Wirral signs off Lidl and Moreton regen

Cllr Steve Foulkes praised the Wirral Growth Company and Lidl project, stating that it was proof that “we can deliver complex, large regeneration schemes”.

His remarks came in the middle of a Wirral Council’s strategic applications subcommittee meeting yesterday. The application for the redevelopment of the 7.5-acre site in Moreton went on to secure unanimous approval.

Wirral Growth Company, a 50:50 joint venture between Wirral Council and Muse, will now work with its supermarket partner to deliver a 20,000 sq ft discount grocery store off Pasture Road. The Lidl store will be constructed on the site of the former Moreton Youth Club, which will be demolished.

In addition to its 13,500 sq ft sales floor, the Lidl will have a bakery, lobby, storage area, and staff facilities. There will also be 98 car parking spaces, nine parent and child spaces, and nine accessible ones.

The Moreton Library will also receive a nearly 1,000 sq ft extension, which has been designed by architect AHR.

AHR’s designs also include a reconfiguring of the library’s interior to provide more flexible community use spaces, offices, a police office, and meeting rooms. An outdoor activity area is also planned for the library, which would include a small timber summer house.

The hybrid application included outline permission for an extra care development and 45 homes. Credit: via planning documents

The strategic applications committee’s decision also granted outline permission for the building of up to 45 homes and an 80-bed, fully affordable extra-care home. The senior living facility, reserved for those 55 and older, would also have a communal garden and parking.

Outline permission was also secured to demolish the former Moreton Family Centre and replace it with an amenity area. Specifics regarding the type of amenities on offer will be determined at a later date.

In voicing his support for the application, Cllr Foulkes said the project showed that the council was not only focused on Birkenhead.

“This is very much a significant investment through private and public partnership on an area of Wallasey that needs investment,” he said.

Foulkes added later: “Isn’t that regeneration is about? Involving the community, all the partners, and coming out with what seems to be a result that pleases most people.”

When the consultation on the project began last year, developers said the project could complete by mid-2026. Credit: via Active Profile

Barton Willmore, now Stantec, was the planning consultant for the project.

Hannah Walker, associate planning director at Stantec, welcomed the committee’s decision.

“The regeneration of this underutilised site has the potential to deliver real meaningful change to the people of Moreton,” she said. “The proposals will deliver a wide range of public benefits and create an attractive new gateway to Moreton town centre.

“We are delighted that the scheme has reached this important milestone, with the approach to masterplanning and consultation being positively received by members,” she concluded.

Hannans was the sustainability consultant for the scheme and Vectos was the transport consultant.

Other project team members included: ecologist UES, noise consultant AEC, arboricultural expert MDLandscape, and air quality guru SLR.

Curtins was the flood risk consultant for the outline section of the application, while SCP took on the task for the library expansion and Lidl sections. One Design Architects was the sustainability consultant for the Lidl scheme.

Want to learn more about the project? The application’s reference number with Wirral Council is APP/22/01686.