The society is invited to comment on all planning applications within, or affecting, the conservation area. Copies of comments submitted to the two-monthly Committee meetings over the last three years can be seen below.
September 2024
13 Victoria Mount – APPH/24/01020 Single-storey rear extension, front landscaping works, amendment to front boundary wall, new
access gate and extension of existing dropped kerb (resubmission of APPH/23/00539)
Following consultation the society whilst expressing some reservations about the width of the new opening in the sandstone wall did not object due to other proposed improvements in the wall.
50a Bidston Road – APPH/24/01064 Front Porch Extension
No comment.
2 Normanston Road – APP/24/00941 Retrospective – 2 air source heat pump units fitted at the rear of the property over 1m away from
neighbouring boundaries.
No comment works to rear no visible from street.
18 Rose Mount – APPH/24/00903 Demolition of existing garage and the construction of a garden room.
No comment.
Ashton House –
Paul Roberts the new case officer is waiting on an updated bat report but is hopeful of a September decision, with trees and walls conditioned. (via Allan Brame).
1 & 2 Shrewsbury Road –
Stuck in probate dispute, no update.
July 2024
Planning Application APPH/24/00831 at Oxton Hall, 3 Talbot Road, Oxton, Prenton, Wirral, CH43 2HJ
Replacement of timber single glazed windows with double glazed UPVC – Not visible from public areas, no comment.
Other issues:
We have been asked to comment on the discharge of a planning condition for raising of the boundary wall to mask a single storey extension at the top of Village Road, after some discussion it was felt that once planning permission had been granted the discharge of conditions was not for the society to comment upon and should be taken up with the relevant planning officer.
Enforcement outstanding actions:
14 Hughes lane removal of section of sandstone wall.
Victoria Mount – Planning Enforcement case ENF/24/00116 at 10b, Victoria Mount, CH43 5TH unauthorised widening of drive entrance in sandstone wall.
April 2024
10b Victoria Mount – unauthorised works
‘Breach of planning control complaint’ on 2024-04-23.
Your reference number is FS-Case-608505443. Please use this reference when contacting the Council.
March 2024
APPH/23/01586 18 Rosemount
Further to the above application the Oxton Society does not consider the landscape and building works within the boundary of the property to be contentious and has no objection to these elements.
However, we have serious concerns about the proposal to significantly widen the vehicular entrance on Rose Mount, specifically the loss of approximately three metres of high sandstone wall this would entail. The Heritage Statement mentions this section of wall having a ’significant contribution to the conservation area’.
The revised Local Plan Conservation Area policies WD 2.2 and CON-SA3.3 (Oxton Village), state that proposals within the Oxton CA “will be supported where they….conserve and enhance the essential unifying features of the landscape and street scene throughout the area, particularly…historic sandstone boundary walls”. Clearly the removal of such a long section of a high sandstone wall in a very prominent location would be in contravention of the relevant Local Plan Conservation Area policy and cannot be supported by the Oxton Society.
January 2024
RE: Planning Application APPH/23/01523 at 4 Glenmore Road, Oxton, Prenton, Wirral, CH43 2HG
The Oxton Society have no objection to this application, although we do note that the greenhouse is forward of the building line established by the house..
RE: Planning Application PRE/22/00096/ENQ at Rose Cottage 16 Rose Mount Close, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 5SW
Although the two storey extension is large, efforts have been made to mitigate its scale and the proposals are not visible from public highways, so we have no objection in principle. By way of constructive comment, we note that the impact upon the ‘rear elevation’ is increased by the extension linking at a point forward of the exiting façade. If, in plan, the extension connection is set back from the building corner this impact will be mitigated and the risk of unbalancing the overall composition reduced.
November 2023
RE: Planning Application APP/21/01158 at Cheshire And Wirral Partnership Nhs Foundation Trust, Ashton House, Ashton House Hospital Complex, 26 Village Road, Oxton, Prenton, Wirral, CH43 5SR
Please find below details of the Oxton Societies response to the revised application for Ashton House and environs:
Further to our previous comments we notice that no more details have been provided on the repair and long term maintenance strategy for the sandstone perimeter walls, we consider this a critical aspect on ensuring the character of the conservation area an done that must be addressed as part of the primary application rather than as reserved matters.
We are pleased to see that the majority of the trees are to be retained but it will be important to establish the details of the overall landscape design to ensure the quality of the deveopment.
The extent of demolitions around Ashton House have been clarified and appear reasonable.
The replacement window details to Ashton House are noted as subject to future discussion, the submitted detailed section through the window jamb is of little use, an accurate survey and representation of the proposed detail should be provided as soon as possible.
On the new build houses, it is disappointing to see the large glazed bay windows have been omitted and replaced with less ambitious brick bays, this element had the potential to provide a distinctive feature to the design of these properties. The new houses are however, reasonable in their massing with the three storey/one storey alternating height providing interest to their profile.
The number and location of the new build houses is considered appropriate.
We are disappointed that there are no details on sustainability measures such as, EV charging points, solar panels, air source heat pumps, rainwater catchment and balancing ponds etc.
We would like to draw the applicant and planning departments attention to the potential sale of the remaining part of the Ashton House site by the NHS, ideally this smaller but important site could be incorporated into the proposed scheme to ensure a coherent approach to the entire block.
Comments February 2022 (no applications since last report)