Fresh vision for Wirral Waters in the works 15 years after initial approval
Swapping out more than 2,000 homes and a tall building cluster for 460,000 sq ft of storage space at East Float Docks is the first of many changes expected in a revised strategy for the redevelopment of 500 acres of Birkenhead’s dockland by Peel Waters.
Peel Ports has taken control of the East Float Terminal and is planning to invest £10m to deliver 300,000 sq ft of indoor storage space and 160,000 sq ft of outdoor space.
This marks a significant change of course for this section of Wirral Waters; the site was previously earmarked for high-density residential schemes branded Sky City and Vittoria Studios.
Sky City promised a tall building cluster – including an ambition for a striking glass tower – while Vittoria Studios was a plan for 1,800 homes across six blocks ranging from six to 15 storeys. However, this part of the overarching strategy will look very different under the revised Wirral Waters vision.
Peel Ports is planning 460,000 sq ft of modern storage space at East Float Docks. Credit: via Big Partnership
Peel’s decision to take another look at how Wirral Waters will be delivered comes 15 years after plans for the project were first approved.
To date Peel Waters has overseen the delivery of hundreds of homes, including the 500-apartment Millers Quay, and the 25,000 sq ft Hythe office scheme at Wirral Waters.
There are also several notable projects currently progressing through planning including MEA Park, a 171,400 sq ft industrial scheme, and a six-acre David Lloyd leisure complex at Bidston Docks.
However, economic upheaval over recent years has meant progress on delivering the rest of the approved £4.5bn masterplan, which sets out a vision for 13,000 homes overall, has been slower than hoped over the last decade, prompting a rethink.
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While the exact details of the proposed changes to the Wirral Waters vision are unclear, sources with knowledge of it suggest that it reflects a reconfiguration rather than a scaling back of ambitions.
Richard Mawdsley, director of development for Wirral Waters, said: “Responding to changing markets and externalities, this vision reframes Peel’s long-term commitment to Wirral Waters: to deliver a thriving, mixed-use waterfront community that balances homes, jobs, heritage and sustainability. The right thing; in the right place; at the right time.”
Seb Gardiner, managing director of Peel Ports Logistics said: “This investment reflects our commitment to bringing the Eastfloat Terminal back to life – we are both restoring its heritage and transforming it into a vibrant, modern logistics hub.
“The Mersey region is firmly at the heart of UK trade, and restoring Eastfloat will allow us to keep meeting the demands of the most complex and challenging cargo movements.”
