Plans have been put forward on Wirral Council's planning application website to extend the elevation of a new-build house on Meols Drive in West Kirby which directly borders the Royal Liverpool Golf Course.

The proposals submitted in a Design and Access statement state that the plans are to "demolish the property's roof and erect a new roof which will be raised and with a steeper pitch to provide usable attic space for better private accommodation in the family home".

The statement adds that the the height of the new roof is “under the ridge height of the adjoining detached houses” and that the proposals “do not affect site access, landscape or parking as currently exists”.

However, a petition created by Wirral resident, Katherine du Plessis, which has been signed by more than 100 people opposes the proposals.

A statement on Charge.Org read: “Recently, a local property developer has submitted a planning application to extend the elevation of a new-build house which directly borders the Royal Liverpool Golf Course by roughly 2.5 metres, making it over nine metres tall.

“This house already partially obscures the view of two beautiful historic buildings from the golf course links, both Category B buildings contributing to the Meols Drive Conservation Area and supporting the "historic setting of the Royal Liverpool Golf Course" which hosted the Open last year.

"These buildings are Clavis (96 Meols Drive) and Periwinkle (98 Meols Drive). 

“With this new development, the house will sadly completely block the view to and from these houses and the golf course from many angles, and could even partially obscure the spire of the beautiful Category A listed St Andrew's Church.

"Clavis & Periwinkle are two of the only yellow-listed buildings in this portion of the Conservation Area, so to obscure them and overdevelop around them would be a great shame for an area that has already been over-developed in recent years.

“In our opinion, this is precisely the type of development which the Conservation Area was created to protect against; it provides no public good, and will only negatively impact the views of the historic Meols Drive  streetscape from the links and the permissive footpath on the beach beyond it.”

What is Meols Drive Conservation area?

Meols Drive is located between the two urban centres of Hoylake and West Kirby. Both are old settlements which grew as commuter towns during the later 19th and early 20th century.

The main development in the area consisted of large villas backing onto the golf course with slightly smaller houses on the eastern side of Meols Drive, towards the Hoylake Station.

The golf club is thought to be the second oldest in England.

Despite the opposition, a heritage assessment carried out by Garry Miller Heritage Consultancy state that the proposal is “in accordance with national guidance”.

It read: “Given the application, property is a modern dwelling that lacks any intrinsic interest, the effect of the proposal is purely its visual impact upon the conservation area street scene.

“It is demonstrated in this report that Westwinds’ contribution to this streetscene is a marginal one, being set back from Meols Drive and screened by gates, boundary walls and trees.

“The visual impact of the proposed additional storey will be equally marginal and restricted only to the immediate vicinity.

“It will be a minor, distant feature in the Meols Drive views and will not detract from them or the neighbouring traditional houses, such as Clavis, from which the conservation area’s character and appearance is derived.

“Proceeding further along Meols Drive, the proposed extension will become invisible as it becomes screened by the massing of foreground buildings.

“It is therefore concluded the proposal will have no harmful effect upon the conservation area, and will sustain the character and appearance that forms the core of its significance.

“The proposal is therefore in accordance with national guidance along with local development plan policy and hence merits approval without delay.”