Irby, Thurstaston & Pensby Amenity Society
Registered Charity # 1150756
IRBY Green Belt Land Decimation
Townshend Avenue.
URGENT - NEW Local Plan Consultation.
DEADLINE FRIDAY 28TH AUGUST 2026
There is a week to go until the Deadline for Response to the Wirral Council Consultation on YOUR/OUR Preferred Content of the New Local Plan, forced upon the Council and ourselves, with Angela Rayner's baseless doubling of the New Homes Required above the number in the one-year-old 'Adopted Local Plan' (which had cross-Party and wide Public support, took 20 years to produce at a cost of over £6 million, and was based upon 'Regeneration' as the real NEED and thereby protected ALL the Green Belt within Wirral Borough) - which number itself was over 3 times that actually required by calculated NEED (calculations, mainly by
Prof David Gregg, being recognised by the ONS Regulator - the Office of Statistics Regulation -
and eventually Liverpool University who were advising the Council.
If you have responded to the short Council Questionnaire and added any comments you wish to, many thanks.
PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO ARE CONCERNED FOR
THE WIRRALS GREEN BELT AND GREEN SPACES.
The necessity for doing this NOW is the real concern that the opportunity for Public Representations at former normal, formal stages in the production of a Local Plan are (we are advised) due to be curtailed or disappear.
Although that won't prevent us commenting or complaining in the future, the formal requirement to address the
Public's concerns may well not be there - and Green Belt protections will be diminished or lost.
Features in any New Local Plan should (in our opinion) include:
- Maintaining the Strategy of the current Adopted Local Plan, one still based upon 'Regeneration' of the areas of most (locally-assessed) NEED, with some increase in Density in other existing built-up areas (by sensible infill, conversions, appropriate and timely Land-Use Changes, etc., to provide the required 'flexibility', 'choice' and 'geographical coverage), such that there continues to be NO need to develop within Green Belt;
- This means 'Brownfield-only' development, not even 'Brownfield-first'
- Any so-called 'Grey Belt' land within current Green Belt should have a very limited definition, centred upon PDL ('Previously Developed Land') and any permitted development should be of Local Character
- Additional, sustainable Jobs are what are required; and it is 'Jobs that fuel Housing Need' and NOT merely 'New Housing creates Jobs', as building houses mainly provides temporary employment, leaving basic problems to return, and that approach does not guarantee concentration on areas of NEED
- Truly affordable housing, especially Social/Council House building is required and present promises by politicians need to be delivered, and Wirral has some of the most Deprived Areas in the Country and should receive a fair and early shar
- The continuation and inclusion within the Local Plan of the nationally exemplar Wirral Programme of 'Returning Empty Homes to Reuse' (over 200 per annum)
- Where the opportunity arises, part of Wirral's Housing Target should be delivered within other areas of the LCR CA (Liverpool City Region Combined Authority) with their vast 'Brownfield' areas
- Other features that individuals feel appropriate.
The Links to the Consultation are given here https://haveyoursay.wirral.gov.uk/local-plan-scoping
Here again is the Letter from the Council Leader to SoS Angela Raynor, required and supported by all main Local Parties, opposing the illogical inflation of Housing Numbers and the unnecessary (and unfair) imposition of the very distracting and costly directive to deliver a completely New Local Plan within 30 months.
Letter to Secretary of State - protecting Wirral Green Belt and Securing
Also below is a copy of the very helpful current Draft Consultation Response - with inputs shown in RED after the introductory pages of the Consultation Document. ( Many thanks to the Heswall Society, member of WGSA, for formulating the initial response). This is given not to suggest this is what most people should say but what one Group has homed in on.
ITPAS and Heswall Society Consultation response
All responses should reflect personal views, however short.
Not all Questions have to be answered by everyone. Hope this helps. Good luck.
Thanks for your continued help and interest.
Please copy ITPAS with your responses.
ITPAS Irby Village Clean Up 23rd August 2026
What a great job the ITPAS Volunteers did on Sunday. Not only tidying, weeding, litter picking and generally cleaning the village but also BENCH REFURBISHMENT.
Well done and Many Thanks to the following:
Bill W, Chris A, David F, Dilys J, Elliott H, Freddy S, Harry W, Jean H, Jill M, John C, John D, John H, Mark S, Rhona M, Sean C, Sue H, Sue L
Here is a selection of pictures taken during the day.
For further images of the bench refurbishment please see below.
We continue to hold events and activities and invite you to attend as many as possible.
We need your support and attendance
otherwise we cannot continue
Currently we hold multiple Irby Village Tidy-Up sessions and ITPAS talks providing really interesting and information presentations concerning our villages and Wirral areas.
Bins Cleared of VAPE Stickers
The unsightly mess of VAPE stickers on the bins has been cleared and notices placed on the bins. Although the bins are not completely clear,
they look at great deal better than before.
Irby Benches, Bins, Notice Boards, Tree replacement
Update on Village improvements
- x3 bins have been renewed but we are still awaiting x3 new bins to replace the old and damaged ones.
- New trees have been planted. Many thanks to the council tree department who continue to give advice on the trees and the Copse.
- We have refurbished x5 of the village benches, see above, We have one more and then its completed.
- We have started on the refurbishment of the x3 Notice Boards and will continue this year.
If you can help let us know
We need to maintain our membership numbers to continue with our work.
We are all volunteers but we fund to pay for our activities.
If we fail to support our villages and amenities then the work we have completed to protect the wonderful areas we live in will be wasted.
Please ask your friends and family to support us by joining ITPAS HERE.
