LCR bosses ‘need time to consider’ plan

MORE than 6,000 homes would be built in West Lancashire to meet housing demand outside the borough, under the proposed Local Plan.

But Liverpool city region bosses declined to initially welcome the idea, instead saying they will need time to “fully consider” the proposals.

West Lancashire is an associate member of the Liverpool city region, which was established in 2014 to promote and deliver economic growth, and has proposed building houses beyond its own minimum need specfically to cater for the shortage in the wider area.

After the council agreed to consult on proposals to build almost 16,000 homes in the borough by 2050, the plans are to go to public consultation through October and November. The proposals suggest that by building an additional 6,256 homes that are expected to be needed in the city region after 2027, the borough can capitalise on expected economic growth in return.

It also suggests that Skelmersdale will be the area to meet the vast majority of this housing need.

The proposal that West Lancashire should meet this unmet housing need from the Liverpool city region not only reflects the fact that some authorities in the city region will face severe constraints on their remaining undeveloped land after 2027, which would mean that they are unable to meet their own future housing needs, but also the fact that the economic growth created in West Lancashire through the Skelmersdale Rail Link proposals and the accommodation of a part of the growing demand for large-scale industrial units will lead to a shift in housing demand from some other locations within the city region to West Lancashire.

A spokesperson for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: “We are aware of the West Lancashire Local Plan, which includes their wish to build an additional 6000 houses. We would want to fully consider the justification for any policies impacting upon the Liverpool city region and its six constituent local authorities before making any comments.”