General Meeting - 5 April 2025
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It is two years since our last AGM but that does not imply a lack of activity. In Feb 23 we resolved to seek re-appraisals for Meols Drive and the Kings Gap CAs to replace the outdated and incomplete versions from 2004 and 2000 respectively.
After a two year campaign, I am now pleased to confirm that independent re-appraisals for both areas have recently been adopted by the Council and are in force. These reports which were commissioned by the Council and conducted by Donald Insall Associates are available on-line. They are comprehensive, detailed, authoritative and up-to-date. They make small but significant extensions to the CA boundaries in key areas, identify the key characteristics and features, evaluate the contribution each building or group makes, they identify issues and opportunities and introduce Management Plans with recommendations to help protect and enhance our unique area.
We were able to trigger this process by the excellent response to our funding appeal in early 2023. Over £10,000 was raised in short order which was a clear demonstration of how much the community values conservation and protection of our built environment and open landscape. HCA offers its sincere thanks to all those individuals, families, groups and organisations that supported the appeal. This impressive level of support gave us the credibility and leverage we needed to press the Council to conduct the review.
Planning Applications. The committee has continued in its role as a statutory consultee for all applications in our two areas. We aim to offer objective comment based on planning policies and plans to help safeguard the area. HCA together with Stanley Road Residents’ Association played a key part in the decision – upheld by the independent Planning Inspector – to reject a flat development scheme at Wirral Point which has subsequently reverted to use as a single dwelling.
Other notable schemes where our views were taken into account prior to approval were at the Hoylake Tennis Club, West Kirby Grammar School, 23 Stanley Road and in St Margaret’s Road. Our strong heritage case against development of 15 Stanley Road as flats held sway and this application has recently been withdrawn.
Less successfully, our strong objections to the prominent flat development at 100/102 Meols Drive did not prevent approval by the Planning Committee nor to the amended scheme which is now being built. We remain concerned over its impact on the street scene by its height and by its parking arrangements. Currently, we are dealing with applications at 53 Meols Drive and 62 Stanley Road. There are bound to be others of concern but the new family of CA documents should help and inform all parties to submit sympathetic plans and better safeguard our buildings. We routinely offer opinions to proposed tree works in the two CAs.
Other Current Activity. The committee encourages developers and owners to seek informal advice before submitting an application. We are arranging for new CA signs to be erected to cover the newly extended boundaries, we are updating the HCA leaflet to inform residents – particularly those whose properties are now within the CAs – about the HCA role and owner obligations. It is hoped that many of the latter will join the association and take an active part. We are also updating the HCA website to make it a more useful source of information as well as to better control and account for subscription income.
We are involved in the new Council Local Listing initiative to protect buildings and features of character and historical or architectural interest. We work alongside the Wirral Society, Conservation Areas Wirral and Hoylake Vision to ensure coherence and mutual support. We are pleased to enjoy the positive interest of our three ward councilors in planning and conservation.
The Future. Thanks to the newly adopted CAAMP, the knowledge, energy and commitment of the new Principal Heritage Officer and the support of the committee and councilors, I am increasingly confident that we have the tools to properly protect and enhance our area. There is still much that can be improved and we have yet to gauge the impact of the Local Plan and changes to the NPPF. However, community involvement, commitment, informed opinion must always be a lasting influence as we seek to protect this lovely corner of the Wirral peninsula.
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Hoylake Conservation Areas Association
Income and expenditure account
for the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2024
2023-2024
Income £
Subscriptions 130.00
Funding Appeal - 2023 10,480.00
Total income 10,801.00
Expenditure
Web Services 93.60
Room Hire AGM (Feb 23) 35.00
Total Expenditure 128.60
Net income/(expenditure) 10,672.40
Hoylake Conservation Areas Association
Statement of assets and liabilities
at 31 December 2024
2023-2024
Cash assets £
Current account 11,139.97
Total cash assets 11,139.97
Represented by
Reserves b/f from 31-12-2022 467.57
Surplus for the period 01-01-23 to 31-12-24 10,672.40
11,139,97
These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the organisation by:
Hoylake Conservation Areas Association
Notes to the accounts
for the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2024
Income and expenditure accounts
Receipts and payments accounts are statements that summarise the movement
of cash into and out of the organisation during the financial period. In this context
“cash” includes cash equivalents, for example, bank accounts where cash can be
readily withdrawn to pay for debts as they become due.
1. Membership annual subscription
The subscription rate remained the same as previous years at £5.00 per
household but, due to the appeal, was waived for 2024 (other than for payments
made by Standing Order).
1. Committee members’ remuneration
During this period, committee members received no remuneration.
