Hoylake’s promenade could look very different in the future as part of plans to boost the seaside town.
Hoylake Vision, a community forum based in the Wirral town, said the promenade is in poor condition, adding there are no toilets and very few other facilities for visitors. The group, which is made up of more than 160 volunteer residents and businesses, is seeking local people’s views on its ideas and asking them to contribute their own.
Last month, the ECHO reported Hoylake Vision’s plan included electric vehicle charging points and improved accessibility at the promenade, plus the possibility of a Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre to the east of the Carr Lane area, giving people access to nature. A spokesperson for Hoylake Vision said: “The one issue that stood out above all else in our earlier consultation was the general perception that the promenade is not realising its full potential which, for an historic coastal town like Hoylake, really needs addressing.
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“At the moment the promenade is in poor condition; there are no toilets and very few other facilities for visitors and residents and this is one of the main things that people would like to see addressed. However, there’s also a recognition that just adding more facilities and resurfacing won’t be enough; there’s an opportunity to deal with some other pressing issues at the same time.
“To that end we’ve included in the Masterplan and Design Guide and Codes, exciting high-level proposals for introducing a Sustainable Drainage System as part of a comprehensive remodelling of the promenade between The King’s Gap and the new Lifeboat station.”
Making the case for a new drainage system, the spokesperson added: “The sand levels along the foreshore have risen dramatically in recent years; about one metre since 1990. That is a huge amount of sand build up that presents real challenges for managing windblown sand as well as drainage.
“Most if not all of the surface water drains are well below the sand level now – and broken drain discharges onto the beach from the ageing Victorian drain system are a real problem – with potentially polluted water feeding vegetation growth by the promenade wall. So any re-imagining of the promenade needs to take these additional challenges into account; it’s an engineering and environmental challenge as well as an aesthetic and economic one.”
The group cannot deliver these ideas, but wants to build support so the council can secure government funding for some of its ideas. You can have your say on the plans contained in the emerging Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) here.
The ECHO spoke to residents in Hoylake to see what they think needs to be done to improve the town. Mr Brown, 70, who did not want to give his first name, said the town needed to be “a bit livelier”.
He said there used to be a cinema and other things to do and that more life needed to be brought to the town. Jan Kelly, who did not give her age, referred to an issue which has attracted much controversy in recent years, saying “sort the beach out”.
Ms Kelly also felt there needed to be more for young people in the town and that while there’s plenty for the youngest children, there was “nothing” for teenagers to do.
While Michelle Ellis, 42, said a cinema would be a good idea and that there needed to be more things to do, despite this she said she liked living in the town. Ms Ellis thought a scheme where people could hire a bike on the beach would also be a good idea.
Robin Jackson, 44, said he also thought there needed to be more in the town, but that any changes must be democratic and people must have a say on the plan. Cllr Andrew Gardner, who represents Hoylake and Meols for the Conservatives, said he welcomes the ambition of the NDP but said "the problem with what is essentially a wish list is one of deliverability".
Cllr Gardner added: “The NDP and any ‘Masterplan’ will need to sit within the imminent Wirral Council Local Plan and go to the relevant committee at the council. I can assure concerned residents and businesses of full democratic oversight of proposals. No one should think that the proposals are some sort of ‘done deal’.”
David Sindall, Labour’s candidate for Hoylake and Meols in the local elections, which take place on May 5, said: "I’m pleased that there are lots of options being put forward on the community engagement website, and I’d like to see as many people as possible contribute their ideas to the new Hoylake NDP. We already see the existing electric vehicle charging points being used, and adding to those could be useful as more people make the switch over in the years to come.
“Similarly, I’d welcome moves to make the prom more accessible. My own proposal is for a ‘changing places’ toilet, with a hoist and space to allow people to use the facilities with dignity, which could make a dramatic difference to the lives of people who might want to enjoy a day out here.”
Full list of candidates standing in Hoylake and Meols in Wirral Council’s local elections:
- Alix Cockcroft (Green Party)
- Tony Cox (Conservative)
- John Ellis (Independent)
- Peter Reisdorf (Lib Dem)
- David Sindall (Labour)
