1. General information
2. Objectives of the intervention
Goals of the intervention
Wirral Waters will transform the derelict docks in Birkenhead into a world class waterfront (25 miles of coastline). Wirral Waters is the largest regeneration project in the UK. It is also set to become the most sustainable. (Ref. 1, 2) Wirral Waters is immediately located within an area of economic need, thereby making the scheme essential to help drive economic growth in East Wirral as well as the City Region. (Ref. 2) The water (blue infrastructure) and landscape (green infrastructure) strategies that underpin the Wirral Waters ‘masterplan’ design are fundamental elements of the design of the project. Wirral Waters seeks to make the most of the water assets of the Docks and the River Mersey – for place making and leisure activity – and also to introduce a very strong landscape approach to what is a harsh, post-industrial environment. (Ref. 1, 2, 5)
Quantitative targets
Transform over 500 acres of derelict docks in Birkenhead into a world class waterfront. (Ref. 1, 2, 10)
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of jobs and homes created. (Ref. 1, 5) ; acres of derelict docks in Birkenhead transformed into a world class waterfront. (Ref. 1, 2, 10)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Please specify "other Type of NBS project"
economic growth: transform over 500 acres of the Birkenhead docklands into an internationally recognisable destination (where e.g. innovation and sustainability will thrive). (Ref. 1, 2).
Implementation activities
Will create a place with over 20 000 permanent jobs and over 14 000 new homes. (Ref. 1, 5)
A tree planting project has already begun. Peel have been working with both the Forestry Commission and Mersey Forest under the ‘Setting the Scene for Growth’ campaign, where funding for trees via BIS is used to help to create jobs and growth. (Ref. 5) The green infrastructure includes creation of a network of attractive, productive greenways and greenspaces, improve health and wellbeing, open up connections to places of work and education, planting of temporary, fast growing coppice or forest trees to produce a biomass crop (in 3-5 years), the objective is to bring about significant improvements to the environmental and visual quality of the docklands, sites may also include food growing and wildflower sowing. (Ref. 5)
A tree planting project has already begun. Peel have been working with both the Forestry Commission and Mersey Forest under the ‘Setting the Scene for Growth’ campaign, where funding for trees via BIS is used to help to create jobs and growth. (Ref. 5) The green infrastructure includes creation of a network of attractive, productive greenways and greenspaces, improve health and wellbeing, open up connections to places of work and education, planting of temporary, fast growing coppice or forest trees to produce a biomass crop (in 3-5 years), the objective is to bring about significant improvements to the environmental and visual quality of the docklands, sites may also include food growing and wildflower sowing. (Ref. 5)
Type of NBS project
3. NBS domains, ES and scale
4. Governance and financing
5. Innovation
Type of innovation
Novelty level of the innovation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
“The project is ‘of scale’ and is visionary – with inspiration coming from the past – John Lairds 19th Century vision for ‘the City of the Future’ located at what is now Birkenhead – and projects from other global port cities: Vancouver, Copenhagen, Rotterdam, Cape Town, Hamburg, Melbourne and Stockholm”. (Ref. 2) Wirral Waters is the largest regeneration project in the UK. It is also set to become the most sustainable. (Ref. 1, 2)
Replicability/Transferability
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
“The firm (Peel Holdings) is also planning a £5.5bn Liverpool Waters scheme on the opposite banks of the Mersey.” (Ref. 4, 6)
