Outline planning permission granted for New Ferry redevelopment

Devastation caused by the New Ferry explosion

The regeneration of New Ferry, Wirral, has taken a significant step forward with the granting of outline planning consent for a mixture of new residential and retail units to be built on three separate areas of land.

One of those areas earmarked for development is the site of the March 2017 gas explosion on Boundary Road, while another development will be opposite the explosion site where many existing retail and residential buildings were damaged beyond repair in that blast.

The third site incorporates a block of largely derelict and disused retail units along the main New Chester Road, as well as part of a council-owned car park on Woodhead Street that backs onto the explosion site.

In total, across the three sites the proposal is for the building of up to 79 new residential units – a mixture of two- and three-bedroom houses and one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The planning consent also incorporates more than 1,000 square metres of retail floorspace across the sites.

Details of each proposed development are:

Woodhead Street car park and land at New Chester Road
• Up to 15 houses (including eight two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom)
• Up to 30 apartments (including 12 one-bedroom and 18 two-bedroom)
• Retention of 70 public car parking spaces on Woodhead Street car park
• New access point to the site from New Chester Road

Land at Bebington Road
• Development of up to 540sqm retail floorspace
• Up to 23 apartments (including 16 one-bedroom and seven two-bedroom)
• Retention of eight public car parking spaces on Grove Road
• Primary access point to the site from the existing access point off Grove Road

Land at Boundary Lane (explosion site)
• Development of up to 480 sq m retail floorspace
• Up to 11 apartments above (including nine one-bedroom and two two-bedroom)

Wirral Council leader, Cllr Pat Hackett, said: “New Ferry is one of Wirral Council’s major priorities – even more so since that devastating night in March 2017.

“It has been, however, a very complex process to get to the position we are now in, which is a significant milestone for the redevelopment plans.

“Outline planning permission will allow us to present three separate areas of land – including those sites most badly affected by the explosion – to developers and will allow the council to move forward with the acquisition of those properties still in private ownership, by compulsory purchase if necessary.

“We have ambitious plans for the town and I’m pleased that the patience of residents, business owners and visitors to New Ferry will soon be rewarded.”

Groundwork on the sites affected by the explosion has already been taking place to clear and level the land so it can be used by the local community until the built redevelopments begin.

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