Wirral Council says it expects planning applications to be submitted by the end of 2024 to build 273 new homes at two site sites in Birkenhead. Tony McDonough reports

Site of former House of Fraser department store in Birkenhead

Wirral Council is pushing on with plans that will see 273 new homes built in the centre of Birkenhead.

These will see new residential developments Price Street Car Park and the former House of Fraser site combined with part of Princes Pavement and a site on Grange Road. Council leader Paul Stuart says these are “critical” regeneration sites.

“The plans for the former House of Fraser and Price Street car park sites are two critical locations for Birkenhead town centre regeneration, and work on their development has been moving ahead behind the scenes at pace for many months.

“These developments will play a vital role in reviving the town centre. I fully expect the coming months will see this work translated into real changes.”

Detailed design work and market testing for the town centre sites will begin immediately. It is anticipated that planning applications at both locations will be submitted before the end of 2024.

The former House of Fraser site is a major part of the council’s regeneration plans for Birkenhead town centre. The department store, which also included a car park with 86 spaces and a rear service yard, has been demolished.

However, since the authority had decided not to proceed with the proposed market hall on this site, an alternative scheme has been required to use £2m of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) Brownfield Land Fund given to the council.

This grant requires a minimum of 84 residential units to be delivered at this location with a start on site to be no later than March 2025.

Price Street Car Park has been owned and operated by the council for a number of years and is a four-acre brownfield site very close to the town centre and with Conway Park Railway Station next to it.

It currently has in place planning consent from the original Wirral Growth Company masterplan that covers much of Birkenhead Town Centre for 189 residential apartments on the site. That proposed scheme was allocated £3.1m from Future High Street Fund.

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Cllr Stuart added: “Wirral’s regeneration is not just in Birkenhead but at key sites across our borough from Bromborough and New Ferry, through Wirral Waters, Seacombe and Liscard to New Brighton, working to make Wirral an even better place to live and work and bring up a family.”

And speaking on behalf of Wirral Growth Company, Joel Chandler, senior development manager at Muse, added: “These decisions signify another step forward in the revitalisation of Birkenhead.

“Our vision to transform Birkenhead through innovative, people-led regeneration continues to gather pace with these developments, which will deliver future-proofed homes in the heart of the town to the benefit of the whole Wirral community.”