Go ahead given for waterfront hotel plans

9:26am Thursday 15th May 2008

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Plans for a waterfront hotel on dockland in Seacombe as part of a multi-billion pound regeneration scheme have been unanimously approved by Wirral council.

The four-storey building features 91 rooms and is part of a £12m project that also includes the partial demolition, refurbishment and extension of a Grade II-listed pumphouse in Tower Road to house a restaurant and bar.

The first phase of Peel Holdings' ambitious Wirral Waters scheme to redevelop Birkenhead's dockland it was given the green light at a planning committee meeting on Thursday night, subject to a number of conditions and the findings of a flood assessment report from the Environment Agency.

Committee member Cllr David Elderton said: "I believe that Peel have come up with a wonderful solution. I have seen the work done by Peel on transforming old buildings in Manchester and it looks excellent."

The pumphouse is an historic but derelict listed building opposite Twelve Quays roll-on roll-off ferry terminal.

Peel's scheme involves restoring the building back into good repair together with the development of a new 91-bedroom upper to mid-market hotel next to the main building.

Peel Holdings was behind the construction of Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Manchester's Trafford Centre.

The company has been working closely with conservation officers, planners at Wirral Council and heritage experts to bring the Pump House back to its former glory.

Once complete, the building will also house a new restaurant and bar.

Work on the extensive waterside redevelopment scheme is expected to take 30 years and once finished, it is claimed, will see Birkenhead docks rival international waterfront destinations including Sydney, New York and Shanghai.

It is expected to create more than 27,000 permanent jobs.

Other plans include enhancing areas at Twelve Quays and West Float, building a new retail and leisure centre in Bidston Moss and a new marina.

More than 500 acres of underused land will be redeveloped.

Last week, two 150ft tall quayside cranes were demolished by explosives on land owned by Peel Holdings.