Work on the transformation of a town centre in Wirral to begin in the next few days thanks to £12m of funding that it is hoped will lead to affordablele homes and new public realm. Tony McDonough reports
Contractors will start work in Liscard town centre in the next few days, kickstarting a major regeneration project.
After an initial rejection, Wirral Council successfully secured almost £10.8m of Government Levelling Up funds towards the proposed transformation in 2023. The authority has added a further £1.2m to take the total close to £12m.
It has awarded a contract worth almost £500,000 to Manchester firm J Freeley to knock down the former municipal building at Seaview Road, making way for affordable housing.
These strip out and demolition works are scheduled to begin on April 14. Wirral Council aims to follow this up by bringing forward plans to build affordable housing, make public realm improvements and create improved community facilities.
Wirral’s newly-adopted brownfield-only Local Plan has designated the site as suitable for housing. It is a key part of the wider redevelopment of the Seaview Road Car Park.
Cllr Paul Stuart, leader of Wirral Council, said: “Work starting to prepare this key site for affordable housing is a significant milestone in Liscard’s regeneration, as we progress with the Levelling Up 3 programme.
“Over the coming months, we’ll be working closely with the community as our plans for the town are developed further, helping to build a more resilient, prosperous Liscard and turning the vision we’ve had for some time now into a reality.
“It’s the latest site in Wirral’s ambitious regeneration plan to take a major step forward this year, and demonstrates our continued commitment to deliver on the plans we’ve so diligently developed.”
J Freeley will start with an internal soft strip of the site before demolition starts. Nearby residents are being sent further details on the works directly, and every effort to minimise disturbance will be made, with control measures put into place.
A procurement process for the appointment of a development partner to deliver housing on the site following the clearance works is due to begin shortly.
To progress delivery of the overall scheme, the council appointed Mott MacDonald to draw up RIBA 1 and RIBA 2 design options for the public realm in Liscard Town Centre. Public consultation on the initial designs is expected in spring/summer 2025.
READ MORE: Wirral appoints Birkenhead Market contractor
READ MORE: Proposed Wirral Waters health club will have outdoor pool
In parallel, a strategy is also being developed to improve existing properties within the town centre, which could be supported by the Levelling Up Fund 3 programme.
A number of community partners are involved in the work to re-imagine the town. The Liscard Together Partnership – a town centre partnership focused on community, place and business – was formally launched in June 2024.