Andrew Gibson House, an Edwardian mansion and former home for retired seafarers close to Wirral waterfront, has been restored and converted into 35 apartments. Tony McDonough reports
Wirral developer Prospect Capital, has completed the sale of all 35 apartments in its £20m waterfront development in Wallasey.
Prospect Capital put forward a plan to restore Andrew Gibson House, an Edwardian mansion and former home for retired seafarers, in 2018, as part of a wider scheme comprising apartments and townhouses.
The much-loved landmark was threatened with demolition after remaining empty for nearly two decades. It was rescued following a campaign by local residents, councillors and conservation groups, including Save Britain’s Heritage.
Prospect worked alongside the former owners and seafarers charity, Nautilus Welfare, and Wirral Council, to deliver the project.
Managing director Craig Blackwell said: “It’s been a difficult task putting together an overall project that saves this important piece of local heritage, provides Nautilus with the accommodation they need for the future, and that is commercially viable and deliverable.
“Thankfully there has been a great deal of goodwill from all sides and it is fantastic that we are now moving to completion on the first and most important phase of the project. Andrew Gibson House is an outstanding and attractive building and I am not surprised that we have already sold every apartment and could have sold them twice over.”
The next phases of the Gibson Park will include a new apartment building purpose-built for Nautilus, and enabling residential development on adjacent land formerly belonging to Wirral Council.
On a visit to the site by Wirral Council Leader, Cllr Janette Williamson and her Liscard Ward colleague, Cllr David Brennan, Craig Blackwell paid tribute to the pivotal role played by local councillors and Wirral in enabling the rescue of Andrew Gibson House.
He added: “Without the energy and impetus from Janette and her colleagues, this building would now have been demolished. It’s only through their practical support through the planning process, and providing scope for the enabling new development, that we have been able to make this project work.”