council said it will "identify those areas which may experience additional congestion in the future and work to develop proposals to mitigate the impact at those locations."

More specific proposals on transport will emerge after a period of public consultation concludes in March, but Wirral Council's comments were revealing.

They suggest the council does not think it can accommodate such numbers of new people without increasing traffic.

That can be seen as an acceptance of reality, but Cllr Cleary was disappointed with this idea.

For him the council cannot carry on trying to accommodate more cars.

Cllr Cleary said if this happens that will simply encourage a growth in car usage and the extra capacity will eventually be used up and the same problems will occur all over again.

He emphasised the importance of focusing on other forms of transport and avoiding feeding the problem of increased traffic flow.

Green space

While Wirral Council have pledged to protect green space, councillors worry new homes in the borough’s urban centres will lack green space for residents to enjoy.

At a council meeting earlier this week, Lib Dem councillor Stuart Kelly, said: "Kids in the north end [of Birkenhead] are just as entitled to play on a piece of green space as kids in Hoylake.

"We need to understand what density and intensification (the strategy of building homes in urban areas) means.

"I'm not sure we fully understand what it means for communities to the east of the borough at the moment."

While Cllr Cleary said allocating less car parking space on new developments would free up much needed room for green and recreational space.

One proposal the council has in this area is what it describes as "a modern and more energy-efficient leisure centre" which will be located in Birkenhead town centre and near existing homes, helping it to be sustainable.

But that still leaves questions about existing green space.

On this, Cllr Anita Leech, the cabinet member for the Local Plan, said: "Early in the process of developing the options for the Local Plan I made sure that many small areas of green spaces which people use in urban areas were not put forward for potential development to keep them available for their local communities.

"But in addition to that, under our proposed consultation, it would be possible for communities to request the designation of land as Local Green Space.

"Allowing them to identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them.

"As part of our consultation on the development of our Local Plan we are specifically asking people if there are areas in the communities that they believe should be formally designated – and given the protection that involves."

She called for people to get involved and respond to the public consultation, which runs from January 27 to March 23,

Cllr Leech added: "It is important to communities that as well as good housing, roads and supporting good sustainable public services that they also have areas where children can play, people can walk their dog or just relax.

"When we have a Local Plan in place it will give the council more control over how areas develop in the future."

Schools and hospitals

Many people were concerned about the capacity of local schools and hospitals to accommodate tens of thousands of extra people.

But here the council were confident existing supply was sufficient.

In Wirral’s primary schools, there are 2,557 unfilled places and 4,677 places are unfilled in secondary schools.

Despite the plans for 12,000 new homes, little growth in pupil numbers is predicted.

Though current figures do not go to the end of the new Local Plan's 15-year period.

The council said these numbers were based on birth registrations; birth rate trends; the physical capacity of schools and parental preferences.

But Wirral Council said they will review the opportunity for potential school expansion or new school provision, if required by an increase in population triggered by the 12,000 homes.

On hospitals, NHS Wirral are updating their strategy to account for population rises brought on by the Local Plan.

Similarly, the trust that manages Arrowe Park Hospital is refreshing its overall plan in an effort to contain increasing pressures.

But Wirral Council said that after using an average standard of 1 GP per 1800 patients and consulting with NHS Wirral, they could say that existing GP numbers will be able to cater for the predicted population rise.

However, work will be undertaken to identify any areas where pressure may grow and if so work would be required to increase capacity.

Going forward

More meat will be added to the bones of the Local Plan as the public consultation ends in March.

This will include more detailed and specific plans on infrastructure.

Wirral Council must produce its full and completed Local Plan by November of this year.