In June 1953 Birkenhead Council produced a Development Plan in which the Upton Bypass was proposed, this new road would cut through the land belonging to Arrowehouse farm. The land to the north of this new road, about 21 acres, was zoned for residential housing in the Development Plan.

In 1957, Birkenhead Corporation proposed a change to the Development Plan to re-zone around 35 acres of the land to the south of the new road for industrial development. The landowner, Lord Leverhulme, and the tenant farmer, Mr Adams, both objected to the proposal on the grounds that the remaining land would not be sufficient for the farm to be viable. The proposal went to a public enquiry, and on 25th September 1958, The Minister of Housing and Local Government turned down the Corporations proposal to amend the Development Plan.

The success was, however, short lived. In the early 1960’s Arrowehouse farm was demolished and Champion Spark Plugs’ factory was built on the land. A science park was developed next to the factory along Arrowebrook Road.

The remaining 50 acres of land from the War Department land to the Upton By-pass became known as Upton Meadow. In 1982 the ‘Friends of Upton Meadow’ was formed to protect the ancient meadowland from development. Despite strong local protests, 14 acres of Upton Meadow were sold to Sainsbury’s for a supermarket.

Finally, in March 1997, Wirral Borough Council granted a 99 year lease on the remaining 36 acres to national charity The Woodland Trust.