Wirral rubber stamps £14m Birkenhead Market relocation
A move to the 28,000 sq ft former Argos unit on Princess Pavements was supported by the authority’s regeneration committee last night.
The backing gives Wirral Council the green light to use £14m of regeneration money from the government’s Future High Street Fund to push on with the project.
The next steps will see the council procure a design team, go out to tender for contractors, undertake public consultation, and submit any necessary planning applications, before fitting out and remodelling the premises at The Grange shopping centre.
While the Argos solution was deemed the most viable, it has not proved popular with everyone, particularly some current traders.
Other options had included potential redevelopment of the town’s former House of Fraser site, which has been demolished to make way for future development.
This was previously the council’s preferred option and would have been brought forward by Wirral Growth Company, the council’s JV with Muse.
However, the House of Fraser plan was ultimately discounted as being unaffordable.
After the meeting, a Wirral Council spokesperson said: “More than £13.5m of grant funding will be made available under the resolution to develop the plans and deliver a new market for Birkenhead.
“Feedback from the public and stakeholders will be used to inform the design and concept of the redeveloped market.”
Birkenhead market has a high vacancy rate. This is a factor of retail demand. It suggests to me that there is no need for such a market in Birkenhead. I’m sure the adjoining retailers selling similar goods from premises with higher overheads would agree.
By Wirralian
Don’t see why they have to move from the old market just complete waste of money
By Anonymous
Why don’t ur just build the new markert on the house frazer site then just wasting money on a empty shop wow wbc must like throwing money around also haveing all these meetings they have they say its cost this much wow
By Simon
couldn’t they have put the market in old wilko store plenty of room and also delivery at the back of store did they look at this option
By Anonymous
Another waste of money whoes goes to birkenhead now this is on the same level as the new office building .The council have destroyed birkenhead well done
By Anonymous
I agree with wirralian. The idea of a huge market on house of Frazer site wrong, mainly because people’s choice and lack of market traders. Argos store seems ideal and would give it a local feel.
By Stevio
It’s a shame folk used to travel to Birkenhead market for a day out now ruined because of high rent as will new market.
By Rob Hawley
Birkenhead needs there market put money into old market reduce rents to bring back stall holders feel argos would be to small
By Anonymous