More than 1,800 new apartments will be built at Wirral Waters under plans submitted by Peel L&P. Tony McDonough reports
Peel L&P has submitted two planning applications to build 1,815 apartments at Wirral Waters in Birkenhead.
It comes just days after the property firm submitted plans to Wirral Council for a £25m Maritime Knowledge Hub at the £4.5bn regeneration scheme. This latest application replaces plans for 400,000 sq ft of office space at Vittoria Docks.
Called Vittoria Studios, the East Float scheme has two phases comprising six blocks. The highest will rise to 15 storeys and will be the tallest building at Wirral Waters. Apartments will offer a mix of one, two and three bedrooms.
Vittoria Studios West will comprise 891 apartments and 28,000 sq ft of commercial space across three blocks. The larger Vittoria Studios East will see the construction of another three blocks. These will contain 924 flats and 28,000 sq ft of commercial space.
According to the planning documents submitted to Wirral Council, the proposals for office space were revised due to “market pressures”. Wirral Council is already building 150,000 sq ft of office space in Birkenhead town centre. Peel L&P has also completed its own office scheme – Hythe – at Wirral Waters.
The six blocks will range in height from four to 15 storeys. There are existing commercial occupiers at Vittoria Dock. These will be relocated to a new 70,000 sq ft logistics park being built at Wirral Waters.
Over the past year there has been significant progress across the whole multi-billion pound Wirral Waters project. Peel L&P and Wirral Council have secured institutional backing for a £130m project to build 500 new homes. Peel L&P has also delivered the 25,000 sq ft Hythe.
However, a £55m plan to build 351 modular homes has hit a snag. The scheme has already seen the delivery of 30 homes. But in May, Peel L&P’s development partner, House by Urban Splash, collapsed into administration. The future of the project is not yet clear.
Advisors to Peel L&P on the Vittoria Studios scheme are Eden Planning, Re-form Landscape Architecture and HTA Architects.