“Once in a lifetime” plans and major changes for Birkenhead have taken another step forward.
The council has been developing some major changes for Birkenhead with new cycle lanes and walking paths to support major housing and infrastructure projects.
These include the Wirral Waters developments, the new Dock Branch park along an old train line, as well as developments in the town centre and the waterfront. People in Birkenhead have cautiously welcomed the plans.
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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 though the funding for this does not come out of the council’s budget for services.
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.
The contractor, which would be appointed by the council’s Director of Regeneration and Place David Hughes, will carry out the extensive changes to the town’s streets and waterfront.
The list has been narrowed down to three main contractors who have “the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to carry out the works,” according to a report. These are Galliford Try Limited, John Graham Construction Limited and Josh Sisk and Son Limited.
The report said having one contractor “will enable significant benefits from a cost and efficiencies perspective as well as enabling improved network management and co-ordination which will minimise disruption as much as possible.”
Appointing a contractor will allow the council to move ahead with the plans which is critical as the funding being allocated for Birkenhead town centre needs to be sorted in just over a year.
Councillors also received an update on the failed bid to regenerate Liscard in the latest round of levelling up funding.
Sally Shah, Chief Regeneration Officer, told the council’s Economy, Regeneration and Housing committee they were still waiting for formal feedback from the government but would be putting bids forward in the next round.
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