Wirral Borough Council Parks Allotments and Countryside Service North Wirral Coastal Park Management Plan 2015-20 (Updated January 2019) Management Plan written and updated by: Date: Nick Bower with input from The Rangers and The Friends of January 2019 North Wirral Coastal Park Management Plan authorised by: Date: Darran Marquiss January 2019 1 CONTENTS Page 03 - Site plan Page 03 - Introduction Page 04 - Site Information Page 08 - The wider policy context Page 09 - History Page 10 - Green Flag criteria and assessment Page 10 – 1.A welcoming place Page 12 – 2.Healthy, safe and secure Page 13 – 3.Well maintained and clean Page 15 – 4.Environmental Management Page 16 – 5.Biodiversity, Landscape and Heritage Page 21 – 6.Community involvement Page 24 – 7.Marketing and Communication Page 27 – 8.Management Page 28 – Appendices Page 28 – 1.Location plans Page 29 – 2.Action plan Page 35 – 3.Site of Biological Interest Citation documents Page 38 – 4.Response to Green Flag Award Judges feedback Page 46 – 5.Habitat management plan Page 47 – 5a gunsite dunes Page 52 – 5b gunsite meadow Page 55 – 5c top meadow Page 56 – 5d lighthouse Page 59 – 5e meols dunes Page 61 – 5f Community Involvement Project Page 65 – 6.Service requirement Page 72 – 7 Tree Policy Page 73 – 8 Butterfly Survey Page 75 – 9 Coastal reminiscences Page 77 – 10. Shellfishing Industry Page 78 - 11 Environmental Policy Page 79 – 9.Gunsite SBI and adjacent area plant survey 2014/15 2 Site plan Introduction The plan is intended to provide a framework for the development and improvement of the park. For enquiries about the management of the park or to join the Friends group contact the Rangers directly at the Wallasey Central Park Telephone: 0151 638 5608. If you wish to find out further information about this document or submit any suggestions please contact: Wirral Council Parks, Allotments & Countryside Service Hamilton Building Conway Street Birkenhead Wirral CH41 4FD 0151 606 2000 3 Site information Name: North Wirral Coastal Park Typology and primary purpose - Wirral Open Space Assessment November 2010 (based on PPG17 guidance): Major Park Primary purpose: Intensively managed park of greater than local significance, providing accessible, high quality opportunities for formal and informal recreation, children’s play including community events. Location plan: © Crown copyright. All rights reserved (licence number100019803) 2010 Grid reference: SJ 252 913 Address: Pasture Road Moreton, Wirral Merseyside CH48 4TA 4 . Ariel Photographs Ward: The park spans four wards - Hoylake and Meols; Moreton West and Saughall Massie; 5 Leasowe and Moreton East; New Brighton Size: 68.5ha Facilities and features: Historic lighthouse Coastal walks with views of the sea Designated public footpaths Bridleways for horse-riders Concessionary horse-ride and cycle route Eight car parks (part of or adjacent to the park) Access to public toilets at three locations Access to bathing beaches and foreshore Several picnic areas and areas of open-access formal grassland Sand dunes and wildflower meadows Tenure: The site is owned and managed by Wirral Council’s Parks, Allotments and Countryside Service. Brief description: North Wirral Coastal Park is a linear park that is four miles in length embracing public open space, common land, coastal viewpoints and sand-dunes. Summary of main uses: Walking and dog walking Cycling Bird watching and natural history Viewing the sea from coastal car-parks and other vantage points Visits to Leasowe Lighthouse Car parking and access to beaches Partner organisations: Merseyside Police Wirral Council Community Safety Team Wirral Community Patrol Wirral Council’s Streetscene Service (adopted footpaths and lighting) Wirral Council Asset Management Team (Buildings) Natural England Liverpool Museums Natural History Unit Liverpool Museums Field Archaeology Unit Butterfly Conservation Friends of Leasowe Lighthouse Friends of North Wirral Coastal Park Access: 6 Public transport The park is very well served with local public transport links being close to Wallasey Village, Moreton and Leasowe Stations. There are frequent buses along Leasowe Road and Bayswater Road. Cycling Wirral has great coastal and countryside routes for leisurely bike rides: The National Cycle Network Route 56 runs right through Wirral, taking in Seacombe, New Brighton, Liverpool Bay and many picturesque villages The Wirral Circular Trail also runs through part of North Wirral Coastal Park. Download cycling guides and maps from Visit Wirral North Wirral Coast A cycle map of Wirral is available to download from Wirral Council’s website. The Millennium Cycle Route – linking Chester to Liverpool runs through the park and part of cycle route 8 runs through the park from Pasture Road to the Lighthouse. The North West Coastal Forum is promoting the development of a regional coastal trail running along the North West coast from Chester to Carlisle. The trail will be suitable for walking, cycling and wherever possible, horse-riding. Wirral Council supports this regional initiative