Developer Ion submits plans to build ‘sustainable urban village’ in Birkenhead including 1,600 homes, a school and more than 600,000 sq ft of commercial space – see latest images. Tony McDonough reports
Developer Ion has submitted a planning application for the creation of a 1,600-home ‘sustainable urban village’ close to Wirral waterfront.
Working in Partnership with Wirral Council, Ion’s plans also include a new primary school and more than 600,000 sq ft of commercial space. On the site of a former gas works and train maintenance depot the scheme will be called Hind Street Urban Garden Village.
In July LBN reported that Wirral Council was to borrow £2.25m for “site investigations” on a 32-acre plot. It will be the biggest regeneration scheme in the town in decades costing hundreds of millions of pounds.
This new residential-led neighbourhood is close to both Birkenhead town centre and the two railway stations – Birkenhead Central and Green Lane.
It will fulfil the council’s long-standing desire to remove the 1960s flyovers that currently act as a visual and physical barrier to the town centre.
Part of the programme includes the introduction of significant green and recreational spaces as well as transforming the former Dock Branch train line into an active travel corridor and leisure route.
Ion was formerly known as Neptune Development and has delivered or played a key role in multiple regeneration projects. These include Queen Square and Liverpool Science Park in Liverpool and the transformation of New Brighton in Wirral.
Steve Parry, managing director of Ion, said: “This new and existing neighbourhood, which includes 1,600 new homes, will enjoy new and more seamless connections within the neighbourhood and to the town centre itself.
“We’re working hard towards a goal of achieving the highest quality green urban village, which we hope will set a standard for innovation, connectivity, and quality of life.”
Ion is working with WSP (planning consultancy, transportation, and environmental assessment), BDP (masterplanning and architecture), Planit.ie (landscape), and Curtins (remediation & engineering).
It is also working in close collaboration with Homes England and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
READ MORE: Birkenhead – the £10bn town
The £2.25m being borrowed by Wirral Council will unlock the process whereby the council can enter a grant funding agreement with Homes England and the Combined Authority. For the first phase of 600 homes it is looking for grant funding of £41m.
That will include £16m from the Combined Authority and £25m from Homes England. In addition the council aims to secure £214m of private sector investment.