More than 800 homes are to be built at the Northbank Quarter of the multi-billion pound Wirral Waters and Peel L&P has appointed a contractor to undertake public realm works. Tony McDonough reports
Public realm works at the residential quarter at the multi-billion pound Wirral Waters development is to get under way after a main contractor was appointed.
Eric Wright Civil Engineering (EWCE) will oversee the delivery of the public realm infrastructure for the Northbank neighbourhood of Wirral Waters. The area will see the construction of more than 800 houses and apartments.
The public realm works will support the delivery of the first stages of residential development at the Northbank at East Float, improving connectivity to local bus and rail services and making Northbank “investment ready”. Work will begin later this month.
Wirral Waters owner, Peel L&P, says the works will see the construction of an ‘upper boardwalk’ pedestrian and cycleway link along the northern dock edge of East Float, creating a waterside thoroughfare and providing the public with access to the dock edge for the first time in more than a century.
A series of four contemporary squares are also planned, connecting the Dock Road pedestrian and cycleway public realm works to the dock edge, improving connectivity. Students at the nearby Wirral Met Construction Campus will be given the opportunity to gain first-hand construction knowledge, with visits to the site and workshops with the project contractors.
This is part of Peel L&P’s overall ambition to develop local construction skills and create the workforce of the future at Wirral Waters. Local construction companies will also be given the opportunity to contribute to and deliver parts of the public realm works via the Wirral Construction Forum.
EWCE will also extend a walking and cycling route that marks the boundary of the Northbank neighbourhood. This work will see construction of 590 metres of shared cycleway and footpath next to the A5139 Dock Road between East Float Apartments and Duke Street.
As part of this extension, EWCE will also be undertaking additional landscaping as well as installing boundary fencing, new street lighting columns and digital infrastructure. Richard Mawdsley, director of development at Wirral Waters, said: “Northbank Quarter will be the first residential development at Wirral Waters.
“These public realm works are the first stage in creating a green, walkable, pleasant neighbourhood at the heart of Wirral’s traditional dockland area. So, we are very pleased to have selected EWCE to undertake the public realm works.”
Diane Bourne, managing director of EWCE, added: “We are delighted to be involved in this transformational regeneration project constructing a sustainable transport network and high-quality green environment at Northbank.”