Plans unveiled to build Sainsbury’s Local store at £130m residential development

Plans for a new Sainsbury’s Local store at the £130m Millers Quay development on Wirral Waters, have been submitted to Wirral Council.

The proposed new store would be within walking distance for the growing residential community along Northbank at Wirral Waters. 

If approved, the 4,300 sq ft store will be a purpose-built, stand-alone store located on the corner of Dock Road and Duke Street, on the doorstep of the Millers Quay residential development. The store will include a free cash machine and a collection point for customers to order and collect from Argos, Tu clothing and a Habitat. It will also be accessible from the quayside walkway along Northbank.

In keeping with Wirral Waters’ environmental credentials, plans for the store include a number of high-spec sustainability measures – for example, the store will be powered by 100% renewable electricity and will feature 100% LED lighting throughout. As an extension of the Millers Quay site, the construction of the new store will also engage students from the nearby Wirral Met College in the construction of this important local amenity.

If approved, building work is expected to begin in 2025, with completion expected late 2025/early 2026. 

David Pilbeam, Sainsbury’s Director of Acquisitions, Capital Projects and Engineering, said: “Once open, our investment at Wirral Waters will create jobs and a convenient new place for people to shop locally while putting Sainsbury’s high quality, great value products on their doorstep.”

Richard Mawdsley, Director of Development at Wirral Waters, said: “This new Sainsbury’s store will be a very welcome addition to the regenerated Northbank neighbourhood.

“There will be a large residential community living along Northbank and it is important that we build in walkable, ancillary amenity provision to support this growing community, whilst also encouraging much better connections into those main retail centres at Birkenhead, Liscard and Seacombe.”

He added: “To make this a successful place, this community needs access to a wide range of groceries and convenience foods.

“It is also important that the store – including in its design and construction – brings benefits to the local community, by providing jobs and training opportunities, but also that it meets the high standards of sustainability that we employ across the whole Wirral Waters development.”