im interested what the general opinions there are on tranmere rovers selling the fields of remembrance.i,as a birkonian feel very bad about it.i have watched the rovers for nearly 60 years but feel they are totally out of order,yhere are things i would like to know,like how much they paid for the fields which were left for the public.how are they worth all these millions now.also the chaos it will cause the people who live there.the council should hang their heads in shame when they are stood in hamilton square on remembrance sunday.since the wirral took over birkenhead has gone down hill,this is the icing on the cake,whats next for this great town.

Previously,

https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/780458/1.html

i remember that thread,but its different now because its happening.the reputation of birkenhead of being a proud caring place is on the line.dont forget this is the 100th anniversary of the great war.also the 1st ever british legion branch is in birkenhead,how will they feel.

As I understand it, the latest on this is that Mark Palios has agreed to speak with Dean Johnson and the BI lads who are fighting to save the field. That at least is positive news for now. We live in hope that TRFC will do the decent thing for Wirral and honour the dead of WW1.

I see Tranmere Rovers have switched from the Woodchurch plan to now developing the Solar Campus land (which I think will give them far more land (rented or sold by the council?) - maybe for selling off in later years for more house building?
As regards a memorial why not put a plaque with the names of the fallen on a wall where the BI was in Whetstone Lane and one in the main Birkenhead library (not sure if there's one already there)
If the Solar Campus deal comes off and their part is enclosed another plaque at the entrance dedicated and possible return of the old Ingleborough Road gates. If possible the Birch trees cut down and made into 88 bench seats and put in prominent places in Birkenhead with a small plaque on each eg parks, Hamilton Square, Library, Whetstone Lane, the Precinct.

The only thing I don't like about the whole thing is that some of the money raised may go to line someone's pockets.

ps
I'm an old BI pupil

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As an old instonian (tollemache site)I am against it more for the loss of a small green oasis in the town. Little green spaces are all over London and other cities because they provide oxygen and generally pleasant places. Whilst i am sure a suitable replacement memorial could be incorporated into any new housing estate-its the loss of green open space--albeit closed to public that is sad. I suppose there is also wheeling and dealings in high places.

If I'd been a betting man I would have bet this would go in Tranmere's favour. Come on we are talking Wirral borough council, Peter Johnson and TRFC. Enough said. I think it's a shame to ruin a green space and some of the houses being thrown up now I shudder at the thought of what this area will look like, however, I walk my dogs past the ingleborough fields daily and am seeing the odd broken kids bike, pram and rubbish being chucked in. Saw a dead Fox in there the other Sunday, so if it is going to develop into unofficial "ingleborough dumping ground" maybe something needs doing with it. I agree though that there needs to be something to remember the dead by. Even name the roads, put preservation orders on the trees, something to remember the people who died.

they should do what was intended with it and make it into a public area for recreation,also how much did the rovers pay for it?and why did the council sell it questions that should be asked.

would like to mention i think its ironic that after every match at prenton park its very ironic they play local hero after every match.all the boys who fell in the great war were truly local heroes,please treat them that way.

Ingleborough Road playing field is now owned by Bellway Homes, despite magnificent efforts by a few of the the B I Old Boys, as a former pupil at Whetstone Lane, I am very disillusioned with our Council, I have been for a while, but this is the icing on the cake. Funny thing though, there are loads of cuts being made but still the same number of Councillors Hmmmmh

I lived very close to Ingleborough Rd., in Ben Nevis Rd. My younger brother was at B.I. Whetstone Lane from about 1952-57.

Loss of another piece of oxygen providing landscape to the corporate gangs for greed. Plenty of brown field sites around town but then they don't fetch such a high price. Hamilton Square next--that's got plenty of war memorials on it.

Yes, lots of wasted space there; why not put a load of pre-fabs there or at least turn it into allotments. Oh, and knock down all those ugly grey buildings on the periphery.

Following a Freedom of Information request, Wirral Council have been ordered by the "Information Commissioner to hand over the following Viability Assessment document within 35 days.
When It went before the Planning Committee on 21st August it said that an independent report stated:- "it would not be viable to include affordable housing as part of the project", usual fishy smell, I think, hide the evidence from the Public.

article in Liverpool Echo on November 21 page 3
BIOB are still having a go.

After building houses on Ingleborough Road Playing Fields and renaming it the Mallory Park Estate, the houses sold well BUT now people have settled in they are going to slap them with parking restrictions without any parking permits.

SOURCE

Did hear in conversation that the new Tranmere owner Mark Palios was a little more sympathetic towards the plight of the old war heros. Wheels began to turn with the result of funding for the new memorial at Hamilton Square. So probably at the end of the day the only losers are the people who no longer look onto green field but a new housing estate.

Not quite that simple.

Ingleborough road is totally inadequate for the extra traffic and true to form the Council have the double yellow lines on the wrong side of the road causing even more unnecessary misery (less available parking and more dangerous for vehicles and pedestrians).

The playing fields were gifted to Tranmere Rovers as playing fields, not as an asset to make a huge profit out of.

I believe there is still dispute as to whether Tranmere Rovers has completed its promises in the complicated deal that permitted them to sell this land.

It was a memorial and the memorial has been destroyed.

There are many other points as well but I'd have to check the detail.

I note that there are complaints that the new roads built on this land have still not been surfaced properly as yet despite people moving in over one year ago.