Making Healthy Places for People
Seeing what works, and what does not, is a important driver for Birkenhead’s transformation. That was the purpose of our Jane Walk (30 May 2026).
There is the immense scale of the docks, a landscape far more spatially dramatic and visually intriguing than anything across the river in Liverpool.
We saw a future development site where naturally occurring wildflowers have been allowed to recolonise the ground. Yet this rewilding is balanced with community arts projects. These quietly signal something important: this is not abandoned wasteland. It is a place being cared for and curated, alive with colour, biodiversity and pollinators.
And back across the road sits a complementary bio-diverse landscape framing the office quarter in an environment that, at its best, looks every bit as accomplished and confident as comparable waterfront districts in continental European cities.
The huge concrete pavers, framed in steel and imported from Denmark, are a triumph of scale and restraint, complemented by loose natural planting woven through hoggin pathways.
And here we encountered an important lesson.
As Graham Marshall said ( June 6, 2026] “Good landscape design is not simply about what is planted, but about what can realistically be cared for over time.”
At the beginning of our walk we had noticed rogue red poppies emerging through cracks in the paving and asked why more hard surfaces could not be removed to encourage biodiversity.
But we found the public realm is divided, almost invisibly, between Peel owned areas and Wirral Council owned areas.
On the Peel side, the planting is vibrant, diverse and carefully composed. Unfortunately, on the council-managed side, the beds are dominated by aggressive weed species that unintentionally signal neglect and a lack of care.
And that distinction matters.
This reinforces perceptions of disadvantage while simultaneously exposing the reality of depleted maintenance resources.
If planting beds were introduced indiscriminately across the town simply because consultants recommended them, many could quickly become weed-strewn and unmanaged. They make places feel even more neglected and unsafe than before.
Yet, we can change that apparent political indifference & lack of regular maintenance.
But there may be many barriers. Can you identify such barriers? Do you have a way to overcome them?
We would like YOUR help, hear YOUR voice, and make Birkenhead Greener and Healthier for your future.
Let us know how HERE.