Next steps for Birkenhead Market proposals
Work on the future of Birkenhead Market is set to take a major step forward next year.
It follows a report outlining potential future options for the Market being presented to councillors at Wirral Council’s Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee (Wednesday December 6).
At the meeting councillors unanimously agreed to press ahead with developing plans for the Market’s transformation.
At this point no decision has been made on the new Market location and a further report will be brought back to the committee in early 2024 for councillors to consider.
The report said the recent proposals for a new Market at the House of Fraser site have been increasing substantially in cost, rising 25% from initial estimates in 2021.
Among the recommendations councillors agreed is for any additional work on the market proposals at the House of Fraser site to be paused. This will be while other options are considered, including the potential relocation to the site on Princes Pavement which is part of the Grange Shopping Centre and owned by Wirral Council, as well as looking at St John’s Pavement site and refurbishment of part of the existing Market site.
It follows meetings with Market traders as well as representatives of the Birkenhead Market Tenants Association, including tours of a possible location, while members of the committee were also invited to a tour of a potential site on Princes Pavement (the former Argos store).
Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paul Stuart, said:
The Market will play a key role in the regeneration of Birkenhead town centre, and we are working with traders, listening to what they and our residents want. The council is looking at the best options to ensure we deliver this.
Our ambitious regeneration plans for Birkenhead and the Left Bank area from New Ferry to Wirral Waters, Seacombe, Liscard and New Brighton will lead to transformational change, bringing employment opportunities and prosperity.
Local people, local businesses and our communities will be at the heart of these plans.
If Birkenhead Market does move it will not be the first time it has changed location – the first market building in Birkenhead in 1835 was initially on the site of what is now Birkenhead Town Hall, before moving in 1845 to Hamilton Street where the University of Chester currently has its Birkenhead centre.
Following major fires in 1969 and 1974 the market was relocated again, this time to its current home in 1977. In 2019, after 15 years of being externally managed, the council brought the market back under local authority management.
The members of the committee agreed the Director of Regeneration and Place should bring forward the outcome of the market feasibility studies to a meeting of Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee in Spring 2024.
