A Merseyside area is set to see a £16m investment as plans go in for major changes that could see hundreds of jobs created.
Peel Waters said they had submitted three planning applications to Wirral Council to move plans forward to regenerate more of the Wirral docks in Birkenhead. Wirral Waters is a long term project to completely transform the area with new jobs and homes.
The applications set out plans for a new 45,000 square foot manufacturing and logistics unit on one plot. There are also plans for infrastructure, an energy sub-station, three new access roads, and other developments.
Overall, Peel said the investment would be around £16m. The site is located near Birkenhead North train station and very close to a site where a new David Lloyds gym is also planned.
Peel said the four plots at what will be called MEA Park West will deliver 171,400 square feet of new employment space. The developer said it will be "an industry-led centre for manufacturing, prototyping, training and digital design, supporting new housing delivery both at Wirral Waters and across the wider region."
According to Peel, interest has already been secured from a range of occupiers. The developer said: "When live, the development is expected to create over 200 new jobs, boost local supply chains, and accelerate the regeneration of the surrounding area."
Richard Mawdsley, Director of Development at Wirral Waters, said: "By creating the infrastructure and high-quality space for a wide range of modern manufacturing and logistics businesses, we can attract new investment, support local supply chains, and deliver hundreds of new jobs for the immediate area. It's another strong signal that Wirral Waters is gathering real momentum."
Wirral Waters is a huge 500 acre site across the Birkenhead docks and is expected to one day "become one of the most exciting regeneration projects in the Ƶ." Peel claims the scheme overall will create 20,000 permanent jobs.
A number of schemes have been delivered such as Redbridge and Miller's Quay. However few updates have been given on developments like Vittoria Studios, which had a planning application for it submitted in 2022.
More recently, David Lloyd Leisure, the largest health, fitness and leisure company in Europe, submitted plans for a new sports centre. If approved, the gym would be located on the site of the former Bidston Dock off Wallasey Bridge road.
Across six acres, people would be able to enjoy three weather-protected tennis courts, heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an indoor and outdoor spa, a sports hall with two indoor courts, a new gym, a children's play area, and a café.
David Lloyd's plans also include six canopy-covered padel courts, which would make it the biggest on Wirral. Padel is a racket sport of Mexican origin that has become popular in recent years.
Peel Waters previously said the new gym would be "a major milestone in the creation of a new leisure focused destination in the Bidston Moss area." Richard Mawdsley, director of development at Wirral Waters, said it was "hugely exciting and a real game-changer."
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