and plans are being developed identifying the resources that would be needed to complete Wirral’s section. The North Wirral Coastal Park would form an important part of this project. A concessionary cycle route was constructed from Meols to meet the public bridleway that runs from Park View past the lighthouse to Pasture Road. The North West Coastal Forum is promoting the development of a regional coastal trail running along the North West coast from Chester to Carlisle. The trail will be suitable for walking, cycling and wherever possible, horse-riding. Wirral Council supports this regional initiative and plans are being developed identifying the resources that would be needed to complete Wirral’s section.The North Wirral Coastal Park would form an important part of this project. A concessionary cycle route was constructed from Meols to meet the public bridleway that runs from Park View past the lighthouse to Pasture Road. Parking There is free parking at Leasowe Lighthouse, Leasowe Common, the Gunsite, Derby Pool (including an extended seasonal car park) Bennets Lane Slipway (Meols) and Harrison Drive (Wallasey). 7 Horses The park includes designated bridleways, and concessionary horse riding routes. Horses also use Leasowe Common and the Upper Meadow at the Gunsite as riding areas. Bridle-routes enter the park at Parkway (Meols, at Telegraph Lane (Leasowe) and Green Lane (Wallasey). The wider policy context Wirral Council’s Parks, Allotments and Countryside Service are based within the Community Services Directorate of Wirral Council. CORPORATE OBJECTIVES The Council’s Vision is that Wirral will be a place where the vulnerable are safe and protected, where employers want to invest and local businesses thrive, and where good health and an excellent quality of life is within the reach of everyone who lives here. DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES Delivery Services will provide high quality, affordable services within budget – using the most appropriate model. Delivery Services includes: •Community Services •Place Services •Safer Wirral Hub •Highways and Associated Services Parks and Countryside Service Objectives for 2014/24 The Parks, Allotments and Countryside Service have produced a 10 year Parks and Open Spaces Strategy that will inform and direct the next 10 years for the service. It is available online at: https://www.wirral.gov.uk/sites/default/files/all/Leisure%20parks%20and%20events/parks%20and% 20open%20spaces/Wirral%20Parks%20and%20Open%20Spaces%20Strategy%202014-2024.pdf The Strategy sets out how Wirral Parks, Allotments and Countryside Service will aim to attract and retain investment in the borough through provision of attractive and well managed parks and open spaces, whilst being accessible; and providing positive and healthy activities for all local people, communities and visitors to enjoy. The service also intends to contribute to the environmental sustainability and biodiversity of Wirral to achieve a good balance by protecting habitats while supporting economic growth. 8 History The North Wirral Coastal Park became established in 1986 with the appointment of a Ranger to manage the site. The entire length of the park is bordered on its seaward side by a manmade embankment. An embankment of some description has been present on the north Wirral foreshore for some 250 years. The remains of a forest can be found over much of the area including notably off the Meols foreshore and a recent publication ‘Meols: The Archaeology of the North Wirral Coast’ recognises the area as one of the most important archaeological sites in the country for the amount of metal work found here during the 19th Century; a catalogue of more than 4,000 items mainly dating from the medieval period. Built in 1763 by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, Leasowe Lighthouse is the oldest brick built lighthouse in Britain. It stands one hundred and one feet (27 metres) tall on Leasowe Common in Wirral and was one of four lights on the North Wirral Foreshore, used to guide ships into the entrance to the Rock Channel and the port of Liverpool. The lighthouse is believed to be the oldest brick-built lighthouse in the country and possible the first building of its kind in the world to use cavity walls for insulation. Now a site of public interest and a grade II Listed monument, the Lighthouse features guided tours and special events with displays about Leasowe Lighthouse, the North Wirral Coastal Park and the Wirral Coastline. The Friends of Leasowe Lighthouse formed in 1989. Historical information is available in the form of a set of leaflets and on the internet: 9 Green Flag criteria and assessment The intention is for the park to meet the required standards as defined by the Green Flag Award Scheme; further details concerning the scheme can be found at www.greenflagaward.org.co.uk. The following Green Flag assessment criteria have been used as a focus for the development of the park. 1. A welcoming place 2. Healthy, safe and secure 3. Well maintained and clean 4.