![\"Colin](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_Colin-Bermingham-from-Brighter-Bebington.jpg\")
Colin Bermingham from Brighter Bebington(Image: Copyright Unknown)<\/p>\nThe sale has been controversialColin Bermingham from Brighter Bebington(Image: Copyright Unknown)<\/p>\n
A man was shocked when he found out Wirral Council<\/a> was selling his driveway without him knowing. The local authority told the ECHO<\/a> the sale is now on hold following opposition.<\/p>\n In December 2024, councillors unanimously approved the sale of Pennant House in Bebington along with a number of other council assets.<\/a> The 19th century building next to Mayer Hall holds a special place within its community<\/a> and councillors sought assurances this would be taken into account at the time.<\/p>\n Public awareness of the sale was low until a notice in the Wirral<\/a> Globe that part of nearby Mayer Park was included, this prompted quick backlash in the community. Petitions have now been signed by more than 2,000 people.<\/p>\n Tony Lever, who lives in a Magenta Living home next to the building, said he had no idea about the plans and believed Pennant House had been left to the people of Bebington. He\u2019s lived in his home since the 1970s.<\/p>\n He currently uses the car park and fears he would lose access as part of any sale. The ECHO<\/a> understands access to Mr Lever\u2019s property would remain as part of any sale though use of the car park is not guaranteed.<\/p>\n Mr Lever said the news of the sale was a bit of a shock, adding: \u201cI knew nothing about what was happening. They keep everybody in the dark.\u201d<\/p>\n Colin Bermingham, from community group Brighter Bebington, believed they should be given a bit more respect given their positive relationship with the council, adding there had been no transparency about the sale.<\/p>\n He told the ECHO<\/a>: \u201cI think that the meeting was held in December to sell it and [Mr Lever] only found out by pure chance eight months later, that isn\u2019t the way to treat anybody.<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever they get from this building, it\u2019s not going to come back to Bebington and that is wrong. It\u2019s such a small amount of money they are going to get from it and it\u2019s not going to go to the people of Bebington.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to know what the hell is happening because nobody knows. If there was a positive plan that the public would be behind, I would understand but we aren\u2019t even getting that opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of my disappointments is we have worked with the council for 33 years and never had a cross word with them but the way this has been done has upset us.\u201d<\/p>\n Currently the community group uses the site to store their Christmas lights as well as equipment needed to set up their annual Christmas fair. They feel the sale jeopardises this.<\/p>\n James Skinner, the landlord at the nearby Rose and Crown, said: \u201cWithout that, we lose all of our Christmas lights. Bebington becomes a worse place to live and the pub begins to suffer because the community it\u2019s in begins to suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n In a letter to the council, he said the sale of part of the park in particular was abhorrent, adding: \u201cThe people of Bebington and Wirral deserve better.\u201d<\/p>\n Bebington Green councillor Ed Lamb, whose party voted for the sale, said many of the council\u2019s proud buildings are falling into disrepair and the costs to repair them was increasing.<\/p>\n![\"Pennant](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_Pennant-House.jpg\")
Pennant House(Image: Copyright Unknown)<\/p>\n