The major development plans also include hotels, health facilities and a new primary school
What the Hind Street development could look like.(Image: Wirral Council/Ion Developments)
Up to 1,600 homes could be built in central Birkenhead transforming a large area of abandoned land between two Merseyrail stations into a brand new community. New public squares, a park, hotels, gyms, a primary school, health facilities, and pubs are all part of the plans.
1,600 homes are planned across 26 hectares of vacant land between Green Lane and Birkenhead Central stations by Ion Developments. The new urban village is one of the biggest proposals put forward by Wirral Council as part of its plans for Birkenhead and is up for approval by councillors next week.
Steve Parry, Ion’s managing director, previously told the LDRS it has “the power to transform the lives” of people in the area “bringing forward a range of new housing and amenities that will reinvigorate this part of Birkenhead and bring it back into positive use for the whole community.” The project has been supported by £51m of public money to help kick start the development.
New offices, workspaces, retail, gym and fitness suites, restaurants, a new primary school, hotels, as well as community spaces have been put forward alongside the new homes. The plans also include new student accommodation as well as a new cycle route, and the south end of the planned Dock Branch park which will eventually run from Green Lane to Wirral Waters.
However, any new homes are still a way off with the first homes pushed back three years in the latest housing update from Wirral Council. The latest update published in December 2024 said the first 120 homes won’t be delivered until 2028, with 1,130 delivered by 2040.
Councillors are also being asked to consider the plans which also include demolishing the two flyovers to the Birkenhead tunnel as well as diverting a sewer underneath the site. The plans look set to be approved with only one neutral comment made about the application following notices and 8,383 flyers sent out to homes in the nearby area.
Visual of what the Hind Street development could look like from above(Image: Ion Developments)
Council officers have recommended the application for approval with 82 conditions attached, as well as referring the application to the UK Government as the plans are a departure from the dated Unitary Development Plan which was adopted by the council in 2000.
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which has given £22.4m to the project so far, said it has concerns about the impact of the flyover removal. The authority said it wanted to be involved in any demolition plans going forward as well as see Hind Street included for plans in a heat network which could reduce energy bills.
The Dock Branch Park is considered key to making Birkenhead a more appealing place to develop as well as providing a key public space and travel route. The plans said the park’s southern end would contain play areas, extensive hard and soft landscaping, seating, artwork, arrival plaza and viewpoints.
How the area outside Birkenhead Central could look in the future(Image: Ion Developments)
To the south of the site, the plan is to build homes between two and seven storeys with some space for retail, restaurants, and work places on the ground floor around play areas with a village square with views towards Hamilton Square and Birkenhead Town Hall. In other parts of the site, buildings will range from three to seven storeys with new shops, bars, and medical services.
To the north of the site, there are plans for a new primary school, a multi-storey car park, student accommodation as well as a potential hotel. Towards Argyle Street, the plan is for new office blocks as well as a mixture of residential apartments, commercial buildings, and hotel provision.
The first phase of development is for everything south of Hind Street to be developed made up of family housing and mid-rise apartment buildings as well as the southern end of the Dock Branch Park. The next phase will be the apartments, commercial units as well as a new primary school and multi-storey car park to the north of Hind Street followed by the plans for hotels, more apartments, and offices to the very north of the site.
Ion Developments are asking for the permission to be granted over 15 years to help them deliver the development in stages. Officers in their report said the urban village would support the local authority’s draft Local Plan and tie into plans to regenerate the area around St Werburgh’s with around 160 homes being affordable.
The plans will be considered by councillors at a special planning meeting on January 16.