Wirral Council revealed the masterplan for its ‘Birkenhead Central’ project, which covers three key adjoining areas in Birkenhead town centre, including the Grange Road Retail Area, Commercial District and Charing Cross Quarter, as well as plans for the creation of a new neighbourhood in the St Werburgh’s area.
Through these plans, the council is seeking to maximise the prospects for the central Birkenhead area with a focus on attracting more people into the town centre and increasing leisure and residential opportunities and placing an increased emphasis on high quality walking and cycling infrastructure. The two key projects are at the heart of wider regeneration plans for Birkenhead, such as the new market proposals, Dock Branch Park and Neighbourhood, Wirral Waters, and the Woodside Masterplan.
The proposals for Birkenhead Central include around 1,685 homes - almost 1,000 around Conway Street and Europa Boulevard, 450 around Grange Road, and 250 around Charing Cross - one or two new hotels, a new leisure hub, consolidated retail space, new external event space, new green spaces and a new swimming pool as part of a Health and Wellbeing Hub.
In St Werburgh’s, around 570 homes could be built along with a hotel, retail, leisure, food and drink offer, a new market located on Princes Pavement, new Market Square and arrival space from the bus station.
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Further details include plans to relocate the Europa Pools leisure centre as it is “one of the highest draws within the town centre” but the current building is ageing, as well moving the poorly-performing Vue Cinema. Both current sites would become homes or flats.
Wirral Council said it will “create a new green identity to Borough Road” and create an offer that “encourages new people to use the amenities”. A new ‘sponge park’ could be created along the road which will take in surface water run off when it rains and reduce the risk of sewage discharges into the Mersey. The earliest plans for the road show there used to be a stream flowing into the Mersey and the sewer system in the area is “already at flood risk.”
Discussing the overall masterplan, the council said the aim is not to “compete” with Liverpool but to mark Birkenhead’s differences as “a place for people, quality of life, culture, heritage, living, working, educating and relaxing.”
Wirral Council also shared an update on plans to transform an abandoned railway line into a new £15m park that cuts through the town centre. The green space would run along the old Dock Branch trainline, stretching from Tower Road to Green Lane train station.
The line is thought to be one of the oldest stretches of track in the world, but has been closed since the early 1990s. The local authority say the new Dock Branch Park would be “world-class” and “be a place where people, heritage, and nature intersect, connect and thrive.”
Inspired by the impressive High Line in New York, the linear park would connect the new urban garden village at Hind Street with Wirral Waters, passing through the heart of Birkenhead.
The first stage of the project would be a 1.1km stretch from Tower Road near Wirral Waters to Argyle Street and could feature new landscapes, a cycle and walking route, gardens, and wildlife habitats. A new 1,200 capacity events space is also planned as part of the new park that will be connected to Future Yard, a live music venue, café, bar and arts space on Argyle Street.
Wirral Council is currently looking for a contractor to take on the project which will eventually connect to Green Lane train station. In September, the council said it was waiting on a decision by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority about whether to award £15m towards the project.
At an economy and regeneration meeting on October 14, councillors are expected to be given an update on buying land required for the park to go ahead though any details are being kept confidential. It is then expected to be referred to the council’s Policy and Resources committee which oversees key financial decisions in November 2024. The council will be making a decision about whether to buy the old trainline off Network Rail following an assessment of the bridges along it.
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