Some of Merseyside’s most historic and important conservation areas are at risk, according to a new survey.

They include Stanley Dock, in Liverpool, Hamilton Square, in Birkenhead, and Lord Street, in Southport.

Conservation areas are neighbourhoods earmarked for preservation because of their architectural significance and the character they bring to a city or town.

Historic England (formerly known as English Heritage) manages a list of conservation areas deemed “at risk” – and a total of 23 sites in the Merseyside region feature.

Out of 36 conservation areas in Liverpool, Stanley Dock’s imposing warehouses are designated as at risk in a “very bad” condition – although it is improving.

Newsham Park in Fairfield, meanwhile, is at risk and deteriorating.

Duke Street, Derwent Square and Princes Road are all other conservation areas whose conditions are getting worse in the city.

A spokesman for Liverpool City Council said: “In general we encourage owners of properties in conservation areas to maintain them to a decent standard or, where possible improve them. One of the areas identified as being at risk by Historic England- Duke Street- is benefiting from a Townscape Heritage grant, and improvements continue to be made, although this is still work in progress

“The Stanley Dock conservation area has benefitted from a positive relationship between the private and public sectors, with some funding provided to enable the delivery of the hugely successful conversion of the north warehouse into the Titanic Hotel, which has added to the quality of Liverpool’s hotel and conference offer.

“The Tobacco Warehouse has been granted permission for conversion to apartments, and exploratory work has started on this. The south warehouse also has permission for conversion to two hotels.

“Until the works are completed on these buildings the conservation area is likely to remain technically at risk, but Historic England has acknowledged the enormous effort made to improve the buildings, and the successful, £36m conversion of the north warehouse. More improvements will take place with the upgrading of the A565 corridor, and further investment by the Canal and Rivers Trust along the Leeds-Liverpool canal.”

Also on the “at risk” register is Hartley’s Village. It was built by William Pickles Hartley, who founded the jam-making company that bears his name.

The deeply-Methodist Hartley intended it as a model village for his workers to live in good conditions.

However now the area, in Aintree, is described as in a “very bad” state.

Elsewhere in Merseyside, the elegant Lord Street in Southport, with its Victorian glazed canopies and fountains is in a “poor” state, and getting worse.

It is said that Napoleon III, who lived on the street briefly in the mid-19th century, was inspired to redesign Paris as it looks today with wide, sweeping boulevards.

A spokesman for Sefton Council said: “Last year we carried out a proactive review of all assets across the borough which involved conservation experts undertaking surveys of all privately and publicly owned assets and notifying English Heritage of those areas identified as being ‘at risk.’

“We have since secured funding to create a ‘Heritage At Risk’ post dedicated to pro-active work in this area.

“This appointment will help to identify exactly what the issues are which each conservation area is facing and to work on solutions for them. The creation of the post has been welcomed by English Heritage who are using Sefton Council as an example of best practice.

“This new post will allow us to prioritise heritage work, build community understanding and maximise opportunities for alternative sources of future funding through heritage-led regeneration initiatives. We look forward to working closely with English Heritage in addressing these important issues.”

Elsewhere, one of the worst-affected conservation areas is Hamilton Square in Birkenhead.

The square, which contains Grade I listed town houses and the Grade II* listed Birkenhead Town Hall, is described as in a “very bad” state, highly vulnerable and deteriorating.

Every borough in Merseyside has at least one conservation area at risk.

DATA, CONSERVATION AREAS AT RISK IN MERSEYSIDE:

Name // LA // Condition // Vulnerability // Trend

Derwent Square, Liverpool // Liverpool // Poor // Low // Deteriorating
Duke Street, Liverpool // Liverpool // Poor // Medium // Deteriorating
Newsham Park, Liverpool // Liverpool // Poor // Low // Deteriorating
Ogden Close, Liverpool // Liverpool // Poor // Medium // Deteriorating
Princes Road, Liverpool // Liverpool // Poor // Medium // Deteriorating
Stanley Dock, Liverpool // Liverpool // Very bad // Medium // Improving
Flaybrick Cemetery, Bidston, Birkenhead // Wirral // Very bad // Low // No significant change
Hamilton Square, Birkenhead // Wirral // Very bad // High // Deteriorating
George Street, St Helens // St Helens // Poor // High // Deteriorating
High Street, St Helens // St Helens // Poor // Medium // Deteriorating
Rainford Conservation Area 1, St Helens // St Helens // Poor // High // Deteriorating
Rainhill Conservation Area 1 // St Helens // Poor // Medium // Deteriorating
Rainhill Conservation Area 2 // St Helens // Fair // Medium // Deteriorating
Rainhill Conservation Area 3 // St Helens // Fair // Medium // Deteriorating
Willow Park // St Helens // Fair // Medium // Deteriorating
Prescot Town Centre // Knowsley // Very bad // Medium // Improving
Hartley’s Village, Liverpool // Liverpool // Very bad // Low // No significant change
Christ Church // Sefton // Poor // Medium // Deteriorating
Lord Street // Sefton // Poor // Low // Deteriorating
North Meols, Southport // Sefton // Poor // Low // Deteriorating
Promenade // Sefton // Very bad // Medium // Improving
Waterloo Park // Sefton // Poor // Medium // Deteriorating
West Birkdale // Sefton // Poor // Medium // Deteriorating