The Point rejected as councillors vote down major Formby development

Traffic was another recurring concern, particularly congestion on the bypass, access to the site and the pressure further development could place on local roads. Several Hello Formby! readers also questioned whether Formby already has the infrastructure to support more growth, pointing to parking, healthcare and schools, while others argued that the wider economic benefits of new investment should also be considered.

In a surprise decision tonight, Sefton Council’s Planning Committee voted by 11 votes to two to refuse The Point, despite council planning officers recommending that the development should be approved.

The 12.6-hectare scheme, on land north of Formby Industrial Estate beside the A565, would have included two supermarkets, a drive-through, a new junction from the bypass and later phases of employment space and a community medical centre.

The result initially caused some confusion inside Bootle Town Hall.

After the vote, people in the public gallery called out that they believed two motions had been put before the committee.

Planning officer Neil Kennard responded from the floor and clarified: “The only motion before committee was refusal.”

There was then another call from the public gallery asking for the voting figures, prompting officers to confirm that the application had been rejected by 11 votes to two.

It was an unusual end to what was already an unexpected decision, with council officers directly responding to questions being called out from the public gallery.

The refusal represents a major setback for The Point, which had been recommended for approval by Sefton’s professional planning team and would have been one of the largest developments in Formby for many years.

With such a large development, an appeal is likely inevitable and as with all local developments, Hello Formby will bring you the details first, when they become available.