Townshend Ave. Green Belt 
Land Destruction

You will have heard of the dreadful decimation of Green Belt land on Townshend Avenue in Irby.

ITPAS, our Councillor, Council departments and other groups have been 

working in the background to stop this. 

Below is a brief overview of the current situation just in case you are unaware of it.

On or about last Thursday 27th August a group of Travellers started levelling and 

laying hard core on the land on Townshend Ave. CH61 2XW. 

Contrary to the conditions of Green Belt for this land.

The Council was informed and our local Councillor and Enforcement Officers 

together with the Police attended the site.

 The Travellers said this was for animal grazing, which was obviously incorrect.

On 28th August the Council served a Temporary Stop Notice (TSN) to 

cease all building type work. Click here for Temporary Stop Notice

This now makes the activities a criminal matter as opposed to a civil one. 

Therefore, it is an offence to carry out any work as described in the TSN. 

If you see or are aware of any such work then please report this to the 24 Hour 

Wirral Emergency Centre on 0151 666 5265

We have since found that the land has been legally purchased by the Travellers and therefore, they have certain rights. They also applied for planning permission, i.e. a change of use. 

This was not accepted by the Council planning dept..

However, the land is Green Belt and therefore protections are valid and will form the basis for enforcement. The local plan clearly sets out the conditions.

ITPAS, Council officials and other groups continue working in the background to successfully fight this. It is not straightforward and takes a great deal of legal work to correctly fight it and to ensure any appeal would be unsuccessful.

However, we all need to be careful with what is divulged as the owners of the land and their supporters are monitoring activity. 

They have supporters within the Facebook and WhatsApp groups.

 So be very careful.

This is the reason why most groups have been quiet. 

I am sure you agree we must not give the new owners any information to use against us.

Rest assured we are working in the background and we will update when available.

This has taken us all by surprise but we must learn by it and ensure it does not happen again.

Therefore, please be watchful and alert to any unusual activity on Green Belt land. If you see vehicles, unknown people gathering, land being flattened, green areas being stripped etc., then please report it immediately. It may be innocent but better to be safe than sorry.

If you see or are aware of any such work then please report this to the 24 Hour 

Wirral Emergency Centre on 0151 666 5265