Work has started on the multi-million pound ‘Hythe’ scheme at Wirral Waters, the first speculative office development in Birkenhead for a decade. Tony McDonough reports
Work has started on the first speculative office development in Birkenhead for a decade.
Initially known a No 1 Tower Road South, the Wirral Waters development will now be known as ‘Hythe’. It will offer 25,000 sq ft of grade A flexible office space aimed at local small and medium enterprises.
Developer Peel L&P has secured £8.5m from Merseyside Pension Fund, via CBRE, and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is also investing in the new hub which will be close to the Birkenhead waterfront.
Hythe comes from the old English for a landing place or small harbour for ships or boats. It was chosen to describe this next generation office space, which uses contemporary design to maximise the health and wellbeing of customers, offering a “haven for entrepreneurs”.
Designed by the award-winning Glenn Howells Architects, Hythe is being constructed by GMI Construction with completion expected in late 2021. It has been designed to accommodate the latest innovations in digital connectivity.
The combined authority funding comes via the Strategic Investment Fund to unlock job creation and to promote and accelerate economic growth for the Liverpool City Region. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, said: “We’ve invested in the Wirral Waters site to ensure that we are able to keep offering outstanding facilities and as a catalyst to attract new businesses and jobs to the area.
“Not only will these new facilities be some of the most advanced office space in the region, they will also be some of the greenest and most sustainable. We will continue our investment programme to ensure our region has the best opportunity to emerge from Brexit and COVID to be in the best place possible.”
Located next to the RIBA-Award winning Wirral Met Construction Campus, Hythe is the next development in the growing Four Bridges neighbourhood with the Kingsgate office complex and the proposed £23m Maritime Knowledge Hub all within close proximity.
Longer term, the Four Bridges neighbourhood will also be home to Egerton Village, a hub for retail, amenities and the arts. James Whittaker, executive development Director for Peel L&P, added: “We are very excited to have broken ground on another project at Wirral Waters.
“Hythe will offer companies a sustainable, green, well-connected place to do business, right in the heart of the UK’s biggest and most exciting regeneration project, Wirral Waters.”