Man's 'shock and horror' after what turned up in quiet village A row has erupted in the village over the use of a nearby farm David Allan, Chairman of Eastham Village Preservation Association (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo ) A row has erupted in a quiet village near the banks of the Mersey after vehicles started using a farm overnight. The land, which is in Wirral's green belt, is currently being used as a commercial site to store pipes. A community group dedicated to preserving Eastham village's "ancient character and unique heritage" has spoken out after it became known that farmland off Eastham Village Road was being used without planning permission. They claim the use of the land has "brought heavy industrial traffic thundering down a narrow farm lane just yards from the homes of elderly residents" and argue their village deserves better. ‌ A planning application has now been submitted to retrospectively change the use of the land from agricultural to a commercial satellite parking area for a period up to two years. A representative for landowner Derek Coathup said he was unaware planning permission had been needed before the dispute started. David Allan, who chairs the Eastham Village Preservation Association and lives nearby, said the lorries turning up was a shock describing the situation as horrific due to what he believed to be a risk to pedestrians in the area. He told the ECHO: "If people want to live in a conservation area, you have to abide by the rules. There are ways of doing things." (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo ) Article continues below Cllr Phil Gilchrist has also been sounding the alarm on behalf of those complaining. He felt a better site should be found the sooner the better, adding: "This activity is clearly causing distress and anxiety to residents. It is not in keeping with the area." Town planner Philip Barton, who is representing landowner Derek Coathup, ackowledged in an email to Cllr Gilchrist the site had been operating unlawfully but stressed no criminal offence had occurred. He added: "I believe that he was genuinely unaware that planning permission is required for a temporary change of use. If I thought he was using deception, I would not have agreed to represent him. "Mr Coathup has been invited by officers to submit a planning application on a retrospective basis and this is what he is doing. This is the usual procedure followed by the council's enforcement officers. It is not a 'delaying tactic.' ‌ He said if the council were to proceed to enforcement, the two-year contract into which Mr Coathup has entered with the firm operating on the site would be likely to expire before the action concluded. This is because Mr Coathup would use his right of appeal against the enforcement notice. A truck on the land alongside Eastham Mews residents are unhappy about (Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo ) Responding to the ECHO, Mr Barton said the work was related to the gas supply network, crucial for many homes, and the firm using the site had chosen it because it was close to where works were taking place, something he said was more environmentally sustainable. ‌ He stressed the work was only temporary, adding: "The vehicles are going to have to go somewhere. Wherever they decided, there would be complaints if anybody lived nearby." Mr Barton said he was optimistic the planning application would be approved. Mr Barton added: "The most important thing is the council deciding not to issue a stop notice. It could still do that if they wanted to. "They could have issued a stop notice but instead they invited a planning application. If the officers thought that the use of the land was so serious, they could have used that option and it would be illegal to ignore that." Article continues below Wirral Council declined to comment due to the live planning application.