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Hoylake Conservation Areas Association
Minutes of Annual General Meeting at1030 on Saturday 5 April 2025 at St Luke’s Church, Market Street, Hoylake
Attendees: Christopher Moore (Chairman), Councillor Max Booth, Ms Agustina Solassi (WMBC Principal Heritage Officer) and 37 Local Residents. Apologies for absence as submitted were noted.
Welcome and Introduction
The chairman introduced himself and welcomed all those attending, particularly, Cllr Max Booth (Hoylake & Meols) and Ms Agustina Solassi (WMBC PHO). Attendees were invited to record their presence and provide their contact details.
The Association (HCA) acts as a statutory consultee for all planning applications within the two conservation areas of The King’s Gap and Meols Drive.
Through objective assessment against national and local plans, HCA aims to ensure that building design, size, aspect and materials are sympathetic and appropriate to the heritage and distinctive features of the Hoylake area.
Notice of Meeting
The Notice of Meeting having been promulgated by email, posting on the HCA website, on Facebook pages and in the supporting papers as supplied was taken as read.
Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting
The minutes from the previous meeting held on 4 February 2023 having been duly distributed were accepted. Matters arising were covered in later agenda items.
Chairman’s Report
It was two years since HCA’s last AGM but that does not imply a lack of activity. In Feb 23 it had been resolved to seek re-appraisals for Meols Drive and the Kings Gap CAs to replace the outdated versions from 2004 and 2000 respectively. After a two-year campaign, it was confirmed that independent re-appraisals for both areas had recently been adopted by the Council and are now in force. These reports which were commissioned by the Council and conducted by Donald Insall Associates are available on-line. They are comprehensive, detailed, authoritative and up-to-date. They make small but significant extensions to the CA boundaries in key character zones, identify key characteristics and features, evaluate the contribution each property or group of buildings makes, identify challenges and opportunities and introduces Management Plans with recommendations to help protect and enhance our unique area.
HCA was able to trigger this process by the excellent response to our funding appeal in early 2023. Over £10,000 was raised in short order which was a clear demonstration of how much the community values conservation and protection of our built environment and open landscape. HCA offered its sincere thanks to all those individuals, families, groups and organisations that supported the appeal. This impressive level of support gave HCA the credibility and leverage needed to press the Council to conduct the review.
Planning Applications. The volunteer committee has continued in its role as a statutory consultee for all applications in our two areas. HCA together with Stanley Road Residents’ Association played a key part in the decision – upheld by the independent Planning Inspector – to reject a flat development scheme at Wirral Point, Stanley Road which has subsequently reverted to use as a single dwelling. Other notable schemes where HCA views were taken into account prior to approval were at Hilstone Grange, the Hoylake Tennis Club, West Kirby Grammar School, 23 Stanley Road and a redevelopment scheme in St Margaret’s Road. Our strong heritage case against development of 15 Stanley Road as flats held sway and this application had recently been withdrawn. Less successfully, strong HCA objections to the prominent flat development at 100/102 Meols Drive did not prevent approval by the Planning Committee nor to the amended scheme which is now being built. HCA remains concerned over its impact on the street scene from its height and by its parking arrangements. Currently, HCA is dealing with applications at 53 Meols Drive and 62 Stanley Road. There are bound to be others of concern but the new family of CA documents should help and inform all parties to submit sympathetic plans and better safeguard our buildings.
Other Current Activity. HCA routinely offers opinions on proposed tree works in the two CAs. The committee encourages developers and owners to seek informal advice before submitting an application. We are arranging for new CA signs to be erected to cover the newly extended boundaries, we have updated the HCA leaflet to inform residents – particularly those whose properties are now within the CAs – about the HCA role and owner obligations. It was hoped that many of the latter would join the association and take an active part.
The HCA website www.hoylakeconservation.org.uk t has been updated to make it a more useful source of information as well as to better control and account for subscription income. HCA is involved in the new Council Local Listing initiative to protect buildings and features of character and historical or architectural interest. We work alongside the Wirral Society, Conservation Areas Wirral and Hoylake Vision to ensure coherence and mutual support. We are pleased to enjoy the positive interest of our three ward councillors in planning and conservation.
The Future. Thanks to the newly adopted Conservation Area Appraisals & Management Plans (CAAMP), coupled with the knowledge, energy and commitment of the new Principal Heritage Officer and the support of the committee and councillors, the chairman stated his increasing confidence that the tools are now available to properly protect and enhance our area. There is still much that can be improved and we have yet to gauge the impact of the Local Plan and any changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). However, community involvement, commitment and informed opinion must always be a lasting influence as we seek to protect this lovely corner of the Wirral peninsula.
