A proposal to clear an area of Hoylake beach for amenity use as part of a new management plan is in tatters after it was rejected by a government watchdog.
Natural England, which is the regulatory body on environmental issues, has sent Wirral Council its response to its plan for the beach, which is a site of special scientific interest.
The Council’s preferred option would have seen the removal of just over three hectares of vegetation towards Trinity Road, around the lifeboat station.
It was supported by roughly two-thirds of those who responded to a consultation which offered it as one of two suggestions.
It was seen as a compromise to move on from years of bitter debate which has divided the local community between those in favour of clearing grass and those who want to let nature take its course.
In a nine-page letter to the Council, seen by West Kirby Today, Natural England has ruled that the only clearance allowed will be at Alderley Road and Trinity Road to enable access for the RNLI to the lifeboat station.
This is strictly on the basis that it is “for RNLI operational access only and does not include vegetation clearance for functional amenity”.
It is also far more restrictive than the other option the council consulted on, which proposed the removal of 1.92 hectares of vegetation primarily around the RNLI lifeboat station, but also including the slipways at King’s Gap, Alderley Road, and Trinity Road; a 10m wide strip along the seawall from Clydesdale Road to King’s Gap extending around the Alderley Road slipway and Trinity Road steps, and a 10m wide cleared strip from King’s Gap through the vegetation to the sandy beach.
The letter states: “It is within Natural England’s wider remit to consider public access to nature and RNLI operational access to the beach so allowing clearance for these two reasons is considered acceptable. Natural England cannot assent to any wider amenity clearance as this is not within our remit.”
It also requests that a saltmarsh creation area is implemented within five years, and the monitoring and reporting of vegetation development and beach levels be under taken annually to inform future management of the beach.
The restrictions also include using “low ground pressure vehicles…to avoid damage to any saltmarsh/intertidal habitats for the duration of the works”.
The letter adds: “Hoylake beach acts as a high tide roost which supports large numbers of overwintering birds for which the SSSI is designated. If saltmarsh is not removed for amenity clearance and is left, this retains much of the supporting habitat for overwintering birds.
“As the beach management plan will improve access to the beach, this could increase recreational disturbance pressure to overwintering birds. By creating a saltmarsh creation area to promote saltmarsh development, this provides alternative supporting habitat for overwintering birds and minimises damage from the clearance of saltmarsh for access and RNLI operations.”
The letter has sparked an angry response from local Conservative councillors who say they have already met with council officials “to map out our potential next moves, and legal options”.
Cllr Andrew Gardner told us: “Whilst on the face of it the advice from Natural England is disappointing, it is merely advice from an increasingly risible quango and just like we cleared West Kirby beach, I’m hopeful the more than fair option two will be actioned.”
However, Natural England does have the power to carry out enforcement action, which on paper at least, could mean the prospect of hefty fines if they believe a site is damaged.
In addition, the raking at West Kirby took place under a different context to Hoylake, as the council already had approval from Natural England to undertake regular beach raking. It had been paused, but not for environmental reasons.
Local Green Party campaigners argue that the outcome of the discussions with Natural England was inevitable due to environmental laws, and that the whole exercise “has been a massive waste of time and resources”.
Wirral Council said: “We have received the notice and advice from Natural England and we now need to take some time to consider it and develop a formal response”.