Front Page

Sefton Council is seeking further reassurances through an Environmental Statement from an applicant planning to build a bitumen storage and distribution facility in Bootle.

Sefton’s Planning Team has received a request, under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017, for a Screening Opinion from Starius Bitumen for the facility at Hornby Dock on Regent Road.

While Starious Bitumen contend that their proposed facility is ‘permitted development’ – development that you do not need planning permission for – this would only be the case if an Environmental Statement was not required.

The local authority has now informed Starius Bitumen that an Environmental Statement is required given the concerns over worsening air pollution in the area arising from increased vehicle traffic from this proposal as well as traffic elsewhere from the Port of Liverpool.

An Environmental Statement will contain a number of different technical reports that assess the impacts of this proposal, along with the impacts of existing and planned developments nearby, that will help inform the Council and the public when an application is submitted.

Cllr Ian Maher, Labour leader at Sefton Council, said: “We have looked long and hard into this proposal and feel more environmental assurances are needed before anything can progress.

“We strongly believe that the proposal is chemical storage and distribution which falls under the EIA Regulations of 2017.

“Our biggest concern centres around the impact this facility will have on air quality in the south of the borough when we already have declared four Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) nearby.

“The information submitted suggests that in the region of 6,000 HGV movements per year will be associated with the operation of the plant which, in combination with existing traffic, is likely to have a significant impact on the air quality of our communities.

“We feel it is with our best interests to request an Environmental Impact Assessment from the company to get a better understanding of how this could affect our local communities in the south of the borough and await their next steps.”

Sefton Council is shining a light on the important roles of our staff as part of an international celebration to recognise public servants who go above and beyond to help others.

The United Nations has designated June 23 International Public Service Day, using the date to recognise the value of public service to communities across the world. The day is also used to encourage young people to consider careers in the public sector.

Cllr Ian Maher, Labour Leader of Sefton Council said:

“International Public Service Day isn’t only a chance to celebrate the amazing work of our staff in local government but also our partners such as the police, fire service and more. It’s also another chance to say that despite the challenges we face in local government, it is still a rewarding and fulfilling career path across a huge array of professions.

“I’m rightly proud to lead Sefton Council, an organisation that employs nearly 3,500 people, most of them from the local area and all of them doing something to make a difference for Sefton’s communities.”

Members of staff from a breadth of Council services will be sharing their experiences on social media as they give their insight into the things that make working in the public sector such a fulfilling role.

Dwayne Johnson, Chief Executive at Sefton Council said:

“As someone who started my journey in social care to become a CEO, I know that public service and local government in particular is not only a fulfilling role but also offers genuine opportunities for progression in the many careers on offer.

“I’m proud of our workforce but the Local Government Association said it best during our peer review when they said that Sefton has a motivated and dedicated workforce that is resilient, adaptable and willing to embrace new challenges. Sefton’s workforce embodies what is great about a career in local government during International Public Service Day.”

If International Public Service Day has motivated you to think of a career in the public sector, check out the latest vacancies on the Sefton Council website and on LinkedIn