Birkenhead has been named the UK's fourth-most sought-after 'dream home destination'.
Research from Atlas Ceramics has found that the Wirral town's average property price rose from £110,270 in 2019 to £179,652 in 2022 - a 38.62% increase. This placed it fourth among the UK's towns and cities, behind Slough, Watford and Southampton. In fifth was Manchester.
As such, Atlas has given Birkenhead the title of the UK's fourth-most sought after 'dream home destination'. Below, we take a look at changes in the town and its surrounding areas which have driven the rise in property prices.
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Birkenhead's 'masterplan'
Big changes are promised in Birkenhead as the town is the subject of many regeneration plans. Plans include transforming Woodside Ferry terminal, Hamilton Square, the town centre and its famous market. A new park will also be created along a disused train line and there are promises of more than 23,000 new homes.
Central “grand masterplan” is the Wirral Waters development on Birkenhead docks, with developer Peel L&P looking to invest £4.5bn into the area. The first phase of the development involves development along East Float which will see several residential and commercial developments being built or in the process.
This will see 1,100 homes built, 100 of which will be affordable and 20% cheaper than current rates in Birkenhead.
Changes to the A554 have included new walkways, trees and cycle paths. Despite concerns over a “confusing” junction, there have been no accidents along the route. New Grade A office space has opened up for the first time in ten years with two thirds already occupied or under offer. While the developments haven’t been verified as net zero, Peel L&P who are behind the development said sustainability is a core part of the project and has been rated excellent.
Over 30 years, the developments hope to provide 13,000 homes, as well bringing investment in business and research, as well as improved public transport. It seems plenty is on the agenda for the town.
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"Once in a lifetime" plans for Birkenhead recently took another significant step forward. Last month, the ECHO reported that councillors approved a recommendation to allow Wirral Council officers to select a contractor to develop designs and carry out construction work along the waterfront, Conway Street and Europa Boulevard as well as the high street in Birkenhead.
The infrastructure projects involved will cost nearly £33m. Wirral Council received £25.5m from the government in 2020 to regenerate Birkenhead town centre into “a diversified, mixed-use centre with a new modern market, new homes and a series of highways, connectivity and public realm projects”.
In 2021, it received nearly £20m to regenerate the area around the Woodside Ferry terminal and the waterfront along with £2.2m from the Liverpool City Region for the streets around Conway Park train station.
Wirral property boom and surrounding property hotspot
In recent years, the ECHO has reported that homes on the Wirral peninsula were being snapped up within hours, both to rent and to buy. Last year, Wirral estate agent Karl Tatler said they had seen a significant rise in house prices.
In May 2021, Wallasey was named a 'property hotspot'. Just down the road from Birkenhead, Wallasey saw prices jump by almost £24,000 from 2020 to 2021. This represented a jump of 15.6%, according to Rightmove. The increase seen in Birkenhead from 2019 to 2022 shows a similar pattern.
House prices have generally increased during the pandemic. In Birkenhead, last year's average price showed the extent of this rise, with developments in the town and a property boom in Wirral only helping to increase the town's draw.
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