Closed
SHELAA Call for Sites
The submission window ran from 3 June to 24 July 2026. Submitted sites will be assessed for housing or economic development potential.
Wirral Has Two Different 2026 Planning Processes
The Call for Sites and the Local Plan scoping consultation were related but performed different functions. The Call identified possible development land for the SHELAA. The scoping consultation asked what the new Local Plan 2045 should cover.
A scoping representation was not a late Call for Sites form. With both consultations closed, landowners should now monitor the assessment of submitted sites and the next stages of the Wirral Local Plan 2045.
Closed
Scoping consultation closed on 28 August 2026
The separate consultation invited comments on the scope of the Local Plan 2045 and the evidence it should examine. It is now closed.
Next statutory step
Gateway 1 by 31 October 2026
The Council’s timetable identifies an early self-assessment before publication of the scoping summary later in 2026.
An Urban Peninsula With Contrasting Land Types
Why Wirral Needs a Regeneration-Led Site Assessment
Much of Wirral’s development debate is shaped by the relationship between urban regeneration and protection of the Green Belt. Birkenhead, the docklands, the Left Bank and Wirral Waters contain major brownfield and renewal opportunities. Other parts of the borough comprise established suburbs, town centres, employment estates, coastal settlements and open countryside separating distinct communities.
That pattern means a site cannot be assessed solely by its acreage or distance from a settlement. Brownfield land may have strong policy support but complex contamination, land assembly, infrastructure and viability issues. Greenfield or Green Belt land may appear physically unconstrained but must be considered against settlement identity, landscape, ecology and the regeneration strategy.
Wirral’s peninsula location adds another layer. The Dee and Mersey estuaries, coast, internationally important habitats, flood risk and port-related activity can affect both the type of development and the evidence required.
SHELAA Evidence Priorities
Six Issues That Can Decide Whether Wirral Land Is Achievable
The SHELAA is not simply a map of available land. It must distinguish sites that are realistically capable of delivering housing or economic development from those with unresolved barriers.
Existing Site Record and Boundary
Check whether the land has a Placemaker reference or appears in earlier evidence. Confirm that the red line follows ownership and includes any access land needed for delivery. Avoid duplicate or inconsistent site records.
Brownfield Regeneration Role
Explain the current or former use and how redevelopment supports the surrounding place. Link the proposal to regeneration, town-centre or employment objectives rather than relying only on previously developed status.
Contamination and Remediation
Identify historic industrial uses, made ground, demolition and potential remediation. The SHELAA needs a credible view of abnormal costs and timing. Read our contaminated land guide.
Ownership and Land Assembly
Record all owners, leases, access rights and third-party interests. Larger urban sites may depend on assembling several parcels, relocating uses or securing rights over adjoining land.
Economic, Port and Logistics Uses
For employment land, define the intended sector and its relationship to docks, industrial areas, the M53 and the local labour market. Address freight, servicing, amenity and infrastructure from the outset.
Estuary, Coast and Habitat Effects
Screen flood risk, designated habitats, recreation, biodiversity and coastal change. Sites affecting the Dee or Mersey environment may require a clear avoidance and mitigation strategy before capacity can be relied upon.
Four Different Promotion Routes
Match the Evidence to the Type of Wirral Land
A borough-wide template will not distinguish genuinely different opportunities. The planning case should be built around the site’s role within the peninsula.
Birkenhead and Left Bank Regeneration
Focus on land assembly, urban design, existing occupiers, remediation, infrastructure, viability and phasing. Explain how the land contributes to a coherent neighbourhood or employment framework.
Employment and Waterfront Land
Address operational requirements, port or logistics links, flood risk, noise, servicing and compatibility with nearby communities. Economic uses need an identified market and delivery route.
Suburban Infill and Edge Sites
Examine access, townscape, trees, schools, local services, open space and neighbouring amenity. Capacity should reflect the established settlement pattern rather than a generic density assumption.
Green Belt and Countryside
Assess Green Belt contribution, settlement separation, landscape, ecology, agriculture and a durable boundary. The site must be considered in the context of the regeneration-led strategy and reasonable alternatives.
Brownfield Achievability
Turning a Wirral Regeneration Opportunity Into a Deliverable SHELAA Site
Previously developed land can be an important part of Wirral’s strategy, but policy support does not remove practical delivery barriers. The SHELAA record should show how those barriers can be resolved within a credible period.
Title, Leases and Vacant Possession
Identify freeholds, leases, licences, rights of way and active occupiers. State whether relocation or lease expiry is required and whether every parcel needed for access and construction is controlled.
Ground Conditions and Remediation Scope
Historic docks, works, depots or infilled land may require intrusive investigation and remediation. At plan stage, provide enough evidence to show that the likely cost and programme do not make the proposed use unrealistic.
