THE developer behind a major Wirral scheme that could deliver over 1,000 homes hopes to start work by spring next year. Grammont Group applied for planning permission to develop Bromborough Wharf near Dock Road South on the Wirral in 2022 for the development of an initial 564 homes. This would be the first stage of long term plans for 1,225 homes to be delivered in the area by 2035 according to a 2023 trajectory of housing for the Wirral.

The developer has previously said the plans will see an investment of £155m into the local economy, provide nearly 200 construction jobs as well as more than 1,000 more widely as well as £1.35m in council tax every year for Wirral Council. It’s also one of the key developments for new housing as part of the local authority’s draft Local Plan, a major policy that is currently under government inspection.

To help kickstart the development, the project had been allocated £4.88m of brownfield land release funding by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. This funding, which comes from the UK Government, helps residential developments begin on land already developed which can be much more costly than building on the greenbelt.

This is because work is often needed to prepare the land for development such as clearing rubbish waste and making sure it is safe. Bromborough Wharf was previously used as an oil refinery and according to documents published in 2023, the scheme may need £29m of public funding to be viable in a worst case scenario.

A July 2023 document published by the combined authority said a final business case for the funding was expected in early 2024. Asked for an update on the scheme, the Combined Authority said it “continues to engage with this project, although it is unlikely to progress sufficiently to access this funding pot. The CA will keep it on a future pipeline request for appropriate funding streams.”

However, a spokesperson for the Grammont Group said: “The application for Bromborough Wharf was submitted in summer 2022 which represents a significant investment into the regeneration of the area through the provision of a range of new homes to meet the housing needs of the local community.

“Following updates to the scheme to reflect the new Local Plan process, the project team is continuing to work with Wirral Council’s officers to finalise some technical points, with the aim of securing a positive determination towards the end of summer 2024.

“Subject to receiving outline consent, a developer partner will be selected who will look to secure full reserved matters approval to support a start on site in Spring 2025.”

The development is one of several projects in Wirral previously allocated the same funding for new housing including the former House of Fraser site in Birkenhead, Woodside, and Moreton. The deadline for the funding to be spent is March 2025.