Property: Millers Quay; Wirral Local Plan; Eccles Shopping Centre; Miller Homes; No.1 Spinningfields; Northern Housing Consortium; Seddon
The Millers Quay residential development at Wirral Waters is now complete, transforming the Wirral skyline, delivering 500 new homes for local residents, and providing a boost to the local economy.
The transformative project has been delivered on time and on budget by Peel Waters, the developer of Millers Quay, in partnership with construction group Graham, funding partner Pension Insurance Corporation, and Wirral Council, with support from Homes England.
Representatives from each of the partners, in addition to local MP Dame Angela Eagle, gathered last Friday to officially mark and celebrate the completion of this landmark development, which also includes 100 affordable new homes.
With the bold design and extensive views across the water, combined with sustainability and energy efficiency credentials including solar power systems and air source heat pumps, the £130m development has already received an extremely high volume of enquiries and viewings.
Last summer, the first two blocks of Millers Quay – Copper Mill and Steam Yard – were completed. These 150 one- and two-bedroom apartments were all let within three months. Now, the final 350 new homes within four blocks – Soda Factory, Salt House, Glaze Works and Lime Studio – are also complete bringing the construction of Millers Quay to an end. Letting agent, JLL, has received thousands of enquiries and requests to view, largely from the local areas across Liverpool and Wirral.
Richard Mawdsley, development director at Wirral Waters, said: “The construction of Millers Quay has been driven by a really solid collaboration, with each partner instrumental in its delivery.”
Jess Adams, senior investment manager at PIC, said: “We are incredibly proud to mark the completion of this transformative project, which signals the beginning of a new era for an area that was once considered unsuitable for housing.”
Cllr Paul Stuart, leader of Wirral Council, said: “Seeing Miller’s Quay come to completion is a pivotal moment for Wirral’s regeneration, and showcases what can be done when partners come together to bring forward innovative developments that have the community at their heart.”
Peter Reavey, regional director at Graham, said: “The completion of Millers Quay is a proud moment for everyone involved.”
Dame Angela Eagle, said: “This transformative project not only provides much needed homes but also plays a crucial role in revitalising our local economy. It stands as a powerful example of the success that can be achieved through public-private partnerships.”
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Wirral councillors have voted to formally adopt its brownfield-only Local Plan, making it what is believed to be the country’s first to focus on previously developed land.
A culmination of more than six years’ work, the new Local Plan is now the official policy for development across the borough for the next 15 years, until 2040.
It will support and guide Wirral’s bold and ambitious regeneration plans, outlining where new homes and employment sites can be delivered, as well as the additional infrastructure required to boost economic growth and improve quality of life for Wirral’s residents.
Cllr Paul Stuart, leader of Wirral Council, said: “The formal adoption of our Local Plan is a pivotal moment for Wirral. It is the result of many years of hard work to create a robust plan that delivers on our vision for the future of our fantastic borough, and to create a sustainable, inclusive, prosperous place to live, work and visit.
“This plan allows us to build more than new homes, it allows us to grow opportunity and build a brighter future for every resident of Wirral.
“Work is already under way to make that vision a reality, as we make progress across our catalyst sites at Hind Street, Woodside Waterfront, Birkenhead Town Centre and Wirral Waters.”
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L-R: Mike Dowling and Mark Riley (Connell Bros), Cllr Mike McCusker, Mark Coy (Identity Consult)
Work has begun to demolish Eccles Shopping Centre, car park and Eccles Market Hall as part of regeneration plans to revitalise the town centre.
Initial demolition is focused on these areas as part of phased work that will ultimately result in the development of a modern, vibrant and fit-for-purpose town centre.
Cllr Mike McCusker, lead member for planning, transport and sustainable development at Salford City Council and Eccles Ward councillor, said: “Through our purchase of the shopping centre, we were able to put the future of the town centre in the hands of the council and the community. It has enabled us to begin this important and long overdue programme of work, to deliver the vision we have developed with the community.
“Whilst we work on the town centre of the future, today’s town centre remains open for business. I want to stress that this demolition work only affects certain parts of the town centre. The shops and businesses on Church Street are still open for business and unaffected by this work.”
This work is the first key phase of a long term plan by Salford City Council to deliver a new shared vision for the future of the town centre, which has seen dwindling footfall in recent years.
The plan, once demolition work is completed, will be to present a blank canvas to potential development partners. Then the council can work to secure a development partner to help deliver the long term shared vision for the town centre.
The demolition work is being carried out by Salford-based Connell Brothers demolition contractors and is expected to be completed before the end of the year. Construction consultancy, Identity Consult, has been development managing the project on behalf of Salford City Council.
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Thorley Glade plans
Miller Homes has secured full planning approval for its new residential development, Thorley Glade, Timperley, Greater Manchester.
With designs and plans now finalised, work is set to commence on the 76-home development, which will offer a mix of private and affordable homes tailored to meet the needs of the local community.
Of the 76 homes planned for the Timperley development, 34 will be designated as affordable housing to help meet local demand. Guide prices for private plots will start from £624,995, with a selection of three to five-bedroom homes designed for modern family living.
