Plans to build a multi-storey car park as part of a major regeneration scheme in one part of Wirral have been abandoned, it is understood.
The Wirral Growth Company, a partnership between Wirral Council and Muse Developments, is developing huge proposals for Birkenhead including a new permanent site for the town’s market, hundreds of homes and high quality office space.
Put together, the plans have the potential to transform a town many believe has been left behind for decades.
A proposal to build a multi-storey car park was part of the project, but it is understood that this idea has been ditched.
Posting on Twitter, Cllr Pat Cleary, who represents Birkenhead and Tranmere for the Green Party, said: “Thanks to representations by [Green Party] councillors plans for an ugly, unwanted and environmentally damaging multi-storey car park as part of the ongoing regeneration of Birkenhead town centre have been scrapped.”
Speaking to the ECHO about the decision, Cllr Cleary added: “We don’t want another large car park plonked in the middle of the development when there is so much car parking space around the town centre anyway.
“It’s indicative of how low land value is in Birkenhead that there are so many private and public car parking spaces.
“We can get a much better use of the space [dedicated to car parking] in the town centre, most spaces are empty.”
Given this, he thought that as well as presenting environmental concerns the car park plan would not make businesses sense.
The Green Party councillor continued: “We want things people can visit, access, experience or work in.
“With the changes in the high street we have seen a lot of town centre car parks are under-utilised. As a business case you would really struggle to justify it.”
Wirral Council and Muse Developments were approached for comment.
