Knowsley council was forced to conduct an emergency planning meeting over a controversial application to build 807 private homes in the centre of Kirkby. The common consensus in the town is against the project.
Kirkby has seen housing projects constantly since the 1950s. It has also seen social housing neglected, schools academised and services cut. There is an abundance of private homes, including those falsely catagorised as “affordable”. Average rents have more than doubled in just ten years.
Kirkby campaigners have been fighting for better infrastructure: more schools, dentists, doctors and youth services.
The planning committee session was a special session because there had been so many objections to the proposal. Our campaign addressed the meeting, asking planners to go back to the drawing board and bring us council houses with schools and essential services. The Labour councillors were having none of it.
They claim the proposal will bring ‘prosperity’ to the town, they arrogantly dismissed concerns over school places, and cast aside our grave concerns over the toxic chemicals in the ground of the proposed site, which is a former landfill site.
Through campaigning we collected hundreds of objections to the proposals. But it is now clear that Knowsley’s Labour council intends to press ahead. Campaigners will meet to discuss further plans.
Neill Dunne, Liverpool & District North Socialist Party
