Homes England pledges £29m for Birkenhead’s Hind Street
A total of £51m has now been secured for the urban garden village project, which ultimately aims to build more than 1,500 homes, a park, and 600,000 sq ft of commercial space – as well as improvements to transport links.
Homes England has agreed to invest £29m into Wirral Council’s Hind Street Urban Garden Village project. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority had signed off £22m for the scheme last month – a funding amount that had been contingent on Homes England making its own contribution.
Wirral Council’s Hind Street Urban Garden Village would convert 65 acres of a former gas works into a thriving neighbourhood over the next 10 to 15 years.
Ion Property Developments is the developer partner for the project and leading on the enabling works, design of the scheme, and submission of the planning application. BDP is the designer of the masterplan. The project team also includes WSP, Curtins, and Planit.
The £51m from Homes England and LCRCA will go towards infrastructure works on the site to enable the delivery of the first phase of 633 homes. This includes relocating the gas supply in Birkenhead from the Hind Street area and creating Dock Branch Park.
Provided planning permission is secured, this first phase could begin in 2025 and conclude in 2027.
Regarding the funding boost from Homes England and LCRCA, Wirral Council Leader Cllr Paul Stuart said: “I’m pleased our ambitious ideas to transform this key area have this backing, enabling us to get started bringing along new homes, public spaces, and better-connected living for our residents.
“Our regeneration strategy looks beyond changes to the built environment to see that in the long term, when regeneration is people-focussed, it reduces inequalities, creates employment opportunities, and improves the health and wellbeing of those individuals and families who are making their homes and lives in our borough.”
The Hind Street team-up is part of a wider strategic place partnership between Homes England and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. The partnership saw Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and Homes England chief executive Peter Denton sign a memorandum of understanding to work together on long-term strategic placemaking in the region.
“This is really exciting news which marks a significant milestone in our mission to regenerate Birkenhead and the wider Wirral,” said Rotheram.
“Through our strategic place partnership with Homes England, we’re accelerating transformational projects like Hind Street, turning derelict land into vibrant, sustainable communities that our region deserves,” he continued.
“With over 1,500 new homes being built, alongside improved transport links and green spaces, this project will serve as a blueprint for the type of regeneration we want to see across the Liverpool City Region—regeneration that not only delivers homes but creates jobs, boosts local businesses, and builds stronger communities.”
Denton added: “The strategic place partnership model gives us a framework to support local leaders who have a strong vision for housing and regeneration in their area. The Liverpool City Region is undoubtedly an area with huge potential for growth and is somewhere the government has already shown commitment to.
“The funding approved today for Hind Street Urban Village is further evidence of our support for the region and aligns with our mission to work together with the mayor and his team, to develop a pipeline of housing and regeneration development and help the combined authority unlock the region’s full potential.”
That’s a lot of public money so need to see this succeed and enable Birkenhead to be a confident and lively town again.Good quality and inspired design residential property is required that becomes memorable instead of the awful suburban semis that offer nothing aesthetically. 600000 sq ft of commercial is also critical in turning the town into the true Left Bank destination on the River Mersey.
By Anonymous
Brilliant news and well done to all concerned at Wirral, Ion, Homes England and the Combined Authority.
By Anonymous
This is where the goverment need to focus buiding new homes and increasing density, bringing derelict areas back into use, creating vibrant, thriving communities. Close to existing public transport links and employment poortunities. Exciting for the Wirral!! Long overdue.
By Anonymous
Soon the Woodside Ferry Terminal will be back in use, and along with the refurbished Seacombe terminal should be the other areas of Birkenhead where high density housing should be focused, then commuting to and from Liverpool should be the norm in a newly vibrant Birkenhead. There are many pieces in this jigsaw but once underway the completed exercise could be a surprisingly successful outcome.
By Anonymous