Celebrations have taken place at Wirral Waters yesterday to celebrate the practical completion of the first 150 highly sustainable waterside apartments at Peel Waters’ Millers Quay development.
With extensive views across the water, the £130m cornerstone residential scheme of 500 new homes across six buildings is transforming the Left Bank of the River Mersey and seen as an exemplar in brownfield regeneration.
Millers Quay is the single biggest development to date at Wirral Waters, the largest regeneration project of its kind in the UK. The transformational Millers Quay development will also include 100 affordable new homes and has been commended for the social impact delivered within the local community.
Following completion, residents will shortly move into the one- and two-bedroom apartments within phase one, which includes blocks ‘Copper Mill’ and ‘Steam Yard’. Phase two, the final 350 new homes, within blocks Soda Factory, Salt House, Glaze Works and Lime Studio, are expected to complete early in 2025.
Millers Quay is part of the emerging Northbank neighbourhood at Wirral Waters, where contemporary and sustainable urban living is surrounded by green spaces and dockside walkways.
Representatives gathered yesterday from Peel Waters, its funding partner, Pension Insurance Corporation plc (“PIC”), construction firm GRAHAM, Homes England, Wirral Council, and staff and students from Wirral Met College, who have all been instrumental in the delivery of Millers Quay, to celebrate the practical completion of Millers Quay phase one.
Designed in collaboration with award-winning architects Howells, Millers Quay offers striking architecture, drawing inspiration from the vibrant colours, metalwork, and warehouses that defined the area’s 19th Century industrial heritage.
These waterfront apartments also offer expansive views, south-facing shared spaces, dockside walkways, and access to new green spaces and micro parks, inviting residents to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying urban comforts.
With 100 affordable new homes included, this transformational residential scheme is delivering high levels of sustainability and social impact. Throughout its construction, a wide range of unique learning and employment opportunities have engaged the local community and students at neighbouring Wirral Met College.
Wirral Waters is part of Peel Waters, a UK wide portfolio of vibrant and innovative, waterfront developments, delivering large-scale, sustainable regeneration projects, creating jobs, economic growth, new homes and new public realm across the country.
Richard Mawdsley, Development Director at Wirral Waters, said: “We are very proud to mark this special moment in Wirral Waters’ history with the practical completion of the first phase of this mammoth project. Millers Quay is the result of incredible partnership working between Peel Waters, PIC, GRAHAM, Homes England, Wirral Council and Wirral Met College, each bringing something very important to the project.
“The impact that this development has had on local construction students and the local community over the last couple of years is truly inspiring and the innovation and skills learnt around green methods of construction will benefit many future generations too. This great work continues as we look forward to completing phase two early next year.”
James Agar, Head of Long Income at PIC, said: “Millers Quay exemplifies the ideal partnership of a long-term investor, a highly experienced developer, and a forward-thinking local authority working together to generate a development of considerable social value.
“As an example, over the course of construction the average monthly spend on local labour has exceeded £1 million per month with 41% of the costs of construction placed with businesses located within a 50-mile radius of Wirral Waters. The benefits of cutting the distance goods and contractors need to travel has helped to reducing energy consumption, particularly of fossil fuels.
“This Build-to Rent development has been funded through a long-term, regeneration lease structure, which operates like a fully amortising loan, providing funding for Wirral Council, which would not have been available from traditional sources. Wirral Council will now lease the buildings for 50 years, with annual rent increases linked to inflation, after which ownership of the building will pass to Wirral Council.”
Peter Reavey, Regional Director at GRAHAM, said: “Millers Quay exemplifies our commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable homes that positively impact the local community. We are particularly proud of the unique learning and employment opportunities this project has provided to local construction students, fostering the next generation of skilled professionals. Additionally, the development has supported local businesses and created jobs, demonstrating the positive social impact we aim to achieve through our projects.”
Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paul Stuart, said: “As well as being a colourful and prominent new landmark on Wirral’s skyline, Millers Quay is an important and successful example of the council’s commitment to working with partners in providing new homes while demonstrating our commitment to a pro-growth, brownfield-only local plan.
Including many affordable homes in this development, working with students at Wirral Met College throughout the construction, engaging with the local community, and showing how we attract vital inward investment demonstrate how regeneration can and will deliver for everyone across our borough.”
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