Southport Labour Party has submitted its response to Sefton Council’s Local Plan Scoping Report consultation, setting out a vision for a more affordable, sustainable and inclusive borough over the period 2029-2044.
The submission places a strong focus on genuinely affordable housing, improved transport connectivity, tackling the climate emergency and ensuring that the economic benefits of development are kept within our local communities.
A key priority is the delivery of more social rented housing to help address local housing need and homelessness. Southport Labour is also calling for previously developed land to be prioritised ahead of greenfield sites and for greater support to be given to housing co-operatives and community led housing initiatives.
The response further argues that all new development should contribute positively to the design and character of local neighbourhoods through enhanced community involvement and design review processes.
Southport Labour chair Trevor Vaughan said:
“The next Local Plan is a great opportunity to shape the future of Southport and Sefton. We want to see a plan that delivers genuinely affordable homes, protects our environment, improves public transport links and ensures that economic growth benefits local people rather than simply creating profits for developers and investors. We’re interested to see the consultation responses from other local political parties”.
Southport Labour has also called for stronger planning policies to address climate change, including requirements for energy efficient homes, renewable energy generation, low carbon heating systems and climate resilient development.
Transport infrastructure features prominently within the submission, with Southport Labour urging Sefton Council to prioritise the reinstatement of the Burscough Curves rail links. The proposals would allow a future extension of the Merseyrail network, improving connections and strengthening links to Liverpool, Preston and beyond.
The consultation response also promotes the principles of Community Wealth Building. Sefton should seek to maximise the role of public sector anchor institutions, including the Council, NHS organisations, colleges, housing providers and others, in supporting local economic growth. Major developments should be expected to support local jobs, apprenticeships, skills development, the Living Wage and to use of local supply chains wherever possible. Southport Labour believes developers should demonstrate the wider social and economic value their schemes will deliver through Local Economic Benefit Statements.
Additional recommendations include:
- Ambitious affordable housing targets.
- Protection of publicly owned land for affordable housing delivery.
- Improved access to green spaces and children’s play facilities.
- Support for local businesses, social enterprises and co-operatives through procurement policies.
- Measures to strengthen town centres through the reuse of vacant premises and historic buildings.
- Policies to manage the impact of fast food outlets, bookmakers, payday lenders and vape shops on public health and community wellbeing.
- Opposition to shale gas extraction and hydraulic fracturing within Sefton.
- Introduction of a borough wide Code of Construction Practice to better manage construction impacts on local communities and ensure effective enforcement.
The submission concludes that Sefton’s new Local Plan should create a borough that is prosperous, sustainable and inclusive, with development delivering long term benefits for residents, businesses and future generations.
The full text of the response can be found here:
