ST HELENS Council has defended paying more than £200,000 for external companies to work on its Local Plan after being criticised by an action group.

The authority has spent £212,564 to date on consultants, legal and planning advisers, and others for work on the St Helens Local Plan, which involves proposals to release 16 green belt sites across the borough for housing construction.

Rainford Action Group, which is trying to save green belt sites in the village, obtained the figure through a Freedom of Information request.

James Wright, chair of Rainford Action Group, said: "The council likes to talk about the financial challenges it faces, and has already launched a review of the borough's libraries, but clearly when it comes to the Local Plan, money is no object.

"This attitude is typical of a council that's refused to engage with residents but met representatives of property giant Peel Holdings six times in six months."

He told the Star that Rainford Action Group learned in another Freedom of Information request that the council's planning department has an annual budget of £800,000, meaning more than a quarter of this has been spent on the Local Plan.

Mr Wright said: "St Helens doesn't need the amount of housing the council claims should be built in the borough and there is no justification for the council's green belt grab.

"We need better ideas to grow and develop St Helens. If the best they can come up with is building houses and warehouses on green belt land, we suggest that £212,564 has been poorly spent and the council should seek a refund."

A St Helens Council spokesperson said: "When forming a Local Plan, authorities are required to get independent, impartial advice from specialist consultants. This evidence forms the Local Plan process we are undertaking and will be tested by the national planning inspector.

"These independent studies have clearly highlighted the demand for housing and employment land - reflected in the preferred options - and as a consequence we are confident that any final plans of this draft document will be found to be sound."