Welcome To Wirral

The proposals from the Master Plan focus on the main shopping thoroughfare - Market Street and the Promenade seafront. Public realm upgrading in the town centre will both improve economic prospects and the town centre environment for visitors and local residents.

Completed Projects

Market Street Improvements

Completed in two distinct phases, the project encompassed £2.8M of environmental improvements to the area from Station Rd to the Kings Gap roundabout along Market St to Melrose Avenue. This included highway and pedestrian improvements, landscaping and the introduction of high quality, bespoke street furniture and public art.

This was made possible due to investment from Mersey Waterfront Regional Park and European funding via Government Office North West. This in turn has helped bring in additional private sector investment to the town, whilst improving the economic prosperity for existing businesses.

 

Current Proposals

Hoylake Station – Gateway to Royal Liverpool

This £1.6m proposal aims to improve the public realm in front of the Grade II listed Hoylake Station building, creating an attractive town square environment between the station and the Quadrant, to complement the high quality environmental improvements in nearby Market Street.

In partnership with Merseytravel, Merseyrail Electric and Network Rail, Officers from the Technical Services Department are currently facilitating outline design work and cost estimates for a possible future scheme. This might include a proposal to pilot a pedestrianised square capable of hosting regular events and activities.

 

Hoylake & Meols Promenade

The promenade has generally suffered from a lack of investment over the years and doesn’t reflect the quality befitting of such a picturesque location, with its impressive panoramic views of the Irish Sea, the Welsh hills and Hilbre Island. A pleasant and well-liked stretch of coastline with sandy beaches, it is very popular with visitors and local residents as a place for relaxation and recreation.

The Hoylake and West Kirby Master Plan identified a programme of investment and improvement opportunities along North Parade and Meols Parade as a medium term priority. The Council commissioned consultants Scott Wilson early in 2008 to undertake an initial scoping and design exercise.

This involved the preparation of outline design proposals and cost estimates for a range of bespoke facilities and public realm improvements including surfaces, lighting, street furniture, landscaping, signage and interpretation. An exhibition of initial proposals was held at Melrose Hall in June 2008 and these were generally well received.

The Scott Wilson study is an initial piece of work reflecting a vision for potential improvements to the length of the promenade – it is not a detailed plan. On completion the study will be reported to Cabinet for ‘in principle’ approval subject to funds being secured and detailed designs being further evolved through further consultation.

 

The Golf Resort

The Council seeks to build on the success of The Open Championship in 2006 through the creation of a world class golf resort east of the Hoylake Municipal golf course. The project, delivered in partnership with a private sector developer, involves the creation of a new, signature golf course plus a top of the range 200+ bedroom hotel with associated leisure, health spa and conference facilities.

The potential £75-£100milion development will be a golf orientated leisure resort closely linked to other coastal and countryside offers such as sailing and horse riding. The resort will target national and international business tourism, conference and corporate activity markets and will significantly enhance the region’s ability to benefit from international golf tourism, as well as enhancing the Northwest England’s golf coast initiative.

Wirral Council has been investigating the potential of a golf resort development near Hoylake for several through major feasibility studies which have supported the essential tenability of the concept.

The golf resort has been part of the broad public consultation programme in West Wirral concerning prospective regeneration and investment prospects since 2004. That programme of consultation continues on a rolling basis and around both specific plans as they emerge in general updates at events such as the West Wirral Area Forum. At present, the golf resort is an aspiration, once a developer / investor is identified it is expected that appropriate and significant consultation processes will be engaged upon by that developer.