Wirral submits Birkenhead regeneration plan in bid for £45m Town Deal funding

A detailed regeneration plan for Birkenhead has been sent to the Government to bid for £45m from the Town Deal scheme.

By outlining the possible scale of change in a comprehensive Town Deal Investment Plan, Wirral Council is aiming to secure the full £45m by illustrating how Birkenhead’s maritime and entrepreneurial heritage, its position on the left bank of the River Mersey facing the world-famous Liverpool Three Graces, and its determination to innovate, will lay the foundation for a tangible transformation of the area.

If successful, the funding will see a number of flagship projects get the green light to progress, capitalising on synergies which already exist in recent private and public sector schemes such as the Wirral Growth Company town centre development.

This could also bring in a further £54m in match funding from other private and public sector sources.

The impact of the projects will be considerable and will include capital funding investment, covering building and equipment rather than revenue ‘day-to-day’ costs, for new workspaces for business growth and for diverse arts and cultural facilities, as well as education and health and wellbeing infrastructure.

It will also see investment in Birkenhead’s waterfront and the newly-named Dock Branch Park, representing a unique opportunity to change the face of the town centre by turning nearly one km of disused railway into a park and active travel community asset.

The proposals outlined in the investment plan will also complement work to be undertaken in the town centre as a result of the award last month of £25m from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund.

This will include the development of new housing, a modern, purpose-built market and a mix of highways schemes which will make the town centre a much easier place to access.

Birkenhead was invited to apply for the Government’s Town Deal grant last year and to help shape the Town Investment Plan in line with the criteria a Town Deal Board was established in February 2020, representing people who both live and work within the borough.

Since then the board, including MPs, councillors, representatives of local businesses and voluntary and community groups, has been working in partnership to deliver an investment plan that reflects the aspirations of Birkenhead’s local communities.

Following a consultation on the proposals more than 700 separate digital pieces of feedback and comment were received.

Cllr Anita Leech, chair of Wirral Council Economy, Regeneration & Development Committee, said: “A critical part of assuring the success of this Town Deal Investment Plan was having the input of our resident and business communities. We want these ambitious development programmes to be meaningful to local people so they can see their potential to bring about sustainable change which will lead to an improved quality of life for those who live, work and visit this area.”

Chair of the Town Deal board and chief executive of Eureka!Mersey, the new science and discovery centre planned for Seacombe, Leigh-Anne Stradeski, said: “With an impressive foundation on which to build and a Town Investment Plan that draws on the strengths and engagement of local people, we are confident that the time is right for a major investment to enable us to deliver the future that Birkenhead deserves. The plan presents us with an opportunity to move into a new era of prosperity and success which can be shared across all communities.”

Welcomed as evidence of the Government’s confidence in the Birkenhead plan, the council has already been awarded £1m as ‘accelerator’ funding through the Town Deal process to help certain creative and culture projects get under way.

The Government is expected to announce the outcome of the bid to fund the Birkenhead Town Investment Plan this April.