First 150 apartments completed at Peel’s £4.5bn Wirral Waters
Eventually, the £130m Millers Quay development will see 500 homes across six buildings sited on the River Mersey’s Left Bank.
It is the largest development so far to be created as part of the £4.5bn Wirral Waters scheme and phase two, another 350 homes, is expected to be completed early next year.
Designed by Glenn Howells Architects and built by construction firm Graham, Millers Quay will offer 100 affordable homes with residents soon set to move into the one- and two-bedroom apartments developed during this first phase.
Millers Quay is a build-to-rent development carried forward by Peel Waters which will be leased to Wirral Council for 50 years before passing into the authority’s ownership.
The designs for the scheme drew inspiration from the colours, metalwork, and warehouses associated with the area’s 19th Century industrial heritage.
Once moved in, residents will be able to enjoy expansive views, south-facing shared spaces, dockside walkways, and access to green spaces and micro parks.
Richard Mawdsley, development director at Wirral Waters, said: “We are very proud to mark this special moment in Wirral Waters’ history with the practical completion of the first phase of this mammoth project.
“Millers Quay is the result of an incredible partnership working between Peel Waters, PIC, Graham, Homes England, Wirral Council, and Wirral Met College, each bringing something very important to the project.
“The impact that this development has had on local construction students and the local community over the last couple of years is truly inspiring and the innovation and skills learned around green methods of construction will benefit many future generations too.
“This great work continues as we look forward to completing phase two early next year.”
James Agar, head of long income at PIC, said: “Millers Quay exemplifies the ideal partnership of a long-term investor, a highly experienced developer, and a forward-thinking local authority working together to generate development of considerable social value.
“As an example, over the course of construction, the average monthly spend on local labour has exceeded £1m per month with 41% of the costs of construction placed with businesses located within a 50-mile radius of Wirral Waters.
“The benefits of cutting the distance goods and contractors need to travel has helped to reduce energy consumption, particularly of fossil fuels.
“This build-to-rent development has been funded through a long-term, regeneration lease structure, which operates like a fully amortising loan, providing funding for Wirral Council, which would not have been available from traditional sources.
“Wirral Council will now lease the buildings for 50 years, with annual rent increases linked to inflation, after which ownership of the building will pass to Wirral Council.”
On the project team for the development are Eden Planning, RPS Group, Re-Form, Jensen Hughes, Curtins, Vectos, and Crookes Walker Consulting.
Peter Reavey, regional director at Graham, said: “Millers Quay exemplifies our commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable homes that positively impact the local community.
“Additionally, the development has supported local businesses and created jobs, demonstrating the positive social impact we aim to achieve through our projects.”
Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paul Stuart, said: “As well as being a colourful and prominent new landmark on Wirral’s skyline, Millers Quay is an important and successful example of the council’s commitment to working with partners in providing new homes while demonstrating our commitment to a pro-growth, brownfield-only local plan.”
To view the plans, search for application reference number NMA/22/01489 on Wirral Council’s planning portal.
Beautiful. Some of this in LW too please
By Anonymous
Alas, the answer to all Wirral’s housing problems. See Local Plan for details. I can’t wait to ship my family over to the other side of the Borough and move in! On a serious note this is a great scheme on a brownfield (albeit employment site) and will provide much needed to new homes. This and similar schemes proposed in and around Birkenhead are fantastic but they are only part of the solution and will only cater for a small part of the Borough housing need. We need more family homes, homes for older people and singles in West Wirral. Roll out the planning changes asap.
By I need a new house
Some of the worst architecture I have seen. The development is brand new and it already looks outdated, cheap and thrown together. So disheartening to think this but on a much bigger scale is what we can expect to see across the river over the next 3 decades.
By Anonymous
Stunning! Great to see something bold and colourful but done well. If only we could have some of this imagination in Manchester!
By Mancunian
These are apartments not “homes”. This will be called a “village” or “community” next. You can fool most folk most of the time, but you …
By Anonymous
These are excellent. Gentle density in action.
By Anonymous
Horrible that they made all these just build to rent. Let ordinary people buy homes and invest in the area. Not a renting roundabout with committed annual inflation increases year on year. Making people come and go.
By Anonymous
I went past there it look great
By Anonymous
Looks better than the rubbish in Salford Keys
By Anonymous
@anonymous 12.53, you can’t be serious? I think they’re a breath of fresh air and very European looking. I’d be very happy if more like this were built on the Liverpool side of the river. The negativity on this website makes me think intercity rivalry plays far too much a role!
By Liverpolitan
Is it going to he affordable rent for hard young working people who cannot afford a mortgage
By Anonymous
This looks great! A lovely bit of colour! I really like this
By Anonymous
Been walking passed these since they started working on them ,, look like lego land very much over priced
By Colin Leyland
Far nicer than the dross in Trafford
By Anonymous
They look like someone painted a few warehouses. Only 100 affordable flats and a tiny two-bed will set you back £1,800 a month. I fear many of the younger generation will end up stuck in a never ending loop of renting and filling the pockets of rich-getting-richer landlords
By Anonymous
A good start but still loads to do, would like to see stuff like this by the Woodside Ferry area, and sooner rather than later.
By Anonymous
I like them and they do look like painted warehouses. The NW is very industrial though… so what?! Manchester could definitely do with splashes of colour. Well done Liverpool.
By Love from Manchester
I would like to see more tea room’s built and office’s
By Mary Woolley