Hoylake Beach is undergoing rapid change as 1000s of tons of sand arrive each year.  Where there was once tidal mudflats and dangerous tidal gullies, there is now several square miles of open and safe sandy beach and where there was once a narrow band of wind-blown sand, there is now a band of irreplaceable and highly protected embryo dune, Atlantic Salt Meadow and dune slacks.  It’s a Ramsar site, a Special Protection Area, a Special Area of Conservation as well as an SSSI. One of the rarest plants in the world has been confirmed. Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council has plans to create a small amenity beach within the protected habitat.  We believe that there is a high probability that legal, practical and financial barriers will delay or prevent work being carried out, which in any case does not provide wheelchair or mobility scooter access to the beach.

We call on Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council to allow us to develop proposals and obtain the necessary permissions to provide wheelchair and mobility scooter access to the new sandy beach and if successful, permission as the landowner to carry out those works subject to necessary risk assessments and any other stipulated requirements.  We would self-fund the project. ie there would be no cost to the council.

 

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Since 2019, the landowner, Wirral Borough Council has been trying to negotiate a compromise plan with Natural England to create a small amenity beach within the current succession vegetation with access at two points. We believe that there is a high risk that the plan will require significant modification and further delays to become legally compliant within UK and International Law.  If the legal barriers are overcome, there has been no hydrological study, and the planned access requires removing vegetation in areas whose current plant communities indicate permanent water, and boggy conditions will remain in the cleared areas.  Additionally, there is a spending freeze on non-statutory spending within the Council until at least 2026 and an estimated cost of £230,000 to prepare the area.  Furthermore, the Council’s plans IF delivered would still not provide wheelchair or mobility scooter access to the new sandy beach.

 

We aim to develop a plan that will achieve genuine access for all at Alderley Road and additional all-weather access at Beach Rd.

 

(1)    The plan will have Natural England Assent for the SSSI, AND NE’s discretionary advice for the Habitat Regulation Assessment and sequential Appropriate Assessments relating to the SAC/SPA and Ramsar site will not indicate any issues.

(2)    A Risk Assessment for delivering the plan will be agreed with the council

(3)    The costs of the developing the project, securing the necessary licenses and clearances  and the effort required to deliver it will be community-funded

But we can't start unless the Council as Landowners agree to let us approach Natural England on their behalf.