Hoylake beach: Grassland rewilding scheme criticised

Vegetation on a Merseyside beach, which is turning into grassland in a bid to improve biodiversity, is stopping people visiting, a campaigner has said.

Wirral Council have stopped spraying chemicals that prevent grass growing and also stopped raking the sands.

Natural England said its regulatory role was to ensure the conservation of important habitats.

Nicola Verdake from Hoylake Beach Community said people were distressed and angry and wanted golden sands back.

She said people were "not coming to visit because they can't use the beach the way they always did".

Ms Verdake asked: "Why can't there be a compromise between the needs of the environment, which is obviously important, but also the human needs of the people that live here?"

Wirral Council decided to stop spraying chemicals that prevent grasses growing on Hoylake beach two years ago.

It also stopped raking the sands at the site, which is not a designated bathing beach but is a special area of conservation and scientific interest.

Ms Verdake said wading birds were seen on the beach prior to the changes and "we don't yet know what the effect of the vegetation will be on them".

"We think there is potentially a negative impact - not a positive one," she said.

Ecologist Joshua Styles backed the case for vegetation.

He said: "This strip of vegetation is extremely narrow compared to the miles of golden sands that stretch out to the sea.

"Not only is it incredible for biodiversity but it is a free flood defence - a defence against sand that's washing up onto the promenade that costs the council a lot of money to clear up."

But Ms Verdake said the "whole community is really upset and distressed by it and... they're angry because they feel like they're not being listened to".

Natural England has warned that removing vegetation without permission is an offence.

Wirral Council said it hoped a new beach management plan for Hoylake would be completed by 2023.

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