Wirral outlines £25m Town Deal projects for Birkenhead

Funds will be divided up between ten projects, including a transport-based heritage attraction, public realm improvements to Hamilton Square and a wellbeing hub.

Here is the full list of projects to receive funding:

• The Transport Shed: This scheme will create a transport-based visitor attraction that will be run by National Museums Liverpool. It will be located within Dock Branch Park.
• Education Engagement Project: Improvements will be made to seven buildings to create a “hub and spoke network of service delivery bringing together education, advice, guidance, and specialist services,” according to the council. This could include repurposes part of Egerton House to serve as a place for small businesses to incubate. The lead delivery partner will be Wirral Metropolitan College.
• Waterfront Animation and Creativity Project: Money will be invested in Eureka! Science + Discovery, Woodside and Birkenhead Priory. This project also includes public realm improvements to Hamilton Square.
• Sustainability Central: This project focuses on refurbishing, repurposing and retrofitting a building within the Wirral Waters Enterprise Zone, as well as the surrounding outdoor area to create a space that can host events and workshops on sustainability.
• EXPO Village: This project will act as a “three-year ‘laboratory’ for testing homes of the future”, according to the council. It will spotlight innovative ways to construct houses during that time. After those three years, it will be used for open market and affordable housing.
• Wellbeing and Opportunity Hub: Charity Door will provide services to help those in need of mental health and wellbeing support.
• Future Yard Music Skills Venue: Money will be used to finish the second and third phases of the live music venue project, which opened its first phase in autumn 2019. These next phases will create 6,800 sq ft of music-specific project spaces and skills development infrastructure. Future Yard CIC runs the skills venue.
• StartYard: This project focuses on reusing a former industrial garage building, owned by Microzine Creative, to create a creative biosphere in Birkenhead’s Cammell Laird waterfront area.
• The Argyle Street Creative Hub: The scheme is dedicated to acquiring and redeveloping a vacant property into a cultural and community creative space to be operated by Make CIC.

Projects were selected after a public consultation where feedback was gathered about what would improve Birkenhead the most.

With Town Deal funds, more than £50m has been secured for major regeneration projects in Birkenhead. The Future High Streets fund chipped in £24.6m, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority awarded £8.3m and Town Deal accelerator funds contributed £1m.

“There’s real momentum in bringing change to Birkenhead and the work being carried out will not only bring huge transformation through buildings, infrastructure and public spaces but also real improvements to the lives of our residents and businesses,” said Cllr Tony Jones, chair of Wirral Council’s economy, regeneration and development committee.

“This is all happening at the same time as work is set to start on the Central Business District in the town centre through the Wirral Growth Company and we’re already seeing a difference through new and existing creative organisations which we’ve supported.”

The exact amount of money each project will receive is subject to both business case approval and further approval from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

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