Birkenhead’s 20-year vision primed for sign-off
Next week, Wirral Council is due to adopt an overarching strategy for the town that aims to guide the delivery of 21,000 homes and 10m sq ft of commercial space over the next two decades.
The Birkenhead 2040 Framework will support and tie together a wide range of regeneration projects across the town, including the £4.5m Wirral Waters.
The framework is intended to provide a coherent delivery plan and help Wirral Council adhere to five key themes set out in its emerging plan:
- Inclusive economy
- Safe and pleasant communities
- Sustainable environment
- Brighter futures
- Active and healthy lives.
The framework, drawn up by Avison Young, Optimised Environments and Mott McDonald, highlights eight catalyst projects.
- Wirral Waters – a mixed-use project being delivered by the council and Peel L&P that could provide 13,000 homes
- Dock Branch Park – the creation of a green corridor within a disused railway cutting connecting the south of Birkenhead with Wirral Waters
- Commercial District – Being delivered by Wirral Growth Company, a joint venture between Muse Developments and the council, the £1bn project aims to deliver 1.4m sq ft of commercial space and a new market.
- Birkenhead Landing – the removal of concrete flyovers at the gateway to the town unlocking land for the 1,000-home Hind Street Garden Village
- East-west Cultural Axis – a connectivity initiative aimed at directing people from central Birkenhead to the waterfront
- Woodside Gyratory – the gyratory will be realigned, unlocking adjacent land for a new mixed-use neighbourhood
- Mass transit – a new transport system to provide last mile links around Birkenhead
- Birkenhead District Heating Network – infrastructure designed to reduce carbon consumption in the town.
Birkenhead at last rising like a phoenix, the Left Bank is taking shape and this will also complement the positive strides made in New Brighton and near Vale Park over recent years, the future looks bright. Wirral should steal a march on Liverpool with an embryonic tram network and expand it later, also the Liverpool City Region mayor need to expand the ferry service , Hamburg style , with nippier ferries and more stops, including New Brighton and over at Herculaneum Quay.
By Anonymous