CAMPAIGNERS are fighting plans to build more houses on a stretch of Wirral Green Belt land.

Local residents and councillors fear that if McAlpines Homes' plans are approved it will mean the beginning of the end for Saughall Massie's green spaces.

The building firm has submitted an outline application to install a mini-roundabout at the junction of Garden Hey Road and Birchfield to access a proposed residential development.

Les Spencer, who lives in Saughall Massie Village, said: "This is too large a development on valuable Green Belt land. It should be turned down."

He spoke of concerns that if this application is passed it could encourage more Green Belt development.

Local councillor Chris Blakely, who is supporting the residents, described the plans as "totally inappropriate."

And Cllr Lesley Rennie added: "If this goes ahead it will be the start of the end. I will support the residents all the way."

A similar application was turned down last year due to the 'green' issue and because of a 'sight-line' problem on the highway tying in with concerns about access to the site, which McAlpine's say has been addressed with the mini-roundabout.

However, the residents believe that busy Garden Hey Road will not benefit from a roundabout.

Pat Brennan, who lives in Garden Hey Road, said: "The road is very narrow and winding, and the traffic on it is hectic and increasing all the time. The more houses there are, the more congestion there will be. Instead of building a roundabout, why not put safety restrictions on the road?"

A spokesperson for Cass Associates, McAlpine's agents, said: "We accept that the Green Belt issue is still there, but believe there are substantial benefits to the proposals, and good reasons in favour of them."

He added that the roundabout would solve the access problem and act as a traffic calming measure.

Cllr John Cocker, Chair of Wirral Planning Committee, said that the Green Belt issue is taken very seriously in all cases, and that the committee is awaiting views from the engineers on the access situation.

This application is the latest in a line of plans that have caused friction with North Wirral residents over the last few months, including proposals for houses on the Fender Farm estate, and plans to extract clay from three fields in Moreton.