Important Dates
Libraries Inquiry
by Sue Charteris. See
www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/libraries/6119.aspx
• Visit to Hoylake Library: Thurs 21st May 4.00 - 5.00pm.
• Submissions closing date: Tuesday 26th May.
• Inquiry at the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, Tues 9th June at 9.30am.
West Wirral Area Forum
Wednesday, 17th June, 2009 7.00 pm
Westbourne Hall, Westbourne Road, West Kirby CH48 4DQ
Latest news
Pedestrianisation of the Crescent in West Kirby
Following a petition signed by many of the traders operating within the Crescent, the Council has decided that the pilot pedestrianisation will not proceed for the time being.
Two online petitions against the Sail project have been set up on 15th and 17th April 2009.
Go here for the petition against the loss of parking for marine lake users.
Go here for the petition against the hotel.
Library Closures Suspended by Government on 3rd April - see here
Possible closure of Hoylake Library: A Special Area Forum for West Wirral (Hoylake and Meols, West Kirby and Thurstaston), Greasby, Frankby, Irby, Upton and Woodchurch was held on Wednesday 7th January 2009 at West Kirby Concourse to discuss this and other Council plans - Read more.
The Council Cabinet decided to extend the Sail 'lock-out' agreement with Carpenter Investments for a further three months at the meeting on Wed 10th Dec. Members of the public were excluded from the discussion - Read more.
Aldi The planning application has now been submittted for the Bridge Road store - see here. End of public consultation: 18 Dec 2008.
Re-analysis of the Sail questionnaires have found results considerably different to those reported in the press by Carpenter Investments. Read more.
The West Wirral Area Forum on 28 October 2008 (at Westbourne Hall) included discussion of the regeneration proposals. Mr Jim Wilkie of Wirral Council said that the results of the consultation on echelon parking were: 73% object, 24% support - and the other elements were generally supported.
Concerning the Sail hotel proposal, he said that he will be writing a report for the Council Cabinet, and that the Cabinet will be making a decision before the end of the year. There was show of hands at the forum: 5 were in favour of the proposals, about 200 were against.
Aldi are planning a public exhibition of their plans for the Tudor Cinema site in West Kirby on Thursday 18th September between 4 and 8 pm, at St Andrews Church Hall, Graham Road.
The summer 08 edition of Big Horizens (Wirral Council's investment newsletter) includes sections on the Sail (p6) and the Golf Resort plans (p5). See here.
Updated Council Website & Display of Council Plans
The Council has now updated its website concerning its plans for West Kirby, and announced details of its coming display.
Details of the plans will be on show in the display area opposite the One Stop Shop at West Kirby Concourse from 1st to 13th September. (See the announcement on the BBC website).
The updated pages of the Council website are:
content_0002505.html (West Wirral Regeneration general)
content_0002509.html (West Kirby general)
content_0002507.html (Dee Lane, The Crescent and South Parade proposals).
Relevant documents can be downloaded from links given in the lower right panel of these pages. These include drawings and plans of proposed changes. In particular, a feedback form can be downloaded: feedback form
There is no further information on the Sail hotel proposal.
Correction: this website previously advocated formation of a civic society for West Kirby. In fact the Hoylake and District Civic Society covers West Kirby and Hoylake as well as Caldy, Frankby, Greasby, Meols and Newton - see here.
An Action Group is now up and running (July 08). If you would like to keep informed, register your interest through the email list facility below.
The Kings Gap Hotel in Hoylake has been purchased by the Sanguine Group and will be completely remodelled with a new-build element with 96 rooms and suites, and an underground car park. See LDP Business article.
Plans for redevelopment of West Kirby Concourse appeared on the Christopher Rodgers website in late June. See here. These plans include a multi-storey car park ...[more]
Plans for a Golf Resort near Hoylake:
There will be an informal meeting to discuss these plans, open to all Wirral residents, community and environmental groups, etc., on Wednesday 2nd July at 7pm in the Function Room at West Kirby Concourse.
There will be a public exhibition of the Sail proposals on 26th/27th/28th June 2008 at 11am to 7pm at West Kirby Concourse ...[more]
The BBC Politics show on 15 June included interviews with Alan Beer and Colin Hawksworth.
See here for full interview
West Kirby was featured in a Times property column on 2nd May - see Times article.
The Liverpool Daily Post reported on 1st May 2008 that Hilbre High School students will shortly be consulted by Carpenter Investments - see here
An online discussion forum has been launched at www.west-kirby.net.
