Approval granted for new Sainsbury’s Local at £130m Wirral Waters brownfield site

A new Sainsbury’s Local store will be built at Millers Quay, serving the growing residential community at Wirral Waters.

A planning application was submitted to Wirral Council in September last year, which has now been approved.

The new 4,300 sq ft waterfront store will be built on the corner of Dock Road and Duke Street, next to Peel Waters’ £130m Millers Quay residential development.

This will put the store within walking distance for the growing residential community along Northbank at Wirral Waters. The project will also provide new jobs for the area.

The new store will feature a range of products as well as a free-to-use cash machine and a collection point for customers to order and collect from Argos, Tu clothing and Habitat.

It will also be accessible from the new quayside walkway along Northbank.

The regenerated brownfield residential area includes housing at Millers Quay, East Float Quay, and Redbridge Quay, as well as a growing business community at Wirral Waters.

In keeping with Wirral Waters’ environmental credentials, the store will include a number of sustainability measures. It 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 Wirral Met College in the construction of this important local amenity.

Building work is expected to begin on site this autumn, with completion anticipated early in 2026.

David Pilbeam, Sainsbury’s director of acquisitions, capital projects and engineering, said: “We’d like to thank everyone in the community who has supported us in our plans so far and we look forward to progressing with the new store.”

Richard Mawdsley, director of development at Wirral Waters, said: “We’re very excited to have secured Sainsbury’s who will provide an essential amenity for the new and growing community at Wirral Waters.

“It is important that those choosing to live in this newly regenerated neighbourhood have access to a walkable and high quality convenience store, as well as new jobs and training opportunities.”

He added: “The design and construction of the new store will align with our high standards of sustainability at Wirral Waters, and will involve construction students from Wirral Met College, as they have been throughout the construction of Millers Quay.”

Cllr Tony Jones, chair of Wirral Council’s economy, regeneration and housing committee, said: “This is great news for the residents of Millers Quay who will, I’m sure, welcome having a new store such as this on their doorstep as well as those living nearby, including the residents of the other Wirral Waters developments at the nearby East Float Quay, and Redbridge Quay.

“But more than that it is also another significant boost for the wider confidence in Wirral Waters and this borough’s regeneration programme. Investments such as this play a crucial role in the delivery of people-focused regeneration providing new homes, jobs and the improved prosperity we are determined to bring for the people of Wirral.”