A huge project to turn a disused Birkenhead train line into a green space which could transform the town is underway.
Work to clear the tracks of debris and overgrown vegetation has begun and is expected to take about two weeks, although the overall project is not expected to be completed until the end of 2024. Once finished, the Dock Branch Park plan will see up to 1,000 homes built, as well as a park measuring more than a kilometre in length on land which has become a popular spot for fly-tipping over the years.
The ECHO was given rare access to the site this week and major insight into what residents can expect to see from some of those at the heart of the project. It is just one part of major plans to regenerate Birkenhead, which also include a new market, new office space, many new leisure facilities and thousands of homes, but the park could play a key part in tying all of these plans together.
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Alan Evans, Wirral Council’s director of regeneration, said: “This piece of green infrastructure will drive value and make the area look much nicer. There are plans for up to 1,000 homes as part of this project. We know there is not enough residential space in Birkenhead.
“This new green space will help us deliver high quality developments, some of it will be higher density and not every person will be able to have a garden but this park will provide a green space that people can look out onto and access.” This would represent a dramatic change for Birkenhead town centre.
Mr Evans said: “The Dock Branch line has not been used since the 1960s and it’s fallen into disrepair over decades. Birkenhead Park was created to deal with early stage deprivation 175 years ago.
“We want to create something here for the next three, four or five generations, a people’s park like Birkenhead Park, something for the town to cherish.” Mr Evans expects Dock Branch Park to be completed by the end of 2024 and believes it could have an important role in tackling climate change locally.
He added: “The park will connect Wirral Waters to the town centre and Hind Street. At the moment people have to zig zag through the high street to get there, but if they have got a pleasant direct route to walk or cycle through they will use it and they won’t drive.”
In total, the Dock Branch Park plan, which will be accompanied by a ‘Transport Shed’ which will acknowledge the area’s long history in the industry, is set to cost around £18m. But this will not come out of Wirral Council’s funds, which will come as a relief to residents given the authority is currently withdrawing money from services such as Woodchurch Leisure Centre and nine public libraries.
Instead, the project will be financed by a central government scheme called the Town Deal and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Looking at other aspects of the project, Mr Evans said: “We’re looking to bring back some of the architecture and heritage on this site and lose as little as possible. We also will make sure to not lose biodiversity in Dock Branch Park.”
One issue facing the council is how the park will be managed once it opens to the public. On this, Mr Evans was clear that it will be lit up at night and the council will put work in to make sure it does not become a place for anti-social behaviour.
Mr Evans added: “We are looking at stewardship of the park. The public sector doesn’t have to do everything and Birkenhead has a great third (voluntary) sector.
“If people have buy-in they don’t wreck things. If you look at Wirral Met College, young people had a role in creating it and you don’t see graffiti there.”
The regeneration director also wanted to ensure Dock Branch Park was connected to Future Yard, a live music venue, cafe, bar and arts space. On this, Mr Evans said: “We want Birkenhead to be known for music again and we think Future Yard is a big part of the future.
“We want to have steps or a ramp so that people can easily move between Future Yard and the park.” Matthew Edwards, senior project manager at construction consultancy Walker Sime, described Dock Branch Park as a “catalyst for everything else in Birkenhead”.
Like Mr Evans, he also thought getting the local community involved was key to the project’s success. Mr Edwards said: “We want to get school children involved and we’re also looking at having allotments as part of this project.
“We need community buy-in, people need to feel as if they have a stake in the park.”
