Cash-strapped Wirral Council is considering the sale of both Birkenhead and Wallasey town halls, both Grade II-listed, with the cost of repair and upkeep estimated at £35m. Tony McDonough reports
Wirral Council says both Birkenhead and Wallasey town halls could be sold.
This proposal follows a detailed review of the cash-strapped local authority’s assets, the continued rollout of the Corporate Landlord Model (CLM) and development of an action plan to improve the council’s management of its estate.
As part of this the council is set to explore whether there is potential market interest in Birkenhead Town Hall and Wallasey Town Hall and assess the viability of options for the historic buildings.
A report submitted to the Policy and Resources Committee, due to meet on Wednesday March 11, recommends launching a market testing exercise for both town halls as part of a wider review of properties owned by the council.
Located in Hamilton Square, close to the waterfront, Birkenhead Town Hall was designed by local architect Christopher Ellison and opened in 1887. It was the former administrative headquarters of Birkenhead Council and later Wirral Council.
It was later used as a museum until its closure in 2010. The building consisted of a council chamber, offices, with a concert hall and function rooms known as the Assembly Rooms. Its clock tower has four faces and rises more than 200 feet.
Wallasey Town Hall occupies a prominent place on the Mersey waterfront. Following an architectural competition it was designed by Liverpool architects Briggs, Wolstenholme & Thornely. It was completed in 1916 at a cost of £155,000.
It was used by the War Office in its first few years before officially opening as the town hall for the borough of Wallasey in 1920. It was closed for general use in 2020 but continues to host meetings and events.
Wirral Council said this week: “The aim is to better understand the options for the two listed buildings. Any decision on the future for the assets would have to be presented at a future meeting of the committee.”
The report outlines the financial implications of retaining the buildings, which require considerable investment in ongoing maintenance.
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A separate report on CLM describes how responsibility for the management and maintenance of sites is being transferred from individual council departments to become a centralised function of the council.
To fund works required by both town halls the report says borrowing would be necessary. This would cost the council £700,000 a year, over an expected 50-year period, for repaying the principal and interest – and amounting to a total cost of £35m.