WIRRAL Council's cabinet is to be asked to approve an ambitious £1 billion redevelopment plan for the borough.
The scheme includes revamping Woodside waterfront, Hamilton Square and Birkenhead town centre, along with developments in Moreton, Hoylake, Bromborough and New Brighton.
The plans were first unveiled by council leader Cllr Phil Davies during the MIPIM international property conference in Cannes in March.
Council leader Phil Davies with Paula Basnett during this morning's launch at Woodside
The newly-formed council-led "Wirral Growth Company" will have responsibility for seeking investment to fund the proposals.
Councillor Davies said: “Following the recent successes of Liverpool and Manchester, I am proud to be putting Wirral forward as the next great Northern regeneration opportunity.
“Only a few months ago we went to the world’s largest property and development conference to introduce Wirral to the globe’s biggest investors and developers.
“We shared our vision for £1bn worth of development opportunities, but we also knew we needed to put a modern a modern, commercially viable organisation in place to help us deliver our goal.”
He added: “I’m really excited about this opportunity.
“The Growth Company is the mechanism we are going to use to deliver the vision for regenerating Birkenhead and the whole of Wirral.
“It’s a very innovative idea in which the land and the assets which the council owns is matched with capital, excellence and expertise of the private sector investor.
“I think collectively the opportunities in Wirral are just incredible.
“We are looking at £1bn of development opportunities over a 15-year period and that hopefully will mean hundreds of new jobs, new houses as well as commercial opportunities."
The proposals include:
- A world-class residential, leisure and cultural destination on Woodside waterfront.
- Transformation of Birkenhead town centre with new retail, leisure and civic developments
- Building on the success of New Brighton with more residential and commercial developments
- Revitalising communities such as Moreton, Bebington and Seacombe with a mixture of residential, commercial and leisure projects.
Local architects, developers and urban planners have already contributed ideas as to what Wirral could look like in the future (see images below).
Among the suggestions is the building of a new tower near New Brighton promenade and a new hotel in Hamilton Square.
Artist's impression of possible new-look Tower Gardens, with new tower, in New Brighton (above) and below: Artist's impression of possible redevelopment in Brighton Street, Wallasey and Hamilton Square, Birkenhead
Among the audience of business leaders at today's launch held at Woodside was Paula Basnett, chief executive of Wirral Chamber of Commerce.
She said: "For us as a chamber it’s about supporting those businesses and growing Wirral's economy.
"We have been awarded the business engagement and support contract for Wirral.
"We need top teams and we need development.
"With the Wirral Growth Company we can form that partnership.
"It's a great opportunity for us to support Wirral businesses".
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