Also if you can DONATE to our activities please use this link.
20mph speed limit is now in place with further roads to be added.
Parking charges in the Roslin Road car park and others wothin the area has been cancelled for the forseable future.
Wirral Green Belt under threat Again !!!!!!
There are plans for huge SOLAR FARMS on supposedly ‘protected’ Green Belt and
Best Quality Farmland on Wirral,
including a 70-acre Solar Farm from Thurstaston to the Wirral Country Park and Station Road to Caldy Golf Club.
The next decades would see disruption and damage during construction, harm to soil quality, loss of local food production and farming jobs, habitat destruction, protected wildlife displaced, wonderful views and walks despoiled for residents and visitors alike, harming the Tourist Economy,
Green Belt turned into Grey Belt,
and for what?
Profit for a Local Few and their
Chinese suppliers.
Community Action does carry ‘weight’
as shown before.
An Action Plan is coming but meanwhile please express your thoughts to Friends, Councillors and MPs.
Official Action Against CCS website CLICK HERE
Opposition to the Peak Cluster CO₂ pipeline
The project is designed to transport carbon emissions from cement and lime industries in Derbyshire and Staffordshire to the Irish Sea crossing the Wirral and Cheshire.
Concerns centre on safety, environmental impact, private land use, and the perceived effectiveness of carbon capture technology.
Key Reasons for Opposition
- Safety Risks and Asphyxiation: The pipeline will carry high-pressure liquid CO₂, which acts as an asphyxiant if a leak or rupture occurs. Residents fear that a "zipper" rupture could release a massive, invisible, and odourless plume, posing a lethal risk to nearby communities.
- Environmental Impact and "Scarring": The 200km pipeline threatens green spaces, wildlife, and landscapes across the region. Critics have described it as a permanent scar, with concerns about noise, construction disruption, and industrialisation of rural areas.
- "England's Exhaust Pipe": Residents in the Wirral are deeply concerned that their area will bear the brunt of the pollution, with an onshore facility potentially located near Meols.
- Eminent Domain and Land Access: Many farmers and landowners are being asked to sign access agreements for surveys. There is strong opposition to the potential use of Compulsory Purchase powers to force the pipeline through private land.
- False Solution to Climate Change: Opponents argue that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an unproven, expensive "false solution" that allows companies to continue using fossil fuels instead of investing in truly green alternatives.
- Economic Question Marks: Critics point out that the project may not create significant long-term jobs in the affected areas, and that the technology has a history of underperforming.
Calls to Action
- Public Consultations: Residents are encouraged to attend Peak Cluster consultation events and submit feedback, as the consultation period runs until February 27, 2026.
- Seek Independent Advice: Landowners receiving letters from the project are advised not to sign anything without seeking independent legal advice.
- Contact Local Representatives: There are calls to write to MPs to express concerns regarding the project's impact on communities and the environment.
The Peak Cluster project claims the pipeline is necessary to decarbonise the cement and lime industries.
However, repeated failures highlights a deep concern as to the technology and its implementation.
Irby Library Reopening Confirmed
You are aware that for many years ITPAS, together with other groups, have been pushing, cajoling, campaigning and generally pushing any council official to reopen the IRBY LIBRARY.
After months of meetings it became apparent there was a saviour in the form of the Pioneer group.
You may have heard of them as the group that took over Pensby Library.
We continued to be in contact with Mark from Pioneer and our local councillors in order to help.
However for over six months of council delays we have been awaiting the announcement that the
asset transfer and therefore reopening would go ahead.
Finally the council finally agreed to the transfer and thus
IRBY LIBRARY WILL REOPEN.
Mark from Pioneer gave this comment:
“Please be assured we will retain a library service along the lines of what we do in Pensby.
We will not be having a coffee shop like our Pensby Community Library because we want to be good news to the village and not create unfair competition with the two existing coffee shops.
In addition to a Library space we will be setting up a high end charity shop, work bench space for arts, crafts and upcycling, a recycling point for bikes, tools and other targeted items and outside we will be establishing raised flower and veg beds. We will also create a relaxed space for Community to gather and run activities.
Time to opening? Very much in the gift of the Council as we need Planning to issue a change of use, Legal to issue the lease and Finance to issue a grant agreement.
Then we need to put in a kitchen area, new heating system, Library shelving and decorate.
We are committed to working with local community groups including Friends of Irby Library, ITPAS and Village Church.”
WATCH THIS SPACE.
IRBY Village rated in
TOP 8 UK villages
National Newspaper rates IRBY village in the
top 8 UK villages. ITPAS members and volunteers can be proud of their work.
Here is the original paper comment.
Or please click on the photo of the original paper.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE PRESS PAGE.
6. IRBY VILLAGE, WIRRAL
Irby stretches back to Viking times but its name means 'Farmstead of the Irish'. Located on the Wirral, the village once hummed with industry: its mill ground grain to feed the community, while the quarry - now a place for climbers - provided much of the sandstone that shaped the region's buildings. 'Irby Village is a peaceful village in the heart of the peninsula,' says property expert Liam Gretton. 'It is known for Its low crime and close-knit community, all while offering easy access to the wider Wirral area and amenities.'
Irby Village Flowers Refreshed
Planters and Flower Beds replanted
The village flowers are now ready for summer.
We are sure you agree they look great so we need to continue with there maintenance
Special thanks go to Christine and Dilys, our ITPAS flower ladies,
who designed and planted ALL the flowers.
Also a big thank you to Thingwall Nurseries who supplied
and delivered the beautiful plants and flowers.
