A BID to see tens of millions of pounds poured into Liverpool to provide an "iconic" new building at the city's waterfront has raised eyebrows in Wirral.

The proposed landmark - described in the Liverpool Echo as "an opera house of the north"-  is reported to be included in a formal request to Government seeking to win Merseyside a place in the "Northern Powerhouse." 

The structure would complement the Wirral Waters project and act as a "cultural hub," said the newspaper after plans were leaked to a reporter.

The leader of Wirral Conservative group Cllr Jeff Green has expressed serious doubts over its worth.

He told the Globe: "My commitment to regional devolution centres around economic regeneration and creating prosperity for the people of Wirral - not lavishing tax-payer funds on what looks to me like another Liverpool-based vanity project.

"What the Northern Powerhouse negotiations should be focusing on is bringing resources currently sent from Whitehall to Merseyside into local control so we can determine how they are used.

"It would be far better to direct any extra cash into supporting the cultural resources we already have in Merseyside."

However, chairman of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cllr Phil Davies said he was mystified by today's reports.

He denied the "opera house" had formed any part of the region's devolution document.

Councillor Davies, who is also leader of Wirral Council, said: "I can state categorically that it has played no part in our devolution bid.

"Liverpool City Council might be pursuing this separately - but it is certainly not part of our discussions."

It would not be the first time a multi-million pound "iconic" building has been advanced as an option for Liverpool's waterfront - and there is an unfortunate history of things going terribly wrong.

Back in 2004, a design by architect Will Alsop to create a "Fourth Grace" at the Pier Head won approval from city leaders.

Wirral Globe:

Artist's impression of how the Cloud would have looked

The building was to be constructed next to the city's Three Graces - including the Liver building - in time for Liverpool's year as European capital of culture in 2008.

Alsop said his ten-storey "Cloud" captured the spirit of the original Graces and would sit "very well alongside them."

But the Cloud proved to be highly-controversial and was eventually scrapped due to rising costs, design changes and potential planning problems.

The cancellation caused acrimony especially as the first the architect knew of it, he said, was when he read a press release.

Alsop said at the time: "I think it is really shabby behaviour."