Ion fleshes out 1,600-home Wirral plans
The developer’s Hind Street project will see 30 acres of Birkenhead town centre transformed into an urban neighbourhood.
Ion Property Developments and Wirral Council have launched a public consultation on the 1,600-home project, having signed an agreement for the delivery of the scheme last year.
The former industrial site, part of which is owned by Ion and part by the council, is identified in the Wirral Local Plan as the Hind Street Urban Garden Village Masterplan Area.
Under the proposals, the Queensway Tunnel flyovers would be removed and the Borough Road re-engineered in a bid to create an improved gateway to Birkenhead town centre.
Hind Street, designed by BDP, would also include a primary school, offices, shops, cafes and restaurants, healthcare facilities, hotels, and a multi-storey car park and mobility hub.
An area of green space billed as Birkenhead’s High Line and known as Dock Branch South also forms part of the proposals.
The park scheme will bring the disused Dock Branch railway line in Birkenhead to life, with the first phase creating a linear pedestrian- and cycle-friendly park between Tower Road and Argyle Street.
Steve Parry, managing director at Ion, said: “This development has the potential to deliver transformational benefits in Birkenhead and help to regenerate the wider town area.
“With such an aspirational and wide-ranging scheme, it is important that residents and stakeholders have their say”.
The public consultation will run until Tuesday 13 June. A planning application is due to be submitted this summer.
Residents can have their say on the plans by attending drop-in exhibitions at BirkenEd’s Place at 8-12 Borough Pavement, Grange Precinct on Friday 19 May between 12pm – 6pm and Saturday 20 May between 10am – 2pm.
The launch of the Hind Street consultation follows hot on the heels of more positive regeneration news in Wirral, announced earlier this week.
Wirral Council acquired more than 500,000 sq ft of retail space, located on the opposite side of the road from Ion’s scheme, to unlock the next phases of Birkenhead’s regeneration.
Hi PNW, do you know if the consultation proposals are available online? The website just refers to in-person events. Thanks
By Ardy
I think this is a marvelous idea bringing housing back into the centre of town and the idea of creating a urban park with trees is modern thinking let’s support and get it right
By Gordon
Liking the look of this. Since David Hughes’ arrival at the council has anybody else noticed how things are suddenly happening at pace? More of this kind of thing, please.
By Sceptical
The link is in the story to the consultation website https://borough-birkenhead.co.uk/
By Paul Unger
Looks brilliant, and transformational, its the catalyst Birkenhead needs. Lets hope shovels are in the ground asap
By GetItBuilt!
The housing has to be high quality and proper town-house terrace style , no suburban monotony please, we will never achieve Hamilton Square glory but something near it should be the aim.
I think Ion are not familiar with such big developments so hope they are ready for this, they were earmarked for the Liverpool Garden Festival site till fairly recently but are not now involved.
By Anonymous
Fantastic for LCR
By Anonymous
This looks good. Finally bringing life back to city centres especially in the North West
By John
The 26,000 people who have objected to the Leverhulme plans to dig up the countryside will support this – because it is the right thing to do.
By William Hesketh
Sceptical – its worth saying that there are years of foundation work that has been done by Alan Evans, Cathy palmer and the team to get to this point.
By Birkenhead lover
Fantastic scheme. Without doubt this will be a game changer for the viability and vibrancy of Birkenhead. A hugely complex scheme and great to see the real commitment to bring this forward. Just what the town needs.
Here’s the but… we still need housing growth across the whole Borough. Local politic seems to perpetuate a Brownfield / Birkenhead vs the rest of the Borough. We need both. Please have another look at much needed sensible greenbelt release and educate the letter writers (and politicians!) why we need housing growth across the Borough.
There is a real life housing crisis in the ‘posh’ bits too, come see. Housing growth in Birkenhead / East Wirral only will not meet the needs of the Borough.
By Local Boy
Sadly another ill thought idea by Wirral Council. Birkenhead will only ever improve once they reduce the chronic levels of poverty, drug dealing, thefts, uncontrolled gangs terrorising the area – until that’s dealt with it doesn’t matter how many fancy homes are built, it will remain a cesspit.
By Anonymous
Great that Birkenhead gets an uplift, but the rest of wirral needs to do its part too. Landican needs to be a priority target & Irby left alone and again it has to be said Wirral has too many golf courses
By Mark