Maghull's schools, roads and healthcare services cannot cope with the pace of recent development in the town, local people have said. It comes after a petition against a speculative proposal from Prospect Homes to build 103 houses off Northway, behind the Aldi in Maghull South, was signed by over 650 people.
Councillors and MP object to proposals
Local councillors have objected to the idea, saying the land is “inappropriate” and not in the Local Plan, that it has been earmarked as a potential flood defence for Maghull, and that there isn’t the infrastructure to support more housing. Aintree and Maghull South councillor Sam Hinde said: “This land is far too important to be treated as an easy development opportunity. Over the last two years, we’ve worked with Sefton Council, the Liverpool City Region, the Environment Agency, the Mersey Rivers Trust and United Utilities to develop opportunities for this area as part of wider flood resilience and local nature recovery.”
Hinde added: “If a planning application were submitted, it would face significant planning challenges, not least in relation to access and transport infrastructure, flood risk, impacts on nature, and the provision of open space and local services.”
Elsewhere, objections have also been raised by councillors across the political spectrum and local MP Bill Esterson over speculative proposals from Anwyl Homes to build on land off Green Lane, which is also not in the Local Plan. Anwyl already has planning permission to build part of the Poverty Lane to School Lane development called Land East of Maghull, which covers 85 hectares and has space for 1,400 homes.
MP calls for brownfield first
Mr Esterson argued: “They should focus on finishing the building there, not on causing upset elsewhere as they have done with their Green Lane proposal. We need new homes across the UK but these should be built first where there is brownfield land and where planning permission has already been given.”
Maghull and Lydiate have already seen significant development in recent years, with estates like Eastbrook Village, Summerhill Park, Poppyfields and Lydiate Gate.
Residents voice concerns
The ECHO visited Maghull to ask local people for their views on the potential for new development in the town. Russell Martin, 57, who was taking a walk down Clent Avenue, said: “I moved to Maghull in 1981 and I’ve watched around 6,000 houses get built all over the place. I can understand people being disappointed if they look out over a meadow or the countryside. A lot of people have been saying about a lack of infrastructure. I haven’t got a dentist, I can’t get hold of one, they’re all full. I can understand people being worried if they’re building all these houses but there isn’t the infrastructure.”
One woman arriving back at her house on the street said: “I’m not really bothered,” but another also walking along said: “We don’t want it. I come from Maghull, I went to school here and everything. It used to be like a village. On this road when I was a child these houses didn’t exist, it was a big hedge and a field. Where they’ve built in Lydiate there was a dairy. They’re taking all the green land. You can’t get in at the doctor and at the dentist there’s no chance. There are primary schools but surely they can’t fit everyone in that they’re building for.”
Asked about the proposals for houses behind the Aldi off Northway, she said: “What do they want to build there for? I lived near there as a child, there are ditches all over the field.” The site of the proposed development sits near to the other side of the River Alt to Lunt Meadows and has two brooks running through it. The woman added: “I think you’ll find that the majority of people around here don’t want new development.”
Long-term residents highlight decline
Jill Jones, 78, said: “It is bad that they’re building more and more. We haven’t got the facilities. It’s very rare that you can get a doctor’s appointment. We’ve got the shops on Westway and stuff but I don’t think there’s enough to cope with everything. People would have to go down to Aintree.” Jill, who has lived in Maghull for the past 50 years, added: “The traffic is terrible; everywhere you go there’s a queue. It used to be nice and quiet; now it’s very difficult. You see a big difference.”
A man walking along Liverpool Road North said: “I’ve lived here 40 odd years and I’ve seen a lot of the houses go up, the school go up. Some of the people who have moved in have been absolutely terrible. We’ve seen a lot of people come and go, and the old neighbours that were there when we moved in, they’ve moved on.”
Gwynet Doyle, 82, who was doing some window shopping along Westway with her friends, said she thinks the recent housing developments in Maghull are “too big”. She added: “There are no amenities. There’s one doctor here and one down there, and then there’s a great big estate in Lydiate, one on Poverty Lane and another in Melling. Melling doesn’t even have a doctor. I think there are enough schools at the moment, but will there be if they keep building and building?”
Mike Quirk: 'Far too much development'
Meanwhile, Mike Quirk, 88, said: “There is far too much development. These were small villages at one time. Have they built extra sewers? There’s no GP in Lydiate and they’ve just built hundreds of houses, but no new doctors.” Mike, who has lived in Maghull for 63 years, added: “We bought our houses because we wanted to be near the countryside. We might as well have lived in Bootle. All the green spaces are gone. But the MPs just say: ‘Well that’s what’s happening’. Your best bet is to move out.”
Margaret and Raymond Till said they moved to Maghull 59 years ago, the year after they got married. The 83 and 84-year-olds said: “We’ve always been surrounded by green belt and it’s going. We moved here because of the area, but it’s been built up a hell of a lot. There are loads and loads of cars along every little cul-de-sac.” Margaret said she would “definitely not” support further development in the town, especially not around Green Lane. However, she added: “Maybe people who already lived here when we moved in were arguing against our house!”
Developer responses
A spokesperson for Prospect Homes previously said: “As part of the normal pre-application process, we have begun to brief local stakeholders on emerging proposals for 103 new homes on land at Northway, Maghull, ahead of launching a wider public consultation. No planning application has been submitted at this stage, and we are keen to hear the views of residents before the plans are finalised. We recognise that residents will have questions about local infrastructure and the natural environment. These are all important considerations and are exactly the type of issues that will be carefully assessed as part of the planning process. Any application will be accompanied by detailed technical assessments, including flood risk, highways and transport, ecology, and biodiversity, all of which will be scrutinised by the local planning authority and relevant statutory consultees.”
Anwyl Homes was also contacted for comment.
