Major facelift work – including the creation of a town square – is to be carried out near Hoylake Station in readiness for the return of the Open Golf Championship in 2016.

The £1.2m scheme is intended to smarten up a drab gateway to the town which presently greets visitors travelling by rail.

Councillor Lesley Rennie, Wirral Council’s cabinet member for leisure, culture and tourism, said: “The approach from the station is not the most welcoming. It will be one of the main routes by which people will come into Hoylake for the Open.

“It will be a massive improvement for that part of Hoylake and we are hoping that it will provide a lasting legacy for the town.

“Hoylake received a tremendous boost from the environmental improvements carried out before the last Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in 2006 and we are hoping this will do the same.”

She said questionnaires would be distributed across Hoylake to give townspoeple and businesses the chance to offer their opinions on the town square project.

A further £1.2m has been earmarked in the budget for similar environmental improvements to be carried out at New Brighton seafront.

Councillor Rennie said: “Developers Neptune are doing a splendid job of regeneration at New Brighton. We need to smarten up the infrastructure.”

The two schemes are expected to be ratified at Thursday night's budget council.