Chris Packham: Wildlife expert backs Hoylake beach rewilding

Allowing vegetation to grow on a beach, which has been left to become grassland in a bid to improve biodiversity, has turned it into an "oasis" for nature, wildlife expert Chris Packham has said.

Wirral Council stopped spraying herbicides on Hoylake beach in 2019 and also no longer rakes the sands.

Local campaigners have criticised the decision and said it deterred visitors.

Writing on Facebook, the BBC Springwatch presenter said the scheme had let the beach "develop naturally".

Wirral Council has previously said the rewilding would be the subject of a study, which "will help give everyone a clear understanding of the ecology of the beach".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the project would be subject to a public consultation in 2023.

"Hoylake beach is home to a range of rare or nationally important species and habitats and is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest," the council said.

"This means it is protected under law from anything that puts those elements at risk."

Mr Packham said more than 150 species of plant, 19 which were at risk of extinction, had been found on the beach, which was of "international conservation importance".

"It has quickly transformed from being a desert sprayed with herbicide every year into an oasis since Wirral Council stopped herbicide treatment in 2019 and allowed the beach to develop naturally," he said.

He said the newly-grown grasses and other plants had also "created a natural barrier, stopping the sand migrating into the town".

He added that while some locals were not "as keen to see this vegetation growing and want to 'tidy' it up", he was fully behind the scheme to keep "this incredibly important habitat".

In October, campaigners argued that the new grassland was destroying the area as an amenity for families and visitors to enjoy.

Nicola Verdake from Hoylake Beach Community told BBC North West Tonight that people were distressed and angry and wanted golden sands back.

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