Local Plan set to be debated by Sefton's councillors at Bootle Town Hall tonight

The proposal includes plans for 999 houses to be built in Formby.

Tonight Sefton's councillors will meet at Bootle Town Hall and vote to approve or reject the borough's Local Plan.

The document is a 15-year blueprint which aims to promote economic growth in Sefton - with 615 homes a year set to be built across the borough.

Proposals contained within Option Two of the latest draft could mean more than 11,070 homes built in Sefton – with 3,295 of these in Southport, 999 in Formby, 2,685 in Maghull and Aintree, 1,133 in Crosby, and 1,459 in Bootle and Netherton.

Campaigners and those you have garnered signatures for petitions against development in their area, are expected to speak at the meeting and make their case to council members.

Under the draft, to be debated tonight, there have been a number of changes to proposed sites and the amount of houses earmarked for them.

Follow our live blog tonight, from 6.30pm at www.southportvisiter.co.uk, as we bring you all the action and debate from the meeting at Bootle Town Hall

Ainsdale, which was scheduled for 989 homes, has seen this figure slashed to 407 – in part due to objections from the Ministry of Defence over the development of land south of the Coast Road.

The biggest build in Ainsdale will be on the former Ainsdale High site, with 243 homes.

Originally 265 homes, along with employment land, had been allocated at High Park’s Crowland Street – instead this number has more than doubled to 678, with the removal of any potential sites for new businesses. It also now includes KewPark and Ride under the development.

Churchtown looks to be taking the biggest hit – with 828 homes designated in close proximity to each other on Bankfield Lane (220), the former Philips Factory on Balmoral Drive (158) and at Moss Lane (450).

Controversially, much of the development will be in Sefton’s Green Belt – as the plan states “there is no brownfield land left to meet the borough’s needs”. About 3% of the borough's Green Belt has been earmarked.

Sefton Council leader Cllr Peter Dowd

Leader, Peter Dowd, said the plan has been drawn up in accordance with Government guidelines - something they are required to do and which will eventually be subject to a public inquiry.