The Mayor of Liverpool has warned Alder Hey that he will ‘hold the hospital to account’ over its plans to build houses on its former site.
Bosses at the childrens hospital have submitted a planning application for the Eaton Road location to be used for 400 homes and commercial or retail units.
Close to 1,000 people have already registered their opposition to the plans with an online petition amid fears it could extend to nearby Springfield Park.
Alder Hey officials have sought to reassure local residents that the proposal will not include Springfield, which now houses part of the new, modernised hospital.
But council chief Joe Anderson has pledged to challenge the development, insisting that it will ot be one which ‘ruins the lives of their neighbours’.
In a statement, Mayor Anderson said: “The plans which have been submitted for the former grounds of Alder Hey hospital are based on what is best for the hospital and not the residents.
“The residents around the hospital have been loyal supporters of Alder Hey and backed the Council in supporting a new building.
“I am disappointed that there is very little information how the Hospital will put right the problems that exist now, i.e. parking disruption to the existing residential community.
“Any new proposal must take into account that the hospital is a neighbour to residents.
“I want to reassure residents that I and the local MP, Stephen Twigg, and their elected Councillors will hold the hospital to account.
“I personally will make sure this happens and make sure there is delivery on the promises made to me and to the community.
“I will not let Alder Hey deliver a housing scheme that ruins the lives of their neighbours, and I’ll defend Springfield Park, so they deliver the like-for-like world class replacement park they were promised.
“The agreement was that an improved Springfield park, the same size as the old one, would be provided and we expect a future planning application to be submitted that makes that clear.
“Meanwhile on the current planning application, I know it can be a nightmare to live near a hospital with serious parking issues.
“So I expect Alder Hey to be more innovative about managing traffic concerns and to bring forward a housing scheme which is much lower density than 400 houses.”