With hundreds of millions of pounds in regeneration projects in the pipeline for Birkenhead Wirral Council will invest £7m to make sure the town has enough power. Tony McDonough reports

Image showing regeneration plans for Birkenhead town centre. Picture from Wirral Council

Wirral Council is investing £7m in a new electricity substation in Birkenhead with the town’s regeneration plans set to increase demand for power.

Over the next few years hundreds of millions of pounds is set to be invested in Birkenhead across multiple projects. These include the creation of 1,500 new homes in a new ‘garden village’, a new market and reshaping of the town centre and waterfront.

Earlier in summer 2024 the council agreed with Wirral Growth Company – a 50:50 joint partnership between Wirral Council and developer Muse – to move forward with the delivery of a primary substation in Birkenhead town centre.

Work is now getting under way on the massive 18-month project which when completed will ensure the town has sufficient electricity well into the future.

This decision to move ahead now with the new substation was made because Scottish Power Energy Network, the electricity provider for the region, advised that the network in and around Birkenhead is operating at capacity.

It advised that before any further development could take place in the town centre that the local electric network would have to be upgraded to support future demand for electricity.

Building work on the new substation buildings, close to Europa Pools, has started and the project will also see cables laid along a 4km stretch, through Charing Cross and Oxton Road and along part of Woodchurch Road.

Primary roadworks will start in December, and timed where possible to coincide with other works on the route to minimise inconvenience where possible.

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Wirral Council leader Paul Stuart said: “This is a major investment representing one of the most significant infrastructure projects undertaken by Wirral Council in many years.

“This is not just about bringing power into the town centre but empowering Birkenhead to move forward with some of the biggest changes in generations.

“It is key infrastructure to the regeneration work we are pressing ahead with not just in Birkenhead but ultimately across our whole borough. This will provide upgraded energy capacity needed to deliver the investment this town and our residents deserve.”

Image showing how the new Birkenhead Market could look

Work on the primary substation, which will be on land to the rear of Europa Pools on Conway Street in Birkenhead, will be carried out via a specialist contractor Ameon Utilities.

In early October LBN revealed Government agency Homes England had agreed to invest £29m into the Hind Street Urban Garden Village. This aims to transform the 65 acres of a former gasworks into a thriving new neighbourhood over the next 10 to 15 years.

It followed news that the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority was to put £22m into the scheme. Hind Street would also include a new park, improved transport links, commercial space and leisure facilities.

And Wirral Council announced it was sharing multiple masterplans for the town with residents. They include Charing Cross and the new commercial district, an updated plan for St Werburgh’s, and the Birkenhead Waterfront project.