Clare Noakes, sales director for Miller Homes North West, said: “Securing planning approval for Thorley Glade is a key milestone for Miller Homes as we expand our presence in Greater Manchester.
“This development will not only provide high quality, energy-efficient homes, but also deliver significant benefits to the local community through infrastructure investment and affordable housing provision.”
Thorley Glade has strong transport links, including the Metrolink providing access into Manchester city centre within 30 minutes, and commutable distances to other major cities including Liverpool. The first release of homes is expected to go on sale in spring 2025, with selected properties ready to move into before the end of the year.
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No.1 Spinningfields
Schroders Capital, the $99.3bn private markets business of Schroders, has announced that No.1 Spinningfields, one of Manchester’s most iconic commercial buildings, is celebrating its achievement of a 4.5-star NABERS UK Energy rating.
NABERS UK is a globally recognised and trusted rating system that evaluates the energy efficiency and sustainability of office buildings, setting the standard for excellence in commercial real estate across the UK.
No. 1 Spinningfields has achieved a 4.5 star ‘base building certified performance’ rating. It is currently the only building in Manchester with a 4.5-star rating within this category and the highest rated ‘base building certified performance’ in the UK.
Over the past 12 months, Schroders Capital’s real estate team, supported by property manager Form and sustainability consultancy SWECO, has worked to reduce the building’s energy consumption. Efforts resulted in a 35% reduction in gas usage and an 11% reduction in electricity consumption, achieving the 4.5-star milestone 12 months ahead of schedule.
Rob Prescott, asset manager at Schroders Capital, said: “No.1 Spinningfields’ 4.5-star rating reflects operational results, solidifying the building’s strong sustainability positioning and underscoring our commitment to innovation.”
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Northern Housing Monitor launch
A new state of the region report from the Northern Housing Consortium has been launched in parliament. It revealed the urgent need for more social housing in the North West.
It found that there are more than 207,000 households on social housing waiting lists in the region. In the North West 8,040 households are living in temporary accommodation including 10,050 children.
Six hundred thousand social rent homes in the North have been sold though Right to Buy and only one in seven have been replaced. This contributes to a lack of social housing, increasing homelessness and people in the lowest income group being forced to rent in the private sector where rents are higher and quality is lower.
More than 26% of households renting privately in the North West fall into the lowest income bracket and 37% of children in the North West live in households that are pushed into poverty after housing costs.
The Government has committed to the “biggest growth in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation” with an ambitious target of building 1.5 million homes – 370,000 homes per year. This has subsequently seen housebuilding targets increase by 52% in the North.
However, the previous government’s targets were exceeded in the North, so to hit the new targets the delivery of new homes in the North needs to increase by 27%.
The report revealed that as well as a need for more social housing, there is the twin challenge of a need to regenerate our communities with around 27% of private rented homes in the North West not meeting current Decent Homes standards.
Tracy Harrison, chief executive, Northern Housing Consortium, said: “Housing waiting lists are increasing, the number of people forced into expensive and unsuitable temporary accommodation is skyrocketing – 1.8m people, one in four North West residents, are pushed into poverty after housing costs, demonstrating the urgent need for more social housing.
“Housing associations and councils are ready to deliver the homes their communities need and to contribute to government housebuilding targets and economic growth, but to do this they need the right resources.
“The Government recently announced a £2bn top up of the Affordable Homes Programme, something we’d been campaigning for to enable our members to continue building.
“However, to make a real change, longer term funding is needed to build more homes and improve existing homes and places.”
She added: “Lower land values make building in the North more affordable. We are leading the way with devolution, which means in many areas there is already the infrastructure and collaboration in place to better target funding.
“It is vital that action is taken urgently to make sure that everyone in the North has access to a good quality, safe home. I’m optimistic that with the right support from government, the social housing sector in the North can make a real difference.”
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Work starts at Darwen Youth Centre
Work to demolish the existing Darwen Youth Centre building to pave the way for a multimillion-pound transformation is now under way.
The scheme, which is being delivered by Bolton-based contractor Seddon, will see the new young people’s hub on Gary Aspden Way double in size, adding a brand-new first floor.
Once completed the centre will boast a new creative workshop space, a recording and DJ studio, a gaming zone and multi-use spaces, as well as upgraded outdoor sports facilities. These amenities are expected to bring significant value to the local community, providing safe and interactive spaces for the youth of Darwen.
Darwen Youth Centre is one of five schemes across the borough to benefit from more than £8m of new funding secured by Blackburn with Darwen Council through the Government’s Youth Investment Fund, with further investment committed by the local authority, too.
Cllr Julie Gunn, deputy leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and executive member for children, young people and education, said: “Our teams worked incredibly hard to secure the new funding from government and it’s a fantastic opportunity to double the size of the youth centre with extra investment committed by the council, too.”
Seddon has already been on site to clear and secure the site in anticipation of the demolition of the building. This is the first major development project that the construction company has undertaken in the town.
Pete McKinley, commercial director at Seddon Property Services, said: “The scheme has been a dream of the council for a long time and we’re proud to be helping them transform the site at the heart of Darwen town centre.”
