Work starts on business hub at Wirral Waters

The new business hub, named Hythe – after the Old English for ‘a landing place or small harbour for ships or boats’ - is the first speculative office development in Birkenhead for a decade, offering over 25,000 sq ft of flexible, high-quality office space for local businesses.

Developers Peel L&P say that The Hythe name has been chosen to describe this next generation office space, which uses contemporary design to maximise the health and wellbeing of customers, “offering a haven for entrepreneurs in the heart of Wirral Waters”.

Designed by the award-winning Glenn Howells Architects, the No 1 Tower Road South development is being constructed by GMI Construction with completion expected in late 2021.

The business hub has been designed to set new standards in sustainability and will have a BREEAM-Excellent rating, placing it in the top 10% of all buildings for green credentials.

Artist's impression of how The Hythe will look once completed

It has also been designed to accommodate the latest innovations in digital connectivity.

Hythe has been funded by Peel L&P, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) and the Merseyside Pension Fund advised by CBRE’s Investment Advisory team, part of CBRE Capital Advisors.

Councillor Janette Williamson, Leader of Wirral Council, said: “We are delighted to be associated with this innovative project.

“With the building work now underway, it is a clear signal that Wirral is open for business. We can meet the needs of forward-thinking enterprises which are looking for the right location, with the right property and infrastructure, to support their growth and underpin their environmental aspirations.

“Wirral is poised to undergo a considerable regeneration which will bring jobs, homes and leisure to our community and the development of Hythe is a significant step forward to achieving that ambition.”

The LCRCA funding comes via the Strategic Investment Fund to unlock job creation and to promote and accelerate economic growth for the Liverpool City Region.

Commenting on the commencement of construction, Metro Mayor for the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram, said: “We’ve invested in the Wirral Waters site to ensure that we’re able to keep offering outstanding facilities and as a catalyst to attract new businesses and jobs to the area.

“Not only will these new facilities be some of the most advanced office space in the region, they will also be some of the greenest and most sustainable.

“We will continue our investment programme to ensure our region has the best opportunity to emerge from Brexit and COVID to be in the best place possible to resist the economic aftershocks we will undoubtedly have to deal with.”

James Whittaker, Executive Development Director for Peel L&P, said: “We are very excited to have broken ground on another project at Wirral Waters. Hythe will offer companies a sustainable, green, well-connected place to do business, right in the heart of the UK’s biggest and most exciting regeneration project, Wirral Waters.”

Located next to the RIBA-Award winning Wirral Met Construction Campus, Hythe is the next development in the growing Four Bridges neighbourhood with the Kingsgate office complex and the proposed Maritime Knowledge Hub all within close proximity.

Longer term, the Four Bridges neighbourhood will also be home to Egerton Village, a hub for retail, amenities and the arts.

Councillor Pat Cleary, Chair of Merseyside Pension Fund, said: “This is an exciting project, and I am pleased that Merseyside Pension Fund has chosen to invest. This adds to our growing list of projects that support the economy on Merseyside.

"It is especially pleased to see that Hythe incorporates such strong environmental credentials into its design.”

Work on Hythe will run alongside the current streetscaping works on Tower Road South, which are anticipated to complete in March 2021.