This is a project of the <a href='https://batcbs.org' target='batcbs'><i>Birkenhead and Tranmere Community Benefit Society</i></a> (opens in new page)

Birkenhead is an eclectic mix of many different architectural styles and building materials from Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian periods moving toward Art Deco of 1930’s and the Brutalism of 1960’s, and the subsequent Contemporary Style of the 1980’s which continues to the present day.

However, these architectural styles are found in distinct zones, so they form a distinct feature of each location.

Thus, it is possible to produce a Design Guide for those buildings in order to enhance the each location, and help guide future planning and architectural design for those distinct areas, and avoid creating visual clashes which undermine the predominant street scene.

This Design Guide concentrates on Birkenhead’s distinctive Georgian Quarter (around Hamilton Square). This builds on existing advice from Edinburgh’s Conservation Advice, as the characteristics of conservation choices are similar, and we are indebted to their research and recommendations.

The purpose of these pages is to give guidance to owners, property managers and other professionals who are concerned with the external redecoration and maintenance of property within the Birkenhead Heritage conservation area.

Note: this project is work in progress. Not all pages are complete yet.

The topics covered are:

• Checking the outside of the building
• Checking the inside of the building
• Getting work done
• References

This guide will cover the steps you need to consider, when to consider them, and what to do, so that the building has a long life and, generally, increases in overall value. Further advice is listed at the end of this publication under References.

To go back to this opening page, click the Icon at the top of the page

On each page of the guide you will see:

• Why the topic is important
• What to look for
• What to do if you find a problem
• Avoiding creating problems
• Historical background