A £130m residential project comprising 500 homes in Wirral Waters that was backed by institutional funding reaches full occupancy. Tony McDonough reports
All 500 homes in the £130m Millers Quay ‘build-to-rent’ development in Wirral Waters are now fully occupied.
Delivered on time and on budget by Peel Waters, in partnership with construction group GRAHAM, funding partner Pension Insurance Corporation, and Wirral Council with support from Homes England, Millers Quay has transformed the local skyline.
2004 saw the first two buildings – Copper Mill and Steam Yard – completed, with all 150 apartments let within just three months.
Now, the final four buildings – Soda Factory, Salt House, Glaze Works and Lime Studio totalling 350 new homes – have all been let just nine months after their completion.
100 of the units classed as ‘affordable’, which means rents of no more than 80% of local market rates. The development incorporates solar power systems, air source heat pumps, and green spaces within the Northbank neighbourhood of Wirral Waters.
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James Whittaker, managing director of Peel Waters, said: “Millers Quay is a real success story for Wirral Waters. It’s been fantastic to see so many people settling into their new homes and enjoying the waterside setting.
“This milestone underlines the huge appetite for high-quality, sustainable homes in the area and is a great example of what brownfield regeneration can achieve.”
Planning permission was also granted for a new Sainsbury’s Local store by Wirral Council earlier this year and is expected to start onsite in early 2026. It will be located at the corner of Dock Road and Duke Street.
During construction of Millers Quay £44m was spent with local supply chain partners and over £1m per month was invested in local labour during construction. The project employed over 1,000 people.
Elliot Lux, build-to-rent asset manager at property agency JLL, added: “We’ve been inundated with enquiries since day one. The level of demand for Millers Quay has been phenomenal – we’ve never seen anything like it.”