A six year saga over the management of Hoylake beach could be reaching an end after agreement was given for a plan that will allow for the clearance of some vegetation.
The beach is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), meaning it is protected under law from anything that could damage it, including actions that could cause harm or disruption to the range of rare or nationally important species and habitats.
A decision to stop raking grass from the beach in 2019 caused controversy and polarised local opinion, with bitter barbs traded.
Natural England – the government’s statutory nature conservation adviser responsible for enforcing laws that protect wildlife and the natural environment – has now given conditional approval to a revised beach management plan.
Around 1.55 hectares of saltmarsh vegetation will be removed between King’s Gap and the RNLI station. This includes an area around the Hoylake RNLI station itself to enable the ongoing operation of lifeboats, extending 75 metres west and 100 metres to the east, and out towards the sea.
It also includes the clearance of a 7.5 metre wide strip from Hoylake RNLI Station – which includes the 75 metre described above – to King’s Gap, a 26 metre wide strip from King’s Gap extending seawards and a 7.5 metre strip connecting the Alderley and Trinity Road slipways.
The location of the vegetation free strip will avoid embryonic dune habitat and shore dock plants.
The area that Natural England has agreed can be cleared (shaded red)
The agreed plan will begin in March 2026 and sets out how Hoylake beach will be managed for the next five years, while also committing to measures that will contribute to the effective management of the coastline for the next 50 years.
The council is now planning for the clearance work to start in March and will follow Natural England’s instruction to minimise impact on local habitats, including natterjack toads. Slipways and beach access points will also be cleared.
Wirral Council leader, Cllr Paula Basnett, said: “This has been a long time coming and I’m really pleased with the progress we’ve made to get here. Hoylake beach is such a special place for so many people and reaching this point truly matters.
“We now have a clear plan, and real certainty, about how the beach will be managed in the months and years ahead. It gives the RNLI the reassurance they need to continue their lifesaving work from the Hoylake station, while also protecting the natural environment that makes this stretch of our coastline so special.”
The council says the work to remove the vegetation will take place over a single period of time lasting no more than four weeks, between April and September, with a maximum of three operations per week using mechanical methods.
Cllr Liz Grey, Labour Chair of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee – who took the decision to stop raking the beach – said: “This has been a complicated and painstaking process, involving a number of partners and a range of individual and collective viewpoints. It was never going to be easy to find a position that could be assented by Natural England and would please all sides in this long running debate.
“With the clarity provided by this decision, we can move forward, managing the beach in everyone’s interests and carefully monitoring the results of any actions taken. We will carry out the work to prepare the beach, starting in early March 2026, with the utmost caution and following Natural England’s instructions.
“My hope is that all interested parties will see the value of what has been achieved through this process and come to love this beautiful beach.”
Local Conservative councillors posted on Facebook that the agreement is just “phase one”, stating that “people power” had won the day and vowing to push for further clearance. They added: “This victory belongs to every single one of YOU who marched, posted, emailed, and refused to give in. You forced the Council to listen.”
In the letter to Wirral Council, Natural England said a key consideration was the commitment to producing a long-term management plan that includes all coastal sites for which it is responsible, including those – such as West Kirby – which already has assent for beach management.
Natural England’s letter states: “Natural England has considered your proposals and the need for vegetation removal in line with the RNLI’s operational requirements for life-saving operations only. Natural England is satisfied that you have provided Natural England with further evidence to support the RNLI requirements as per our previous requests.
“Natural England therefore considers that allowing access for the RNLI to carry out their lifesaving operations by the careful management of the SSSI (removing vegetation) would be in line with NE’s purpose of contributing to social well-being, by ensuring the RNLI can help to protect the public when they are engaging in open-air recreation at sea.”
The amount of habitat to be lost by the clearance is estimated at approximately 5.2 hectares, equating to a 0.3% loss across the Dee Estuary SAC (including West Kirby). This loss at SSSI level equates to 12.6%.
The letter added: “Whilst this loss is appreciable, the whole SSSI has gained 41.29 hectares of saltmarsh since management paused in 2019 (Natural England Condition Assessment, 2024).
“Even with the appreciable loss, we consider there is still an overall gain in saltmarsh habitat and with a further commitment to no management zones included in a holistic beach management plan, we would be satisfied this loss would not result in significant damage to the protected features of the SSSI or constitute an adverse effect on the integrity of the SAC either alone or in combination with other plans or projects.”