£12m student accommodation scheme on the Wirral gets green light

A scheme to transform a disused council building into a £12m student accommodation complex have been given the go-ahead by Wirral Council’s planning committee.

Liverpool-headquartered developer YPG is to turn the building on the corner of Cleveland Street and Lord Street, adjacent to the grade I-listed Hamilton Square in Birkenhead into a 200-bed facility.

The existing building will be expanded to 70,000 sq ft and be refurbished to feature key amenities, including a gym and laundry facilities. There will also be a communal secret garden and rooftop extension, which will take the complex from two and three storeys to between three and five storeys.

It will support the Marine Education and Training Centre being developed in Wirral as part of the new Mersey Maritime Knowledge Hub, providing high-quality accommodation for its students.

The Knowledge Hub is being developed by Wirral Council in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, Mersey Maritime and Peel Ports. It is set to be a globally-significant location for incubation, teaching and research and development in the sector.

Wirrall Council leader Cllr Phil Davies said: “This is yet more proof that Birkenhead is once again becoming the vibrant, thriving town we all remember.

“We welcome developments such as this and, through the new Growth Company we are well on the road to getting off the ground, it will be the next in a long line of exciting developments which will transform Birkenhead’s economy, creating a high-quality offer for skills, retail and leisure in a prime location on our waterfront.”

Ming Yeung, managing director of YPG, said: “Knowledge-intensive sectors and higher-education establishments are vital regeneration catalysts for both Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region.

“At YPG we’re well versed in providing student accommodation to support these industries. We listen closely to our customers’ feedback, and the green space afforded by the secret garden and the rooftop extension at Hamilton Hub are based on this.”