CH postcode area
The CH postcode area, also known as the Chester postcode area, is a postal region in the United Kingdom comprising 37 postcode districts that serve north-west England and north-east Wales, including both geographic and non-geographic postcode districts, primarily encompassing west Cheshire (including the city of Chester), the Wirral peninsula in Merseyside, and eastern Flintshire.[1][2] This area facilitates mail delivery across urban, suburban, and rural locales, with the CH code derived from its central hub in Chester.[3] It includes 13 designated post towns: Bagillt, Birkenhead, Buckley, Chester, Deeside, Ellesmere Port, Flint, Holywell, Mold, Neston, Prenton, Upton, and Wallasey.[2] Geographically, the CH area extends over approximately 392 square miles (1,015 square kilometers), with a maximum width of 28 miles and height of 28 miles, bordered by the Irish Sea to the north, the Dee Estuary to the west, and the River Mersey to the east, and adjacent postcode areas such as CW, LL, L, SY, and WA.[1] The region features a mix of historic towns, industrial zones, and coastal communities, supporting a population of 676,973 residents (2021 census).[4] Key districts include CH1 (central Chester), CH41–CH46 (Birkenhead and Wallasey areas), CH5 (Deeside and Buckley), and CH60–CH64 (Heswall and Ellesmere Port), totaling 24,766 individual postcodes.[5] Administered by Royal Mail from its Chester delivery office, the CH postcode area plays a vital role in the postal infrastructure of the region, reflecting its historical ties to the Anglo-Welsh border and ongoing economic links through ports, manufacturing, and tourism.[6]Overview
Definition and Extent
The CH postcode area, also known as the Chester postcode area, is one of 121 postcode areas in the United Kingdom managed by Royal Mail to organize postal delivery across the country.[7][8] This postcode area encompasses a geographic extent in north-west England, including west Cheshire and the Wirral peninsula in Merseyside, along with north-east Wales in east Flintshire.[9][1] Spanning approximately 1,000 square kilometres, it includes urban centres such as Chester and Birkenhead as well as rural areas like Holywell.[10] The CH area forms part of the UK's alphanumeric postcode system, which was trialled in 1959 and rolled out nationwide from the 1960s to the 1970s to improve mail sorting efficiency.[11]Key Statistics
The CH postcode area encompasses 37 postcode districts, 13 post towns, and 213 postcode sectors, forming a structured framework for mail delivery across its geographic extent.[12] As of May 2020, the area included 18,790 live postcodes out of 24,203 total postcodes. These figures reflect the operational scale of the postcode system, where live postcodes represent active addresses for delivery purposes.[12] The postcode area covers an approximate population of 676,973 residents, according to 2021 Census data aggregated at the postcode level.[13] This population is distributed across urban and rural locales, providing essential context for its demographic significance in North West England and North East Wales. Spanning roughly 1,014 square kilometers, the CH area exhibits an average density of about 18.5 postcodes per square kilometer.[10] Density varies markedly, with higher concentrations in urban zones such as the Wirral—where postcodes cluster in densely populated boroughs—and lower sparsity in rural Flintshire, underscoring the area's mixed urban-rural character.[7]| Statistic | Value | Source (as of date) |
|---|---|---|
| Postcode Districts | 37 | ONS NSPL (May 2020)[12] |
| Post Towns | 13 | ONS NSPL (May 2020)[12] |
| Postcode Sectors | 213 | ONS NSPL (May 2020)[12] |
| Live Postcodes | 18,790 | ONS NSPL (May 2020)[12] |
| Total Postcodes | 24,203 | ONS NSPL (May 2020)[12] |
| Population | 676,973 | ONS Census 2021 (aggregated)[13] |
| Area | 1,014 km² | Geostats (latest available)[10] |
| Average Postcodes/km² | ~18.5 | Derived from ONS and Geostats data[10] |
Geographic Coverage
Postcode Districts
