Hill

Bidston Windmill

Sandstone ridgeline

Key Characteristics One of highest points on Wirral at 70mAOD Area of natural 'wilderness' which, although surrounded by urban development, feels remote Heathland, establishing birch woodland and frequent pine trees are key features Frequent areas of regenerating scrub Small bogs and wetlands are establishing on depressions within rocks Mature woodlands with a strong evergreen understorey are present on low ground Small areas of allotments and an urban farm on low ground are surrounded by trees Frequent use of buff sandstone in building construction and boundary walls Expansive views across towards , the Fender Valley, North Wirral and North Wales from high ground Housing on the outskirts of Bidston gradually becomes dispersed within woodland as land rises Highest land appears as a continuous wooded ridgeline Bidston , Observatory and Windmill are key landmarks on the hill and are visible within the wider area Landscape Character

This character area is between Beechwood to the west The buildings are generally low and indistinct and include and Bikenhead to the east. It forms an extensive area of a small thatched cottage, Tam O'Shanter Cottage. The natural land within an area of dense development. farm includes a collection of farm animals and is used as Despite its proximity to the urban environment its an educational and recreational resource for local height above surrounding development and woodland communities. A formal areas of open space, along its fringes provides a sense of separation and Rhododendron Gardens, borders the woodland and scrub remote character. on the lower slopes of .

This land is one of a series of sandstone ridges within Vyner Road North which bisects the ridgeline is within a Wirral. It rises to a height of 70m AOD. The lowest land wooded cutting. Public access between the two parts of is on the outskirts of the character area, at 25m AOD in the hill is via pedestrian bridges over the road. the north and 55 to 60m AOD in the south. The ridgeline continues to the south beyond the character area, On frequently used routes and where the soils are although it forms part of the urban area and is covered shallowest the sandstone rock is visible. This is by a mix of housing, small pockets of woodland and particularly evident on the highest ground. The extent of Wirral Ladies Golf Course. bare rock is gradually reducing as grassland and scrub re- establishes on it. The land is almost completely informal open space associated with heathland, scrub, establishing There are a number of important rock carvings including woodland and pockets of mature woodland. Mature a 'Sun Goddess' thought to have been carved by Norse- woodland includes Park Wood on the north western Irish in 1000AD and an ancient carving of a horse. These slope and Taylor's Wood on the east. There are are both close to the observatory. allotments on low ground adjacent to Boundary Road where the soil is deeper and more fertile. These are There are pockets of bog and wetland establishing where surrounded by mature woodland. Tam O'Shanter urban shallow depressions occur on the sandstone rock. No farm is on Boundary Road. It is a small farm set within watercourses are present, although there are small the mature woodland adjacent to Taylors Wood. drains to the north of Tam O'Shanter Farm and Nursery House. Bidston Hill

Woodland and tree cover This is one of the most wooded areas within Wirral. In cross-leaved heath and tormentil. In many places views from the wider Wirral to the east and west, natural succession is occurring reducing the extent of Bidston Hill is seen as a continuous wooded ridgeline heathland and species such as gorse, silver birch and above surrounding housing. Scots pine are frequently present. The woodland is gradually enclosing the sandstone ridgeline and views Mature woodland is present at Taylors Wood and Park across Wirral are being reduced to selectively managed Wood. Woodland species include a mix of beech, oak, viewing points. silver birch, whitebeam, rowan, holly, sweet chestnut, Scots and Corsican pine. Mature laurel and On lower ground, adjacent to car parking for the hill and rhododendrons add an element of formality although for the urban farm, there are small areas of frequently their dense foliage prevents the regeneration of tree mown grassland which are surrounded by mature saplings. woodland. Car parking is small-scale and infrequent in On the higher ground, Bidston Hill contains areas of the character area. Wooded fringes help to reduce its heathland which include common heather; bell heather; prominence and integrate these areas into the landscape. Bidston Observatory

Mature woodland on low ground Maturing woodland on the ridgeline

Built form

There is almost no built form within the character area; The highest land is covered by continuous woodland it is restricted to landmark buildings on the high ground with only the landmark buildings mentioned above at the top of the hill. These buildings are Bidston visible. Lighthouse, Observatory and Windmill. Bidston Observatory, built in 1866, is a distinctive building Bidston Village to the immediate south east of the faced in local stone excavated from the site. The character area retains a rural character and has an domed roofline is particularly distinctive. The agricultural setting despite being surrounded by more lighthouse was built in 1873. It is a distinctive tower recent suburban development. The tower of St constructed from local stone which was originally used Oswald's Church is a prominent feature of the village in conjunction with Lighthouse to ensure roofline and is visible from the M53. The village retains ships avoided sandbanks in the channel on their a medieval pattern set around the civic grounds of the approach to Liverpool. The newer Proudman building church. Local buff sandstone is a consistent material adjacent to the observatory is of modern construction used within boundary walls and building construction. and rendered white. Its design has little regard for the Buildings are predominantly farmsteads and cottages local distinctiveness of the area. However, it is only within an irregular layout. Features include stone visible across the docks from due to mullioned windows, stone coped gables and steeply woodland which surrounds it. pitched roofs. The village maintains a green setting although in places this has eroded slightly through more The adjacent urban fringes are on rising ground. recent urban development. Properties are generally two Housing is at its highest density on the lowest ground storey although there are some single storey and a few and contains little woodland or trees. Housing in these three storey feature buildings. Boundaries are almost locations is a mixture of short terraces, two and three always low buff sandstone walls constructed from storey apartments and semi-detached properties. regular square blocks. Bidston Hall in the northern part Above this, the housing is more dispersed with semi- of the character area is constructed from yellow detached and detached properties set in larger mature sandstone and has a distinctive approach through a gardens. These are seen as both individual and groups square courtyard and prominent stone gateway. It is set of properties set within a wooded framework. within mature gardens. Bidston Hill

