Table of Contents
Councillors are being asked to approve a £36.5 million contract to start the groundwork for the Borough Yard development in Birkenhead.
Borough Yard, previously known as Hind Street Urban Village, is planned to bring around 1,600 new homes to derelict land near the town centre over the next 10 to 15 years, along with green spaces, walking and cycling routes and commercial units.
The homes are described as low-carbon. The development is also described as a 32-acre urban village.
A report to Wirral Council's Policy and Resources Committee on Wednesday 18 November recommends appointing John Sisk & Son Ltd to carry out the primary enabling works for £36.511m.
The committee is also asked to approve a development management agreement with Ion Property Developments Ltd, worth an estimated £2.86m, and up to £13.7m for a United Utilities flood tank and drainage needed for the site.
The council secured £52.1m from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Homes England in 2024 for the first phase.
Planning permission was granted in October 2025, with full consent for the enabling works and removal of the flyovers, and outline consent for the homes. Some pre-commencement conditions still need to be met.
The report says not going ahead could put the funding at risk, including £2.6m already drawn down from Homes England.
A separate report to the same meeting says Dock Branch North, the plan to turn the disused railway between Hind Street and Wirral Waters into a park and active travel route, is not feasible during 2027 to 2032 because more bridge and structural surveys are needed.
The council proposes moving the £29m earmarked for it to other Birkenhead projects, including the Kings Square Link, Dock Branch South and the United Utilities works, with around £10.4m still to be allocated.
In August we reported that the council was finalising grant funding for Dock Branch Park.
The committee meets at Wallasey Town Hall at 6pm on 18 November.