Demolition, Heritage and Reuse
Record structures to be retained, demolished or adapted, including listed or locally important buildings. Reuse may support character and embodied carbon objectives but can change layout, cost and phasing.
Utilities and Enabling Infrastructure
Check electricity, water, drainage, digital and highway requirements. Large regeneration sites may need substations, pumping, flood works or new streets before the first phase can be occupied.
Viability and Market Sequence
Explain which use can fund remediation and infrastructure and whether public funding, land equalisation or phased release is required. A capacity figure without a viable route is not evidence of achievability.
Integration With Surrounding Neighbourhoods
Show walking routes, public realm, community facilities, open space and connections to existing streets. Regeneration value depends on repairing urban structure, not creating an isolated development parcel.
A Published Route to 2029
Use the Wirral Local Plan 2045 Timetable to Plan Promotion Work
The Council’s published dates create a clearer sequence for site review and representations. They remain indicative and should be checked against the live timetable.
1
After Scoping: Gateway 1 — 2026
The scoping consultation closed on 28 August 2026. Review the submitted site record and monitor the Council’s next steps, including Gateway 1 and publication of the scoping summary.
2
Proposed content and evidence — 2027
The timetable anticipates a six-week consultation between July and September 2027. This is likely to be a key opportunity to test the emerging vision, strategy and evidence.
3
Gateway 2 — early 2028
Review observations and advice alongside any updated SHELAA, sustainability and infrastructure evidence. Address defects before the proposed plan is finalised.
4
Proposed Local Plan — summer 2028
The planned eight-week consultation will require focused representations on the proposed strategy, allocations and policies, supported by precise evidence and requested changes.
5
Submission, examination and adoption — 2028 to 2029
The current timetable indicates submission in December 2028, examination into 2029 and indicative adoption in June 2029. Site promotion should preserve a clear audit trail through each stage.
Before the Next Consultation
What to Retain From a Wirral Site Submission
A complete record makes it easier to respond if the Council requests clarification or publishes an assessment that does not reflect the site correctly.
Submission Form and Reference
Keep the completed form, confirmation email and any Placemaker or SHELAA reference so the land can be traced across future documents.
Scaled Red-Line Plan
Retain the plan submitted at 1:1,250 or 1:2,500 and confirm that access and all land needed for the proposal are included.
Owner Authority and Availability
Record owner support, tenancies, leases and the earliest realistic delivery date. Explain any steps required to secure vacant possession.
Use, Capacity and Achievability
Keep the basis for the proposed use and capacity, along with any information on abnormal costs, remediation, infrastructure and phasing.
Official Wirral Sources to Monitor
Monitor Wirral Council’s published site assessments, consultation updates and Local Plan timetable before taking action.
Land Assessment Across the Wirral Peninsula
We review urban, employment, waterfront, suburban and countryside sites throughout the borough.
BebingtonBirkenheadBromboroughEasthamHeswallHoylakeMoretonNew BrightonOxtonRock FerryUptonWallaseyWest KirbyWoodchurch
A Birkenhead brownfield parcel, M53 employment site, coastal site near Hoylake or village-edge parcel near Greasby will require a different planning and evidence strategy. Our review is based on the actual use, ownership, constraints and delivery context.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Wirral Call for Sites still open?
No. The Call for Sites ran from 3 June to 24 July 2026. Submitted land will be considered through the new Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment.
Is the separate Local Plan scoping consultation still open?
No. The separate Local Plan scoping consultation closed on 28 August 2026. Landowners should now monitor the assessment of submitted sites and the next stages of the Wirral Local Plan 2045.
What will Wirral’s SHELAA assess?
The Council states that it will consider whether sites are suitable, available and achievable for housing or economic uses. Inclusion as potentially developable does not amount to allocation or planning permission.
Should a site already entered through Placemaker be resubmitted?
Wirral’s Call for Sites instructions said sites already submitted through the Placemaker system did not need to be submitted again. Retain the existing reference and check that the boundary, ownership and proposed use remain accurate.
How should brownfield land be promoted in Wirral?
The case should address the regeneration role, existing use, ownership and assembly, contamination or remediation, access, infrastructure, viability and a realistic delivery programme. A brownfield label alone does not prove achievability.
Can Green Belt land still be assessed?
Yes, but the case must address Green Belt purposes, settlement identity, landscape, ecology, access and whether the proposed strategy requires change. Submission does not alter the site’s current designation.
What happens after Gateway 1?
The published timetable anticipates consultation on proposed plan content and evidence in 2027, a proposed Local Plan consultation in 2028, submission in December 2028 and indicative adoption in June 2029. Timings may be updated by the Council.
Review Your Wirral Land Before the Next Local Plan 2045 Stage
We can check the SHELAA submission record, identify brownfield, ownership, access, infrastructure, Green Belt or environmental issues and prepare a focused strategy for the next consultation.
Request a Wirral Site Review