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Plans to turn a former children's soft play area into bedsit flats have been rejected by the council. The application sought to convert the former Clown Around into four separate units. Sadly, the owner of the soft play business previously warned of the closure, following a decline in visitors. The business did close in 2024.
The property is between Beckwith Street and Aspinall Street. As reported by Birkenhead News, the plans would've seen the building's ground floor split into the bedsits, with three accessed from doors on Beckwith Street and a fourth on Aspinall Street.
A council report into the application explains that while the principle of turning the site into residential accommodation is acceptable, several issues led to the refusal.
The report states: "The proposed development would result in inadequate residential accommodation due to the failure of any proposed units to comply with Nationally Described Space Standards."
Officers also found that the proposed four new openings "would result in a development which does not contribute positively to the existing character of the building or the wider street scene".
Further concerns about bin storage were brought up. The report states: "Given the number of units proposed, this could result in at least eight bins having to be stored on the public highway which would have a detrimental impact on the amenity of the street scene."
The property is still vacant, and had been a vehicle repair business prior to being a children's play area.
Planning applications have come and gone for the site. In 2024, a plan submitted to turn it into a convenience store was rejected after nearly 400 locals signed a petition against the proposal. More plans were thrown out years before that, and the building continues to be vacant.
