'Desperately needed': Over £18m to be spent on 80 new apartments close to Merseyside town centre

The new flats will be part of a development that includes 44 new homes, upgrades to a library, and a new Lidl. The development is located off Pasture Road in Moreton and is part of a wider regeneration scheme in that area. The project was initially intended to be delivered through the Wirral Growth Company, a Wirral Council-linked company.

However the land was eventually sold off to Vistry Group and Alpha Living. The Lidl on the site opened last month in November and the new flats called Driftwood Gardens are expected to be delivered by the summer of 2027.

The £18.5m scheme will see 80 one and two-bed apartments for the over 55s which are described as high quality and affordable . Alongside the 80 new flats, there is a separate development which will see 44 homes built next door by Magenta Living.

Funding for the extra care homes includes £6,240,000 from Home England’s Affordable Homes Programme 2021-26 and £1.3m from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Brownfield Land Fund. Alpha Living said the development will have large south facing gardens, with access to outdoor spaces and bedrooms with Jack and Jill ensuite bathrooms.

Sally Parsons, CEO of Alpha Living, said: “Our partnership will deliver a high quality development, helping to maintain standards of independent living for residents as well as alleviating the pressure on local NHS services.

“Together, we are helping to build and sustain communities, with the new housing offer on this site forming part of the wider regeneration of the area, including the new Lidl supermarket and works to Moreton Library.”

Shahi Islam, Director of Affordable Housing Grants at Homes England, added: “The Pasture Road scheme is a prime example of how we are working collaboratively with partners, through the Affordable Homes Programme, to create thriving communities that people can be proud to call home.”

Cllr Graham Morgan, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, said: “The Brownfield Land Fund is playing a vital role in turning derelict sites into thriving communities.

“By breathing new life into land that has stood empty for too long, we are not only regenerating neighbourhoods but also creating much needed affordable housing. This development in Moreton is a fantastic example of how investment in brownfield land can strengthen local communities and provide high-quality, affordable extra care housing that older people so desperately need.”

Planning permission was granted by Wirral Council in April 2023. Councillors praised the scheme for its comprehensive plan, proactive engagement with the local community, and social benefits to the area while only two people objected to the scheme after 14,000 residents were asked for their views.