Concerns over plans for popular former Merseyside nightclub

Abandoned nightclub could be transformed into new homes

There is growing opposition to proposed plans to transform a popular former nightclub into 23 new homes. Local campaigners say the green space adjacent to the former Shorrocks Hill leisure center is a place of “peace and tranquility” and fear it could be “destroyed” by current development plans.

A planning application has been submitted to Sefton Council by Broadgrove Planning and Development Limited (BPDL) for 23 custom-built homes and a 100-space public car park on the site of the iconic Shorrock’s Hill nightclub in Formby. The request was met with resistance from the local community, who said the proposed residential site would have a negative impact on the environment and local wildlife.

The site has attracted controversy since 2016, when plans were submitted to build 60 homes, which were also opposed by local residents. A petition was launched and the plans were ultimately abandoned.

LEARN MORE: Man ‘at a loss for words’ after major update on beauty spot’s futureLEARN MORE: Calls for emergency services to return to Merseyside to end ‘torture’ of parents

The developers said the new plans “include a number of significant benefits” that would “far outweigh any perceived harm” and that they are committed to continuing dialogue with local residents.

Yvonne Irving, 83, has become a leading figure in the campaign against the Shorrocks Hill development. Yvonne said such development was inevitable after the land’s status was changed from green belt to brownfield almost a decade ago.

Yvonne said: “It’s beautiful here and home to incredible wildlife and natural beauty. It was once a thriving red squirrel sanctuary, but I don’t think people have seen red squirrels there in a long time.

“That doesn’t mean they’re not there, but it just speaks to the potential decline in their numbers due to land treatment.

“If this development continues it could well destroy all these amazing habitats and that is why hundreds of people from Formby have written to oppose it.”

BPDL submitted a series of reports including an analysis of the impact of the proposed development on local wildlife and the tree population. It is recognized that even dead trees on the site and the roofs of abandoned buildings could be possible nesting spaces for the bats, but no evidence of a local population has been found. BPDL has committed to providing alternative spaces such as bat boxes which will be located around the site to accommodate any possible population of bats, currently or in the future.

In addition to considerations regarding possible bat populations, the BPDL has also committed to taking “reasonable avoidance measures” so as not to harm the potential presence of red squirrels, badgers and mammals hedgehogs. These include pre-start checks to detect the presence of these mammals, ensuring trenches and excavations have a means of evacuation and plugging exposed pipe systems to ensure the safety of the mammals.

A consultation carried out in October 2024 by the Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service assessed the issue of protected species on the land and said there was no evidence of bat use, but said some trees will need to be be subject to further evaluation.

The report said: “Buildings and trees have already been classified as having high bat roosting potential, with fire damaged attics and dead trees meaning bat roosts are unlikely to occur. high conservation deposits are present. »

Local residents remain concerned about further development in Formby and question the need for the proposals at Shorrocks Hill. Nathalie lives in Formby and is also involved in the campaign against the planning application. She said: “Many people from Formby remember coming here as children and this area is a place of peace and tranquility for the local community.

“The possibility of seeing it destroyed is very upsetting. We put profit before nature and it speaks to our values ​​as a company. This space is something we are very proud of and it is a privilege to have it . But unfortunately, nowadays, more and more of us are devaluing and destroying what we have.

“Our green spaces are precious. The local wildlife is precious. For this to be taken over and flattened into concrete is horrible and what’s the point?”

Applicants for the Shorrocks Hill development have been contacted for comment.