Views Landmark features Nature and extent of views Church in Wallasey Wallasey Town Hall Extensive panoramic views are possible from viewing Flaybrick Church Bidston Observatory points along the ridgeline. From these locations views to and Lighthouse the east are across Birkenhead towards the Liverpool Liver Buildings(Liverpool) Liverpool Cathedrals waterfront. Views are characterised by housing, Birkenhead Town Hall Hamilton Square industry around the docks in Birkenhead at East and The Mersey Tunnel Station West Float, and development within Liverpool. On clear Ventilation Tower Thustaston Hill days it is possible to see the hills beyond Liverpool. Key North Wales hills buildings within Liverpool include the two cathedrals, radio city tower and Three Graces. Other tall modern Key viewpoints buildings are also visible on the skyline. Key buildings Selective viewing points along Bidston Hill ridgeline within views of Birkenhead include Hamilton Square (highest land) Tower, Birkenhead Town Hall and the Mersey Tunnel Ventilation Shaft. Zones of visual influence This character area exerts an influence over the To the west, viewing points are less frequent, although surrounding landscape and urban area and forms a where present are across Wirral towards wooded backdrop in views from Liverpool, central and ridgeline and Hill. Views of the hills within North northern Wirral. Bidston Lighthouse, Observatory and Wales are visible above Thurstaston. Housing is on low Windmill are landmark features set within woodland on ground and is seen against a backdrop of wooded the highest ground. From the east the Proudman building ridgelines. is prominent set within woodland.

On lower ground views are enclosed by woodland and are only possible across a short distance. These views tend to be of woodland and small pockets of grassland Expansive view across Birkenhead to Liverpool and heathland. Built development is generally not visible.

Quality and condition of the landscape

MODERATE - Sandstone ridgeline d MODERATE GOOD o GOOD o Enhance Conserve

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o POOR MODERATE landscape. The key features are consistent across the o MODERATE P Restore/Create Enhance and Enhance character area with little evidence of these being eroded. Restore Weak Moderate Strong Landscape Condition Good: Although the key features are naturalistic in character and heathland is declining as natural processes are altering the land from heathland to birch and The overall landscape strategy is CONSERVE. ultimately oak woodland. Absence of tree sapling Emphasis should be placed on managing key regeneration in mature woodlands particularly where features such as wooded hills, key landmark game covert understorey species dominate could affect buildings, heathland and woodland with little the condition of woodlands in the future. urban encroachment. Bidston Hill

Main trends or threats to the landscape Urban encroachment along the fringes of the hill Loss of expansive views through maturation of Birch and bracken establishing on heathland woodland Loss of heathland through fire damage and natural colonisation Decline in the condition of the Windmill, Observatory and Lighthouse Redevelopment of the Bidston Observatory complex now that it is no longer in operation Lack of natural regeneration within existing woodlands Tourism pressures and expansion of Tam O'Shanter Farm Additional car parking to accommodate visitors Upgrade of routes through the area may reduce the natural 'wilderness' character

Landscape Guidelines Landscape features Built form Conserve existing expansive views across Wirral Conserve the rural compact character of Bidston through managing woodland vegetation on high Village and ensure that a sense of separation and ground remoteness is retained between the village and Conserve and enhance woodlands within and beyond surrounding suburban development through retention the character area through ensuring replacement tree of woodland and trees and open land planting and thinning of some of the dense evergreen Conserve and promote the use of buff sandstone for shrubs property boundaries on the fringes of the character area Any new woodland should integrate with the existing and around the village wooded areas, should not result in the loss of Retain a rising roofline with development set within a heathland and should not detract from the key wooded framework with woodland covering the landmark features on Bidston Hill. Species used should highest land reflect those present in surrounding woodland Tall features within developments should ensure that Conserve the open character of the ridgeline between they respect the uniform nature of the roofline and limit the Windmill and Observatory and retain views the scale and number of features which protrude above between these landmarks the woodland across Bidston Hill Conserve the historic visual connection between Landscape management/agriculture Bidston Lighthouse and through Manage woodland and regenerating scrub to protect management of scrub and woodland vegetation around the heathland present on sandstone ridges Bidston Lighthouse Conserve the informal character of ridgelines and hills Conserve the landmark features of Bidston through carefully managing tourism pressure Observatory, Windmill and Lighthouse and ensure any future tall development does not significantly detract Other development/structures in the landscape from these features as landmarks within Wirral Retain informal character of tourist features such as car parks, footpaths and interpretation Conserve the small-scale wooded nature of Tam O'Shanter Farm Capacity to accommodate change This landscape is a sandstone outcrop covered by establishing woodland, heathland and mature woodland on lower ground. Urban pressures, although close by, are rarely visible except in expansive views from high ground. The area has a sense of separation from the surrounding urban development at Bidston and Birkenhead.

Any future change must retain and enhance the naturalistic character of the area. It should not result in an increase in urbanising influences and should ensure that the distinctive landmarks of the Windmill, Observatory and Lighthouse are retained and not diminished. The separate rural character of Bidston Village should be retained.

Any development around the fringes of Bidston Hill and Birkenhead should reinforce local distinctiveness and use locally appropriate materials. It should ensure that it does not erode the rural character of Bidston village, the sense of separation experienced at Bidston Hill or the continuous wooded ridgeline on the highest land.