House of Fraser site to host construction compound
Once intended as a new home for Birkenhead Market, Wirral Council has now decided that part of the cleared Grange Road plot will be used to support ongoing regeneration projects.
In a decision notice published this week, the local authority said the compound will be used to support both the Borough Yard (formerly Hind Street) and Waterfront projects. The HoF site measures around 37,660 sq ft.
The notice said that the decision “will yield potential savings across the two schemes through sharing site functions including set-up, offices, fencing, and security.
“Locating the compound at House of Fraser provides good proximity to both project areas, reduced duplication of set-up and welfare infrastructure, a single co-ordinated base for the schemes, improving communication and programme management.
“The House of Fraser land is cleared, level and hoarded, and supported by nearby utilities, subject to statutory approvals. This means minimal preparation time and fewer barriers to occupation.”
Wirral Council bought the site in 2021, intending it as a new home for Birkenhead Market, before that plan was abandoned as the market relocation project became something of a saga.
As the council lined up its big regeneration projects, the appointment of John Sisk & Sons to a pre-construction services agreement for highways and public realm at Birkenhead Waterfront was approved by Wirral’s environment, climate emergency & transport committee in March 2024.
The same firm was signed off by the policy & resources committee for an enabling works package at the Hind Street scheme seven months later.
Hind Street, where the council is partnering with ION Developments and Picture This, was rebranded as Borough Yard last autumn.
As set out in the decision notice, the schemes are funded by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Homes England and the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government.
Wirral said it is currently seeking to satisfy various pre-contract conditions and to enter into construction contracts for the works.
The council said: “While the former House of Fraser site remains strategically important within the Birkenhead town centre regeneration framework, there are currently no confirmed, time-critical proposals that would prevent use until financial year 2029/30.
“An appropriate form of legal agreement will be entered into, reflective of Sisk’s construction programmes, and structured to meet reinstatement expectations and allow the council flexibility with regards to access. Sisk will be liable for any charges that may be incurred whilst site is in temporary use.”
The demolition was such a waste. They could have utilised the previous store for creative / meanwhile uses, something that could have actually driven footfall to the town centre.
By Hamilton
I thought that public money helped to demolish the site for housing? What happened to those plans?
By Anonymous
Borough Yard is a 15 year project to produce 1600 homes, that’s just over 100 homes per year, dynamic or what?
Meanwhile the Birkenhead Waterfront project does little to lift the fortunes of that location as it’s all about landscaping and cycling routes. You’d think the planners might want to take advantage of the Woodside ferry location and build apartments so residents can commute over to Liverpooll in the fresh air, but alas they don’t do much joined up thinking.
By Anonymous