Crunch vote set for school playing field homes plan

Plans for homes on a historic school playing field in Wirral are set for a crunch vote.Birkenhead School, an independent school on Beresford Road in Oxton, wants to sell off Noctorum Field and build up to 33 homes on the site.A proposal to upgrade the school’s existing sports hall and build an additional multi-purpose sports facility at its Bidston Road campus, also forms part of the plan’s submission. It would feature rooms for fitness activities, meetings and events.The application has sparked fierce opposition, including a petition of objection containing more than 1,500 signatures, together with almost 450 individual objections.Concerns include the loss of a sports pitch and historic playing field, loss of valuable greenspace and a shortage of rugby pitches in Wirral. The site currently contains a rugby pitch and cricket field.The application will be on voted on at a meeting of Wirral Council’s planning committee on Thursday, 17 March.