Oxton Village Conservation Area

Oxton Village Conservation Area was designated in April 1979. The general character of Oxton Village Conservation Area derives from its history as an early rural hamlet and subsequent expansion as a Victorian commuter settlement.

A significant part of the land on which Oxton is situated was part of the Estate of the Earl of Shrewsbury - this has been commemorated over the years in many of the road names, which bear the family names and titles of the various Earls; Alton Road, Beresford Road, Chetwynd Road, Ingestre Road, Shrewsbury Road, Talbot Road, Waterford Road and Wexford Road. The oldest pub in Oxton Village is called the 'Shrewsbury Arms' (presumably for the same reason) and the bar which is now known as the 'Oxton Bar and Terrace' was formerly the 'Talbot Hotel'.

The boundaries have been drawn to include both the best and the ordinary so that practically the whole of the original hill top settlement has been included. This differentiates it from the surrounding housing of a later period. There are variety of buildings in Oxton, ranging from terraces, to stone built cottages and detached stuccoed villas, give the area a character which is unique in Birkenhead. A substantial number of houses stand on their own or are semi-detached set in spacious gardens.

Public spaces tend to be mainly streets and so are linear in character, opening up only at nodes and junctions. A key feature of the conservation area is the strong presence of mature trees.

In 2010 Wirral Council commissioned Donald Insalls Consultants to conduct a Character Appraisal for Oxton Village Conservation Areas. The appraisal evaluated and analysed various features which gives the conservation area its special architectural and historic interest. The appraisal made recommendations to extend the Conservation Area boundaries in 4 areas:

Area 1: Normanston Road & Derwent Road
Area 2: Birch Road
Area 3: Village Road & Wellington Road
Area 4: Talbot Road, Mill Hill and Ingestre Road

The consultation period for the boundary extensions has now closed and the extensions are in the process of being adopted.

Following on from the consultation the Oxton Area Management Plan has been prepared by Wirral Council in partnership with The Oxton Society, it is available to download on the right hand side of this page. If you would liek to comment on the Plan please email the Conservation team using the contact details atthe top of this page.

The Conservation Area Guidance leaflet explains what a Conservation Area is and how the designation or extension of one affects those who live there. The aim is to provide general guidance and advice on the type of works that normally require planning permission as a result of designation.