If Grow Wellbeing CIC (Community Interest Company’s proposal is approved, the site on Bentinck Street in Birkenhead would be reopened as a community garden to include some food growing, forest school and biodiverse habitat management.
A polytunnel, steel flat-packed and modular office and circular wooden pergola form part of the plans.
A design and access statement prepared by The Environment Partnership on behalf of Grow Wellbeing CIC and submitted along with the planning documents to Wirral Council said the ‘application is for change of use from vacant land to community garden that was first granted permission in 2014’.
Picture shows fly-tipping prevalent on site in January 2025 prior to Grow Wellbeing taking over (Image: The Environment Partnership / Wirral Council planning document)
Change of use of the balance of grassland to form a community garden for a variety of uses including some food-growing, a forest school, biodiversity enhancements; whilst the precise split of these uses will depend on community needs and soil testing, the future habitats will be ‘allotments’ and modified grassland’, with the intention being that these habitats are managed to a moderate condition as far as possible.
Part of the site will be changed from modified grassland to ‘allotments’.
The design and access statement added: “The site has been neglected for 10 years, with inevitable rubbish accumulation.
“A first rubbish clearance has been made by Grow Well-being, but there is still more to do. There are remains of raised beds from the previous efforts, but these are now rotten.
“A small urban site like this a main priority is obviously making it attractive and useful to the local people, reducing anti-social behaviour and introducing them to flowers, food-growing and wildlife in general.
“However even a small area like this can be a useful stepping-stone and food supply for insects and other invertebrates.
“Insects have declined hugely in recent decades (60-70% in many species since the 1970s) and they need all the help we can give them to recover.”
To read the plans in full, click here https://online.wirral.gov.uk/planning/index.html?fa=getApplication&id=231454
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