Rainhill Save Our Green Belt

31/07/2026

"What a lovely lovely man. Privilege to have met you Phil and I hope every person walking their dog or just enjoying the beautiful fresh air on the old Eccleston Park Golf Course know YOU had a hand in that being stopped from being built all over so Costa del Whiston could see another wild deer left alone 🦌
On behalf of all the members of Rainhill Save Our Green Belt, it was a an honour Phil x"
(Words of Donna Greaves)
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B9xxejiqp/

It is with great sadness that the family of the late Phil Neil have asked us to announce his passing and Funeral arrangements.

Phil will be dearly missed and always remembered by his family and friends.

A Funeral service will be held at Greenacres Memorial Park, Rainford, WA11 7HX on Friday 7th August at 10am.

The family warmly welcome those who knew Phil to join them for refreshments after the service at the Ship Inn, Warrington Rd, Rainhill, L35 6PE.

Family flowers only please, donations if desired to Northwest Air Ambulance in loving memory of Phil are greatly appreciated.

All enquiries to Debbie Bennett Funeral Directors, 31 High St, Prescot, L34 6HE Telephone 0151 426 3131option 1.

03/06/2026

The cabinet of St Helens Council meet this evening and is reportedly considering starting work on a new Local Plan to replace the current one.
Happening now
https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/26163776.first-meeting-st-helens-councils-reform-cabinet/ =1780499890

The stated objective would be to focus more housing and development on urban and brownfield sites, potentially reducing the need to build on Green Belt land.
Campaign representatives and local Cllrs say they will be meeting with the new council leadership to ensure our greenbelt and safeguarded land in Rainhill remains protected in any new plan put forward.
Any replacement Local Plan would likely take years to prepare, consult on, examine, and adopt, so no immediate change is guaranteed.

RSOGB is encouraging followers to remain cautious until more details are released.

A decision to draft a new plan is not the same as a decision to remove specific housing allocations.
Housing requirements set by national policy can still place pressure on councils to identify development land.
The details of site allocations would only emerge later in the plan-making process.

This appears to be a positive opportunity to look at urban and town regeneration which we have advocated for many years "start in the centre and work your way out" but the real test will be whether future draft Local Plan documents actually remove or reduce Green Belt allocations and whether the council can demonstrate sufficient housing capacity on brownfield and urban sites instead.

We will keep you updated Rainhill
RSOGB

24/04/2026

Keep Rainhill beautiful.
Keep Rainhill's green spaces.
Keep supporting us 👍

14/04/2026

Good afternoon Rainhill,

We have been contacted by several members asking whether we support the Reform candidates and if they have ever been active members within our group.

We can categorically state that we have not worked with the three Reform candidates and are not aware of any direct support or involvement from them within our group over the past 10 years.
It is also somewhat ironic to our members that green belt land in Rainhill is currently being developed without planning permission, while Reform locally appears to have defended this in a recent post.

We are not surprised that political groups attempt to associate themselves with us or use the campaign ticket of 'green spaces' in the run-up to elections, just as Labour candidates did in 2022. On that occasion, valuable time was taken away from me as Chair, when I was due to speak at the planning meeting opposing the application to build on the former Eccleston Park Golf Course.

Therefore it should come as no surprise that the new INDEPENDENT group line up in Rainhill also grew out of that and RSOGB has consistently supported the Rainhill Independents. They emerged from active membership from within this group to fight against the destruction of Rainhill’s green belt under Labour's local plan, and they have never waivered in their support or commitment to RSOGB, Rainhill's green spaces and the residents of Rainhill who have needed them.

Thank you
John Fairclough
Chair - Rainhill Save Our Green Belt

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