Discussion. With regard to the recent extended boundaries to both conservation areas (principally at Queens, Cable, Stanley, Coronation, Drummond, Eddisbury and Graham Roads) considerable unhappiness was expressed from the floor that the consultation process ahead of adoption had been inadequate. It was submitted that the consultations of March 2024 had not been fully and properly advertised and conclusions had not therefore been fully representative of local views. The implications of living in a conservation area and the reasons for extending the areas had not been thoroughly explained. There was nervousness that homeowners would now suffer restrictions or greater expense due to what was regarded as an arbitrary change imposed without due engagement.
It was noted that the consultation with residents had not been as wide as might have been expected. It was explained that householder permitted development rights were unaffected although materials, access and aspect of any change to the appearance of a building could now require planning approval. In these circumstances, there might be a financial impact although the controls were designed to protect and enhance the overall area. On the other hand, those who had had to deal with the weaknesses, anomalies and inconsistencies of the previous appraisals had welcomed the greater protections now afforded. It was emphasised that the Council had a statutory duty to establish and protect conservation areas and to review their suitability and effectiveness every five years. Although this had not been achieved in recent years, the re-appraisals now gave up-to-date guidance from which the whole area would benefit.
Regardless of the explanations and in view of the limited consultation which had taken place, it was suggested and agreed that a conservation workshop should be arranged for all homeowners in the extended areas to receive further information about the implications of being within the extended boundaries. This proposal gained widespread support and a public conservation workshop would be arranged by WMBC PHO and HCA.
[Post Meeting Note: Workshop arranged at St Luke’s Church at 1030 on Sat 10 May]
The chairman’s report was accepted.
HCA I&E Account, Statement of Assets & Liabilities
The I&E account and supporting Statement of Assets & Liabilities, having been distributed and made available at the meeting were explained. In particular, the 2023 Funding Appeal as a contribution towards the cost of the re-appraisals had successfully raised £10,580. This impressive amount was held in the HCA account with Barclays Bank [Sort 20:50:36 Account 30622982] pending any contribution request towards the cost of the appraisals as demanded by WMBC. In the event that this contribution was not required then the committee would need to decide what to do with those funds which may include a refund if necessary. Any such decision would be widely publicised before being put into effect.
Thanks were recorded to Hon Treasurer Pam Meredith Jones who confirmed that she would be happy to be relieved of her financial responsibility if a volunteer came forward!
The Financial Statements were accepted by the meeting.
Elections to the HCA Committee
Ms Katie du Plessis, having been coopted to the committee and who had already made important design contributions to the leaflet and new website, was nominated for election. This election was approved unanimously.
Mr Christopher Moore, Mrs Sue Evans, Mrs Pamela Meredith Jones, Mr Andrew Pickering, Mrs Elizabeth Webster and Mr David Webster all being local residents offered themselves for re-election to the committee. Their nominations for election were approved unanimously.
Other Business
Presentation & Tidiness of the Town. Having Conservation Areas by themselves cannot guarantee that the unique appearance of Hoylake will be preserved. There are many pressures on the Council’s finances and some action will be needed by residents’ groups and local businesses. The chairman commended the recent initiative by the Ward Councillors (under the provisional banner ‘Hoylake Action’) to carry out interventions to improve the tidiness and presentation of small key areas of the town, However, he felt that much more could be done to reduce the litter and untidiness constantly evident. Hoylake residents are extremely proud of and loyal to their town but in the face of a Council that had insufficient funds to improve matters it was suggested that residents could collectively do more to care for its presentation. In the same way that successful established community groups such as Hoylake & Meols in Bloom and the Christmas Lights group carry out periodic and much valued work, it was hoped that similar small community groups could take responsibility for broader tidiness. Residents could perhaps get together to take charge of their immediate vicinity by removing litter, trimming verges and overgrown hedging and clearing road gutters. A wider effort would do much to improve the look of the town and reinforce the pride we all feel in this lovely part of the peninsula. It could be that local businesses, particularly convenience stores and fast-food outlets should be encouraged to keep their immediate vicinity clean and tidy or become patrons by sponsoring the appearance of a discrete road, facility or area.
Although this was not directly a conservation matter, the chairman invited those attending to give tidiness and presentation some closer attention.
Wirral’s Heritage Strategy
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ms Solassi as WMBC Principal Heritage Officer gave a presentation on the Council’s revised Heritage Strategy. This not only included updating the supporting appraisals for the other 24 designated CAs – of which Hamilton Square was a key part - but also the public consultation on listing local heritage assets (below national listing) to give greater protection to valued buildings and features, a review of the potential use of Article 4 directions which could be an additional tool to control placement and size of, for instance, solar panels, satellite dishes, advertising signs and security gates.
Ms Solassi was duly thanked for her participation in the AGM discussions and for her presentation which showed the renewed impact of conservation within the planning framework.
C T MOORE 18 April 2025
Chairman
