Plans to demolish the former Presbyterian Church in Alderley Road (behind Sainsbury’s) were presented to local residents earlier this week. You can view the plans, which are yet to be submitted to Wirral Council, on the Hoylake Vision site.
Four, three-storey town houses are planned to be built on Alderley Road and a further two properties behind these on the site of the church hall with access via Lake Place.
The church, pictured below, was auctioned earlier this year and I understand sold in a private deal after the auction closed.
How can developers demolish a church ? .. i was christened in this church,i went to sunday school there … my mum and dads funerals were held there .. and i have fond memories of rev eric evans who was the vicar in the 70,s and 80,s … a lovely man and would be so upset to hear this !
Totally agree Brian – nobody demolishes churches. Wonder what our council of 100 years ago would have done – certainly not desecrate holy land! But they were local, empathetic and progressive. Do our councillors know what they are doing?
My Mum and Dad were married in this beautiful church on 1 October 1939 – as an expat you have spoiled my day – such a shameful event would certainly never be allowed by the voters to happen here in Australia!
Sadly I doubt the demolition of this church will be stopped because the planners are keen to see new developments to provide increased housing.My concern is that the proposed development is not sympathetic with the housing in that road or area.
We have all witnessed the Destruction of Hoylake…
This has occurred incrementally; death by a thousand cuts.
There are basically three groups of people who live here. Firstly, people (probably, hopefully, still a majority), born and bred from generations who lived here before them and who have a legitimate expectation that the Hoylake of the future will continue to reflect the traditions of the past. Secondly people who have moved here because they like it, which means liking the friendliness of the established community here as well as the traditions they have established and the charm of the place.
A third group (by far the minority at present) have chosen to live here because they have to, either because of work or economic reasons.
Yet over the last twenty years Hoylake has lost a number of landmarks, a number of pubs and places of popular entertainment and a number of churches. They have replaced a number of distinctive characteristics of Hoylake with… bland boring modern, architect designed buildings that could be found anywhere in the world and have thereby reduced the charm, the traditions, and the style of the place we all love.
As they do this they in turn reduce the attractiveness of Hoylake to those who seek the benefits of charm and style of living in a real, close community and thus encourage the diminution of our community spirit. The people who come to live in these new properties are less likely to do so because Hoylake is our Hoylake and more likely to do so for the economic reasons which motivate transients; The wish eventually to move on for economic reasons.
At the same time as developers have been permitted to exercise a virtual monopoly of new building, local people have been denied access to the housing ladder. We all know that this is wrong.
Because this has occurred in piecemeal fashion we have been confronted by a series of ratchet like clicks, each individual click being barely noticeable but in terms of their cumulative effect amounting to a big bang; we have already lost a great deal.
The latest attack on our landscape will, if it succeeds involve our politicians giving approval to some Stockport developers who have no apparent interest in their project other than profiteering, knocking down a local landmark and replacing it with bland and expensive properties of no apparent value to local people.
We are told that the demolition of the church concerned (where numerous Hoylake people have been Christened and married) is inevitable for economic reasons… “the only wayâ€.
Well is this really the case?
Surely before yet another local landmark is destroyed a case needs to be made out as to why this is necessary?
Why there is no other way to re-use the church (bearing in mind the need for cheap rented accommodation for local people) by converting it (and the numerous outbuilding they propose to flatten) into flats?
A child aged 8 can work out what the bland proposed substitute houses will fetch. There is therefore an incentive to the developer which is wholly inconsistent with our interests. But developers can make less profit and be forced to serve our community, or indeed to sell to those who are prepared to do this.
To quote the song… Don’t it always seem to go…. You don’t know what you have got till it’s gone…
You will remember the next line.
If local people fail to organise and stop this incremental destruction of the traditional appearance of this unique place we might as well be living in Milton Keynes. Forget about our unique community, its warmth, charm and style. write it off.
We had better do something about it.
With the apparent collective failure of our politicians over the years this probably means the formulation of an independent organisation to fight for Hoylake.
So very sad if this distinctive building with special memories for so many people is lost. And, yes, it is chipping away yet further at the physical fabric of the town. However, many churches have been converted to residential use elsewhere so it should be quite possible to convert the church to domestic use. The acid test for developers is whether the value of the new residences would cover the cost of conversion as demolition and new build is cheaper.
I also went to this wonderful Church in the 50/60’s and it was here that my parents and Aunts were all married.
What these Hoylake Councillors and so called ‘developers’ have done to Hoylake, is nothing short of criminal.
Some time ago, I posted regarding Labour winning the elections in Hoylake…and asked whatever happened to this once beautiful and conservative Town. I’m sorry to say that I was laughed at and criticized for being from the old ‘Blue Rinse’ brigade!
Thankfully, I am happy to report that it’s true!
Totally agree Helen. Fourth group of people – those that used to live in beautiful HUDC but moved for various reasons – but still love and connect with Hoylake.
Can’t believe OUR elected (by us!!!!!) members – to represent OUR views – can demolish a beautiful church with all its history and memories and still face the public and hope to get re-elected !
I presume that the council have been consultative with the public with this proposal and have held public forums, discussions and debates? Do all councillors agree with the demolition? How did they vote individually?
Well said Russ. I too moved away, but not as far as you, and like you, still feel a deep affection for Hoylake. I attended Sunday school in this church, and also enjoyed playing badminton in the hall behind it. It would be such a shame to lose such a distinctive building, only to have it replaced by bland nothingness. It seems to have happened in too many instances before, but sadly, it will probably happen again.
The plans for the church have not been submitted to the Council as yet.
At this stage the Councillors locally have had no part in the plans.
Until the official planning application goes in no decisions will be taken is my understanding.
Residents have made their views to the Applicants at a showing of the plans in the Church a couple of weeks ago. and await their responses.
When the plans go in I have offered to hold a Residents Meeting in Melrose Hall to discuss the issue.
Hoylake Vision Community Planning Forum have formally responded to this pre-submission application as follows: http://www.hoylakevision.org.uk/response-to-the-developers-of-the-proposed-former-presbyterial-church-alderley-road-hoylake/
It is worth noting that, to date, no planning application has yet been submitted to WMBC.