Formby residents must not be exposed to an increased risk of flooding from new housing developments,

Cllr Nina Killen and Cllr Catie Page have submitted objections to an application for outline permission to build 286 homes north of Brackenway.

As well as concerns about flooding, the councillors are seeking assurances that the emergency access on Paradise Lane will never be opened up to vehicular traffic.

Cllr Killen, who raised similar concerns about flooding before the Liverpool Road housing site was approved, said: "It is clear that this site poses serious risks with regard to flooding. People who live in homes nearby, particularly on Hawksworth Drive, must be protected from flood risk from this development.

"We want to see this development actually decrease the risk of flooding and if this cannot be shown we will not support it.

"The site is in the local plan which means it has been identified as suitable for housing, but only if the flood risk for existing properties is not increased. In fact any development should decrease the flood risk for existing properties."

Eight Acre Brook and Wham Dyke watercourses run through the site. Some parts of the site are in 'flood zone 2' and the rest in 'flood zone 3'. Flood zone 3 is 'functional flood plain' and no homes would be built on those areas. Flood zone 2 is only suitable for housing when the risks of flooding have been mitigated.

The application by Taylor Wimpey Homes proposes that the north side of Eight Acre Brook is lowered so that water is pushed northward away from current housing in the event of overtopping after heavy rain.

Cllr Catie Page said: "I would like assurances that this flood mitigation plan will actually reduce the risk, otherwise I would not be able to support this application. Water must be diverted away from existing properties and the planning committee must be sure this is going to be the case or the answer should be no."

The application also proposes an emergency entrance for vehicles from Paradise Lane, which the councillors say must not ever become a full vehicular access and should not be used by site traffic.

They wrote in their objection: "The access to the site from the Formby bypass must be the first part of the site that is developed so that vehicles working on the site are not accessing the site from Paradise Lane. Paradise Lane is a residential street with a primary school on it which already suffers from heavy traffic and gridlocking particularly at the start and end of the school day.

"If any access by works vehicles are needed via Paradise Lane, in order to develop the bypass access, these should be kept to an absolute minimum and if they are necessary they should be restricted to times that are outside of the school run, for example 9.30am to 2.30pm only.

"We do not want to see any works traffic using the Paradise Lane entrance. If it is necessary this must only be allowed to happen if there is absolutely no other option and then only for the shortest possible time."

The planning application includes metal bollards that would block access for vehicles from Paradise Lane. The councillors wrote that they did not want to see the entrance opened up fully to vehicles.

They wrote: "We seek assurances that this emergency access from Paradise Lane, which will block traffic with the use of metal bollards, will never be opened up as a full access to the estate. The local plan states that access to this site by vehicles must be from the Formby bypass only, with access from Paradise Lane being only for emergencies, for example for a fire engine or ambulance.

"Residents are concerned that the width of the opening will mean that vehicles may be able to access the site, or that the bollards might in future be removed. This must not be allowed to happen."

Cllr Killen added: "This site could deliver hundreds of homes, including dozens of much needed affordable homes, and although we'd prefer not to see green space built on, the government requires Sefton Council to identify land that can be used for housing. The council must give planning permission for hundreds of homes to be built each year or the developers could apply direct to the government to build, and the flood and traffic mitigation measures may not be included, or would not be as rigorous.

"If flood and traffic issues are addressed, we support the building of much needed homes in order to increase supply in Formby, and reduce or hold back the rising cost of buying a home.

"Residents often raise the issue of school places, but there are excess places in Formby primary schools and dozens of places at our high schools are taken up by children from outside the town, because there are not enough children living in Formby to fill all our school places. Our population is actually ageing, with the number of over 65s in the town set to soar over the next 10 years. We need young families to live here too, and for that to happen we need to build more homes.

"In terms of health facilities, we work closely with NHS England and the local CCGs to ensure adequate provision of services. The availability of health services cannot be used as a reason to refuse planning applications."

The planning application has yet to go before Sefton Council Planning Committee for a decision.

PIC: Catie Page (in red) and Nina Killen near the site north of Brackenway, Formby