Persimmon looks for action at Wirral site

Plans for 124 homes have been lodged by the housebuilder for the former Croda chemicals site in Bromborough.

Persimmon is working with planner NJL Consulting on the proposals, for land north of Marshall Close and Pool Lane, at Bromborough Pool.

The site is effectively the last phase of a development taken forward over the last decade, with housing replacing employment uses following tweaks in local land allocations.

The housebuilder wants to build 124 homes, 20% of which would be classed as affordable, with public open space including an equipped play area and riverside walkway.

Professional advisors on the scheme also include Pegasus, viability assessor Legat Owen, JSP Sustainability, Ascerta, transport advisor Eddisons,  Waterco, PDA Acoustic Consultants and bEk enviro.

Persimoon’s 17-acre site forms part of a 34.5-acre site developed by Price’s Patent Candle Company and more recently occupied by Croda as a chemicals processing facility.

Croda ceased production at the site in 2009, with site owner Dibbin Estates, which remains as co-applicant with Persimmon, putting forward plans for redevelopment in 2011.

Buildings on the site were demolished in 2014, with some preparatory work undertaken the following year. Other parts of the wider site have now been built out, including commercial units, an HGV depot and 169 homes, completed in 2020.

The site concerned is allocated for employment land in the approved outline consent, but Persimmon said that there has been “no realistic or meaningful interest” for that use.

This year, Wirral Council has identified the site as suitable for residential development in its draft local plan.

Persimmon proposes 26 four-bedroom homes, 58 three-bedroom homes, 25 two-bedroom homes and 15 one-bedroom homes. Twenty four homes will be affordable, 60% of them two-bed dwellings and the remainder one-bed.