Major plans to regenerate Birkenhead being drawn up

MAJOR plans to regenerate one of Wirral’s main shopping areas are being developed, the Daily Post can reveal.

The proposals – which are at an early stage – could involve an “imaginative” scheme to link Birkenhead town centre with Hamilton Square and Woodside, as well as a new use for the town hall.

Cllr Phil Davies, deputy leader of Wirral council and cabinet member for regeneration, said the authority is in contact with potential developers, seeking options for the area which can be brought into effect within the next five years.

He said “imaginative thinking” was required at what is a key time for the borough, ahead of Peel’s proposed £4.5bn Wirral Waters scheme to develop docklands between Birkenhead and Wallasey.

But he added: “We cannot just wait around for the Peel development to come off. The economy is still in a fragile position.

“We really want to try and help Birkenhead town centre. It is a key engine economically for Wirral.

“My view is there are issues about the precinct, the Pyramids and around there – it is looking pretty tired and shabby and I understand [owner] Warner is keen to sell it.

“We need to do something more imaginative with Birkenhead Market, which is a potential draw into Wirral for people, and linking that with Hamilton Square and Woodside.

“I am encouraging officers to talk to developers about that.

“If we get the right package, we could do something meaningful.

“The stakes were raised by Liverpool One. The danger is if we do not move the town centre up a few levels, Wirral people will spend their money elsewhere.

“I want to see something which will attract people from Wirral and beyond.

“What that package will look like I am not too sure yet. We want a clear vision for Birkenhead town centre.

“We also need to do something really imaginative with the town hall. We need something which will draw people.”

Cllr Davies said Birkenhead had been allowed to be overtaken by shopping centres elsewhere.

Recent years have seen plans for the Europa Boulevard area repeatedly fail to come to fruition, although a new Asda supermarket due to open later this year is expected to create 400 new jobs.

He said: “That is the first new development in Birkenhead in years and evidence suggests an operator like that can act as a magnet for other businesses.

“We need to raise our aspirations, rather than just building offices or apartments. We have trod water in Birkenhead for last five or six years.

“There are some really exciting opportunities giving us the chance to bring new life into Birkenhead.

“I am saying to officers ‘this is something we must be doing now’. If we can make this happen within the next three to five years, then hopefully Wirral Waters will be coming on stream by then.

“Birkenhead needs some imaginative thinking to look at what we can do over the next few years to really start to lift that whole area of Wirral – not just with an unconnected development, but with a clear theme or link.

“For me, that is the big prize between now and when the Peel development gets off the ground.

“There are developers out there who would like to have a go and make something happen, and I think there is a consensus across Wirral – it is not party political.”

“If we do nothing, we will see Birkenhead continue to decline.

“Regeneration is not just about buildings, it is about social issues.

“Regeneration has a knock-on effect on other issues the council deals with, such as housing, health, crime and anti-social behaviour.

“If we can address the fact we have a lot of economically inactive people, then other problems we are dealing with will be helped.”

Major plans to regenerate Birkenhea...to-regenerate-birkenhead-being-drawn-up-

Birkenhead can have all the bling and flash it wants, until it gets the car parking charges right then it's dead on it's knees.

Birkenhead does need a massive face-lift. Hamilton Square seems to be wasting away which is a terrible shame. Argyle Street also looks like a wasteland these days. Problem is, where is the money going to come from?

Hamilton Square is a beautiful place and everyday as I walk through it there is always people on the benches drinking super skol. Such a shame

A few years ago they were supposed to be builing a hotel/conference centre one side of Conway Park station on Europa Boulevard and on the other side a Casino and some offices... obviously that idea fell through... I did have the plans somewhere.

Thas' one of the reasons I moved away from Watson Court.

Its not ideal for the tourists who travel across the Mersey - it looks all concrete and unappealing, and you don't know how far it is to the shops for a first time visitor. Not good for a first impression of the Wirral! At least Seacombe has a prom and Guinea Gap baths. Seems that the most important marketing - Accessibility - has not been addressed yet.

If I walked through Birkenhead shopping precinct with a thousand pounds of disposable income in my skyrocket... well I'm struggling now to think of one shop that might sell something I'd want to buy.

The place is a dump, it's the people around the area which need to be sorted. Saying that I'm sure it doesn't help with the police station, courts, job lookers place and probation centre being in the vicinity of Hamilton square.
That's were the skol super drinkers are originating from.

Pykes ?

I know what you mean though, I'm looking at two units down there for different things, let's just say that WBC aren't the most helpful people on the planet. I can see why more businesses go to Liverpool, and hence why more people shop there.

Oh and I have to add, the place would be much more pleasant if some of those services were moved, I know the courts cannot be moved to another area but I'm pretty sure some of the other places could.
That's where the unwanted leeches are spawning from.

If they made the Square a 'no drinking outside' area and actually policed it, that might improve it. I can remember back in the 90s when I worked in Birkenhead they used to hold little lunchtime music sessions in a gazebo in the Square and people would sit around on the grass with their lunches, enjoying it. Those days need to come back.

And yes - £1/hr for parking is barking! That's when there's any parking available at the moment, with the Asda building work... *sigh*

Don't mince words; if you mean dole scroungers & winos, say so.

You find that in Birkenhead, there is little choice, you can buy a decent suit or a Rolex, but go to Liverpool and you have more choice or go to Chester and still even more choice moving on to Manchester and the sky's the limit.

yep thats birkenhead all over, have not been there for a long long time and have no plans on ever going back, the place is very discouraging from the scanks in the precinct to the skol super cider swigging yobs and drug addicts around the surrounding areas as u have pointed out.

I know Birkenhead does need a revamp but Wallasey is much worse as a shopping area.

They need to sort out the main town, I did hear that once Asda opens Netto is getting knocked down the and multi story car park is getting made bigger.

No point though moving everything towards the waterfront when Asda is moving in at the top end of town.

I agree with you there tony!

For years, Birkenhead has relied heavily on the public sector and as we know at the moment there are severe spending cuts going on so there really is very little money available.

I wouldn't attach any relevance to the Wirral Waters scheme at the moment as short to medium term it's going to make no difference. In fact, a lot of our mature wiki members won't even be alive when it's finished.

The last time any money was poured into Birkenhead was 1990's when Europa Boulevard was developed with the cinema etc.

so the question is wheres all the money gone from the 90's to now

It was private money in the 90's albeit with grants.

With competing shopping centres, better transport and empty office buildings, who is bolstering the local economy?