The minutes from the Local Area Forum of 19th Feb 2008 were published at www.wirral.gov.uk/minute/viewmins.asp?mtg=2422
This website aims to
• give information on plans for the future of West Kirby and Hoylake
• encourage Wirral Council to respect the principles of local democracy
Email list
Click Here to complete a form if you would like to receive email bulletins (every 2 - 4 weeks).
Click Here to read previous bulletins.
Outstanding questions
As well as providing information, we are detailing points where clarification is needed from the Council or developers.
The proposed library closures
• Why are the closures being suggested now and in such a rush?
• Is it true that the Audit Commission has said that there are too many libraries on the Wirral? What is the reasoning? Why has this document not been published?
The Sailing School
• What are the structural and/or maintainance problems with it?
• How much would these cost to put right (rather than knocking down the whole building)?
The hotel proposal in West Kirby
• The Sail project started with the primary aim of reburbishment of the sailing school - when did the aim change to the building of a hotel - and why
Selection of the Carpenter proposal from the shortlist in 2007
• Why was the timeframe for submission so short? There were other developers interested but unable to work out their submission in the time available.
• There were four proposals shortlisted - what were the other three proposals?
• What were the pros and cons of each proposal?
• Why was the Carpenter proposal chosen?
Liaison between Wirral Council and local residents
• What does the Council think that local residents would like to see happen to their town?
• On what is this based?
• At the West Wirral Area Forum in February 2008, residents were told that the Council would hold a meeting in March 2008 to fully inform residents of the proposals. This meeting has not yet (July 2008) happened. When will it happen?
The Carpenter proposal - the sailing school
• Who would own the sailing school if it were to be rebuilt by Carpenter Investments? One verbal answer given at the June exhibition was that Carpenter Investments would own the whole building but lease the sailing school part to the Council - another was that the Council would own the building, so clarification is needed.
• Are there plans for the hotel to take over the sailing school completely, so that the Council would no longer have any control over it, and it would be privatised and lost to the community?
• If there are no such plans, is there any impediment to this happening?
• For how much would the sailing school and car park be sold, if purchased by Carpenter Investments?
• How much of this would be spent in West Kirby?
• Why is Carpenter Investments reluctant to attend a public meeting and discuss its plans?
The Carpenter proposal - the hotel
• When will details be shown to local residents?
• What are the parking needs of the hotel, including the conference, leisure and restaurant facilities?
• How has this been calculated?
• Why is Carpenter Investments reluctant to attend a public meeting and discuss its plans?
The Carpenter / Council exhibition of June 2008
• The consultation schedule was for all households in CH48 to receive an invitation to the exhibition, but only some of them received an invitation. How many received invitations, and when will the remainder be invited to see the plans and give their feedback.
• As Carpenter Investments had arranged the venue weeks in advance, why were invitations to residents delivered at most two days in advance of the exhibition?
• Why was there no advance notice of the exhibition by notices in West Kirby Concourse, West Kirby Library, and the Sailing School?
• Why was the advertisement put in the local papers to be published during the week of the consultation rather than giving at least two weeks notice?
• During part of the exhibition, no feedback forms were available for completion by visitors to the exhibition (e.g. at the opening of the exhibition at 11am on Thursday 26th June, residents were told that forms had not arrived from the printers). When will these residents be able to complete a feedback form, and will their views will be included in the summary?
• Were any feedback forms completed at any time other than during the exhibition?
• Why were floor plans of the proposed hotel shown, but without a front or side elevation?
• Why did the display change during the exhibition period (some people were shown a model, some saw a video, some were given written information, and others none of these)?
• Why did a display board say that "The Dee Lane car park is currently significantly under-used. This means that, even with the hotel demand, there will still be good provision." when in fact the car park is generally full when the weather is fine? On what evidence is the Carpenter statement based?
Car parking
• We understand that the Council has undertaken car parking surveys - what were the results of these?
The Concourse
• Will local residents be consulted about what they would like to see happen to their town?
• Will they have any say in selection of the developer?
Submit news
If you have factual information that you would like to be publicized, please submit it to us at submit[at]westkirbyrenewal.org.uk - (replace '[at]' by '@')
About us
Many local residents feel they are not fully informed about the Council's plans, and are not being properly consulted about proposed developments.
We are a group of residents of the West Kirby and Hoylake area who believe that major developments in the area should be fully discussed with its residents. We are very grateful for all the contributions received from various sources.
The objective of this website is to provide information. We would like the proposed developments to be fully discussed so that all the pros and cons can be aired, so that a sensible consensus can be achieved.
We are encouraging everyone interested in the various possible developments to join the local Civic Society, where we are hoping that a strengthened membership will be able to discuss the issues and work constructively with the Council. Details on how to join are on www.westkirbyworkinggroup.org.uk/civic_society.htm.