The CH postcode area encompasses 24 geographic postcode districts, organized to support mail routing in north-west England and north-east Wales, primarily serving Cheshire West and Chester, the Wirral, and Flintshire. These districts align with specific locales for residential and commercial addresses.[2][3] Geographic districts CH1–CH8 cover central Chester and surrounding Flintshire areas, including urban neighborhoods like Blacon and Deeside, as well as towns such as Holywell. Districts CH41–CH49 and CH60–CH64 extend across the Wirral Peninsula, encompassing Birkenhead, Wallasey, Heswall, and Neston, with a focus on densely populated coastal and suburban zones. Districts CH65–CH66 cover Ellesmere Port in Cheshire West and Chester.[9] The following table summarizes the districts, with representative example locations and scope:| District | Example Locations | Brief Scope |
|---|---|---|
| CH1 | Chester (city center, Blacon) | Central Chester urban and suburban areas. |
| CH2 | Chester (Hoole, Upton) | Outer Chester including villages like Backford. |
| CH3 | Chester (Tarporley, Tattenhall) | Rural Chester outskirts and villages. |
| CH4 | Chester (Saltney, Hawarden) | Chester borders and Flintshire towns. |
| CH5 | Deeside (Connah's Quay, Shotton) | Industrial and residential Flintshire coast. |
| CH6 | Flint, Bagillt | Flintshire towns along the Dee estuary. |
| CH7 | Buckley, Mold | Inland Flintshire market towns. |
| CH8 | Holywell, Bagillt | Northern Flintshire coastal villages. |
| CH41 | Birkenhead (city center) | Central Birkenhead commercial district. |
| CH42 | Birkenhead (Rock Ferry) | Southern Birkenhead residential areas. |
| CH43 | Prenton | Prenton and eastern Wirral suburbs. |
| CH44 | Wallasey (Liscard) | Northern Wallasey coastal neighborhoods. |
| CH45 | Wallasey (New Brighton) | Wallasey seafront and urban areas. |
| CH46 | Wirral (Moreton, Leasowe) | Central Wirral villages and estates. |
| CH47 | Wirral (Hoylake, Meols) | Western Wirral coastal towns. |
| CH48 | Wirral (West Kirby) | Wirral peninsula western suburbs. |
| CH49 | Wirral (Upton, Greasby) | Northern Wirral rural and suburban zones. |
| CH60 | Wirral (Heswall) | Heswall town and surrounding areas. |
| CH61 | Wirral (Heswall, Gayton) | Southern Heswall extensions. |
| CH62 | Wirral (Bromborough) | Bromborough industrial and residential. |
| CH63 | Wirral (Port Sunlight) | Wirral south-eastern villages. |
| CH64 | Neston | Neston and Parkgate coastal areas. |
| CH65 | Ellesmere Port | Central Ellesmere Port urban district. |
| CH66 | Ellesmere Port (Whitby) | Eastern Ellesmere Port suburbs. |
Local Authority Areas
The CH postcode area spans multiple local authority jurisdictions, primarily in northwest England and northeast Wales, reflecting its position along the England-Wales border. The core districts CH1 to CH3 fall within Cheshire West and Chester, a unitary authority in England responsible for areas including Chester city centre and surrounding suburbs like Blacon and Handbridge.[14] District CH4 is mainly in Cheshire West and Chester but crosses into Flintshire. Districts CH41 to CH49 and CH60 to CH64 are administered by the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in England, covering urban and coastal communities such as Birkenhead, Wallasey, and Heswall.[15] Districts CH65 to CH66 are in Cheshire West and Chester, covering Ellesmere Port. In Wales, districts CH5 to CH8 are predominantly under Flintshire County Council, encompassing towns like Flint, Holywell, and Buckley.[16] Cross-border complexities arise in certain districts, notably CH4 and CH5, which straddle the boundary between Cheshire West and Chester in England and Flintshire in Wales; for instance, parts of CH4 near Saltney and Broughton include addresses on both sides of the border, leading to split administrative oversight. A minor overlap occurs in CH7, where small portions, such as areas around Leeswood and extending to villages like Llanarmon-yn-Iâl, fall under Denbighshire County Council in Wales, while the majority remains in Flintshire.[17] These overlaps can affect the assignment of postcodes to specific authorities, as determined by the Office for National Statistics Postcode Directory, which links postcodes to statutory administrative areas.| Postcode District | Primary Local Authority | Notes on Overlaps |
|---|---|---|
| CH1–CH3 | Cheshire West and Chester | None significant |
| CH4 | Cheshire West and Chester | Crosses into Flintshire (Wales) |
| CH5–CH6, CH8 | Flintshire (Wales) | None significant |
| CH7 | Flintshire (Wales) | Minor extension into Denbighshire (Wales), e.g., Llanarmon-yn-Iâl |
| CH41–CH49 | Wirral (England) | None significant |
| CH60–CH64 | Wirral (England) | None significant |
| CH65–CH66 | Cheshire West and Chester | None significant |