SENIOR members and officers of Wirral Council are now reviewing the Lairdside Regeneration plan following an announcement by English Partnerships that it has to reduce funding by £2m.

This will have serious implications on the Tranmere Urban Village and Marine Lake plans.

Up to now the regeneration of Birkenhead's Lairdside area has been making steady progress, especially due to the growth of Cammell Laird. There are hopes that ship building may return there. Besides interest in building one of Britain's new generation aircraft carriers, ship-repairers Cammell Laird is reported to be in talks with neighbours Marconi to obtain shipyard space for bigger projects.

The ship-repair company has won major contracts, not least the refurbishment of the semi submersible rig Iolair. It spans numbers 6 and 7 docks and towers above the Birkenhead skyline, higher now than the Golden Towers building in Cleveland Street, which is being demolished..

The official opening of the Laird Foundation building, where 177 apprentices are involved on various training projects, is on March 18.

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