Despite strong local objections, Hallam Land secures consent for up 700 homes on a Liverpool city region site that includes ancient woodland reportedly haunted by a ‘vaporous entity’. Tony McDonough reports
Up to 700 homes could be built on a Merseyside site that includes two two ancient woodlands that are reportedly haunted and will be protected as part of the development.
Despite strong local opposition, councillors on Knowsley’s planning committee voted seven to five to approve the outline application from Hallam Land, a division of Henry Boot, on the advice of planning officers.
More than 500 objections to the new homes, which will be located south of Home Farm Road in Knowsley Village, were received and local people attended the committee meeting where it is reported “passionate” views were aired. The discussion went on for almost two hours until a decision was reached.
Although there is outline consent for up to 700 homes the development would be delivered in phases over a period of up to 15 years. In a submission to the council planning consultant Pegasus anticipated 150 homes within five years.
If the full 700 were eventually built the scheme would comprise 360 three-bedroom homes, 204 four-bedroom ones and a number of studio or one-bedroom apartments. There would need to be 25% allocated as ‘affordable’ (rental set at no more than 80% of local market rate).
Hallam Land is not a direct developer, its acts as a “land promoter”. Once planning permission is achieved its works with our landowners to sell the land to a housebuilder/ developer by marketing the site.
In its submission Pegasus said the development could “make a significant contribution to addressing Knowsley’s current housing supply shortfall”.
There are two ancient woodlands on the site – Howard’s Pitts and Knowle’s Pits. Planning documents state there would be a 15-metre buffer zone around them. There would also be a 20-metre landscape buffer zone to the eastern and southern edges of the site.
Pegasus added: “The provision of the 20m landscape buffer alone will also ensure that a sustainable relationship between these trees and development can be achieved with no additional pressure to manage or reduce the trees, ensuring their current and potential future habitat value is unchanged because of the development.”
This woodland area is known locally as Spookies Wood which has been referenced by Tom Slemen, a renowned Merseyside paranormal writer who has written multiple books on legends of ghosts, ghouls, banshees and demons across the city region.
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On the Haunted Liverpool Facebook page he wrote: “On the stretch of Knowsley Lane which passes the appropriately named Spookies Wood, a vaporous entity has been seen to roll out of the wood and change into various figures, including a nun and a young lady.
“These entities then try to hitch a ride. When they are picked up, they say ‘can you drop me off half a mile down the road?’ but then vanish into thin air shortly afterwards.”