Woodside in Birkenhead provides a great view of the world famous Liverpool waterfront but ‘transformational’ plans aim to create an impressive vista on the Wirral waterfront and 2,000 new homes. Tony McDonough reports
A “transformational” project to develop the Wirral waterfront from Woodside to Wallasey Town Hall that will create a new vista and around 2,000 new homes.
Wirral Council is set to adopt two masterplans for the waterfront area that will create new places to live as well as a “mixed-use cultural riverside quarter with a range of superb visitor attractions”.
These masterplans envisage a number of taller buildings that would offer a more striking view across the water from Liverpool without having detrimental effects on the existing built environment and heritage.
The promenade at Woodside has become well known as the best place from which to view Liverpool’s world-famous waterfront. Now Wirral has ambitions to create its own vista across the River Mersey.
Boosted by £23m in Government funding, the Woodside masterplan has been drawn up by BDP. It aims to create a “mixed-use cultural riverside quarter with a range of superb visitor attractions”.
And it offers proposals for 1,700 new homes, two hotels, 120,000 sq ft of commercial space and a major tourist and cultural attraction centred around the historic German U-534 submarine next to Woodside Ferry Terminal.
Click here to view the full BDP masterplan
Work on the £9m upgrade of the ferry terminal is already under way. The landing stage and linkspan bridge have been removed after almost 40 years of service. This project is due to complete by summer 2025.
A second masterplan, drawn up by Halsall Lloyd Partnership for the council and Magenta Living, proposes a 368 homes in buildings rising to seven storeys around Wallasey Town Hall.
BDP’s masterplan says: ““Today, the Birkenhead waterfront is uniquely positioned directly overlooking Liverpool city centre with views of the Three Graces, Royal Albert Dock, arena and convention centre and the emerging Liverpool Waters and Bramley-Moore stadium being framed across the River Mersey.
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“This, in turn makes Birkenhead waterfront highly visible from the Liverpool dockside and a significant opportunity to capitalise upon as an attractor with the vent shaft, Town Hall and Hamilton Square being clear landmarks.”
It adds: “There is a clear and acknowledged opportunity for Woodside to provide a transformational impact on Birkenhead’s skyline identity.”