Update on Wirral Council housing policy and regeneration projects

The Liscard Regeneration Programme is set to move forward after councillors gave the programme the green light.

At the meeting on Monday January 19 members of Wirral Council’s Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee approved the proposals for the programme allowing the delivery to move ahead.

The proposed regeneration work includes a property and neighbourhood improvement scheme, a procurement process for the appointment of a development partner to deliver housing on Seaview Road car park, plus using the funding to deliver a capital community grant scheme for local people, alongside exploring options to provide a community hub.

The committee was advised that negotiations between two parties regarding the future development of Dominick House are ongoing, but in the event these do not reach an agreeable conclusion, a report will be brought back to a future meeting of the Committee to propose a way forward.

The full report for the Liscard Regeneration Programme can be found at Item 9 on the committee agenda: Agenda for Economy Regeneration & Housing Committee on Monday, 19th January 2026, 6.00 p.m. | Wirral Council. The webcast for this item can also be viewed from here.

Members of the committee were also presented with the new Housing Strategy covering the period 2026 – 2031 which was developed with input from a wide variety of teams within the authority as well as key housing partner agencies. It will now set the strategic context for the council to develop key actions and improve the quality, supply, and affordability of housing in the borough.

More details of this item can be found at item 6 on the agenda here, with the webcast available here.

At the meeting councillors on the committee gave the go-ahead to the proposed revision to the council’s Housing and Regeneration Assistance Policy. This policy allows the provision of assistance, including grants and loans.

The policy update reflects changes in local circumstances, need, service demands and government policy and changes including:

• Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) Top-Up – revised thresholds for financial support where mandatory DFG funding is insufficient, with new conditions including loans, Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) checks, and valuation requirements
• Revised financial thresholds for means testing of Time Critical Adaptations Grant above £30,000 – Rapid help for residents with end-of-life or urgent medical needs to enable safe hospital discharge or to remain at home.

Overall, the proposed changes are intended to expand financial support options, clarify eligibility, introduce new safeguards (IFA/valuations), and add provisions for urgent or complex cases.

Further details of the proposed changes can be found on the meeting agenda at item 7 and the webcast from the meeting is here.

The committee endorsed the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for the Liverpool City Region, prepared by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies are locally led strategies that identify constraints, opportunities and priorities for nature recovery. Wirral Council is one of the “Supporting Authorities” from which final endorsement was being sought by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) before it takes the strategy to its cabinet for final endorsement. More details on it can be found at Item 8 on the committee agenda and the item can be viewed on the webcast here.

The members of the committee also gave council officers the green light to move forward with Egerton Village, the proposed high quality mixed-use commercial development to come forward within the Wirral Waters Regeneration Area.

The committee was advised that the Chief Executive has commissioned an independent report relating to the amended development scheme now proposed by Starship Regeneration Egerton Village Ltd for Egerton Village to ensure the project meets legal requirements and that the planned development.

The committee has authorised the council’s Director of Law and Corporate Service, in consultation with the Chair and Party Spokespersons, move ahead subject to the checks outlined in the report. The full report is available on the agenda at item 10 here. The webcast for this decision is here.