RESIDENTS in Mossley Hill have won a delay in their battle against development plans at Liverpool John Moores University’s IM Marsh Campus.

The university wants the go-ahead for a new teaching block at the campus, but hundreds of residents – fighting what one councillor has described as a “David versus Goliath” battle – are backing a campaign to block the scheme fearing massive parking and anti-social problems.

Liverpool City Council’s planning committee met yesterday to discuss a recommendation from planning officials that the project should be given the go ahead.

But after hearing the concerns from local residents the committee agreed to defer the decision until April 26 to enable them to organise a site visit.

JMU say the scheme is urgently needed to enable outdated teaching blocks to be replaced.

The plan, they insist, will not result in a rise in student numbers.

Instead the proposal is to reduce the student population at IM Marsh by at least 300 over the next few years.

Mossley Hill councillor Tina Gould evoked the Scriptures in describing the application as that “David and Goliath’ fight between JMU and local residents.

She spoke of the massive problems currently caused in surrounding streets as a result of staff and students parking their cars.

Despite many students and staff being booked for obstruction – with some cars towed away by police – the parking issue has not been resolved.

Paul Bate, spokesman for Mossley Hill Residents Association, told the planning committee that between 300 and 350 vehicles a day are parked in surrounding streets, causing a major headache for residents.