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Wirral made it to the current edition of 'Private Eye' in a piece on the disastrous 'Wirral Waters' project. It would appear that no large companies have applied to locate there, and the 'Chinese money' that was supposed to have financed it has turned out to be smoke and mirrors. In other words it is a hopeless flop. I think the only people to move in have proved to be the local FE college. They will, at least have peace and quiet, and plenty of room to expand further.

The 'Eye' publishes a magnificent 'artists impression' of how it was supposed to be which makes Manhattan look like a collection of garden sheds. It is cruelly entitled "How it won't look".

It always seemed bizarrely unrealistic to me that the world's mightiest corporations might suddenly discover the charms of ...er Birkenhead docks, and flood in, competing for the best sites, when they had been notable only for their absence up till then, but what do I know.

The council has form for ridiculous projects however. I might cite the 'Hamilton Quarter' folly which was supposed to regenerate that part of the town. It didn't of course. It remains largely deserted with little traffic and few people about.

And Then there is the 'Birkenhead Column' - a project only marginally less technically plausible than a magic wand, on which about half a million pounds was spent to prove it was a hopeless flop.

Sometimes, you can only shake your head in disbelief!

I feel for the people that bought the flats in the old converted mill with promises of it eventually becoming like the Albert dock. It was never going to happen sandwiched between Seacombe and Birkenhead.

It's good to see Wirral 'on the map' I suppose. As Oscar Wilde observed, "There is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about!"

I wonder what the next wacco scheme to catch the attention of the council will be? Silicon Tranmere perhaps? The Bidston Spaceport (launches twice a week by arrangement with the parish council)? The Trans-Wirral Maglev?

It's no laughing matter! These are JUST the sort of things to appeal to them.

There has been controversy from the word go with this development.
Stella Shui was a bogus player, the council couldn't wait to get over there and put an X on the dotted line, on behalf of building up Mr Whittakers empire. (Foulksy was one of the first to chase over there and then I believe, subsequently had a holiday in Bermuda or Bahamas where Mr Whittaker owns property)

Even the Chinese didn't know of this Stella Shui who I think was supposed to be in minerals.

Peel Holdings bought Cammell Laird in 2007 for the purpose of the development.

Peel Holdings were looking for 'prestigious 'offices in Birkenhead. Where more 'prestigious' that Birkenhead Town Hall which was for some reason closed ?

The developers intended to submit proposals to the Wirral Council by Christmas 2008.[8] This did not happen and on 2 November 2009, the developers stated they would post the application soon.[9] However, they threatened to pull out of the scheme if the Government called a public inquiry into it.

Wirral Met has made it's intentions known for the development of skills towards the Wirral Waters scheme.

The millions that must have been wasted, because the local Council that is made up of mostly 'wannabees' yet again was too trusting and ignorant and wanted themselves to look like top dogs and get the praise. They haven't a clue, and if councils are given more powers, you can bet your bottom dollar, there will be far more cover-ups than what there are at the moment.

Personally, they should all be accountable for every last penny wasted on this venture and Peel holdings should at long last, be told to F off.
The money for development wasn't coming out of his pocket, but he's cost us council tax payers, one heck of a lot. When was Wirral Waters set up ? How much has that cost ?



Must say, I didn't like the plans anyway, far too extravagant for this area and it would have looked like any other port of call throughout the world. Why not a bit of character for once ? I bet the Arabs will move in and get it now, remenicent (sp) of the slaves in Cleopatra.
Be careful what you wish for !!

This is hard to believe when the reporting in such recent weeks/months, includes the following articles.....all very positive.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/wirral-waters

No wonder the CEO has done a runner. The new one is on £40k more than the last one . ha ha, not much is it ?

Three years on and not a penny of investment found other than from public money. Its two years since it started becoming obvious that Stella Shiu was not going to perform. The council keep making announcements but nothing materialises.

Along with the Birkenhead/Wallasey docks, Bidston moss being on hold, so are the Seven Streets and the old River Streets. What Hitler failed to flatten and convert to wasteland, the council have done since.

Cammel Lairds have been making extensive use of the West Float and it must be a great period of uncertainty for them as well.

The A41 industrial corridor seems to have been doing fairly well recently with more investment and fewer closures, I believe Peel Holdings have their fingers in that as well.

To my mind, once it became apparent that Liverpool Waters was on the map, Wirral Waters was going to become a lower priority, especially when the two projects started coming under the same title of Mersey Waters.

Thinking about it, those articles in the link to Liverpool Echo, must have been released by WMBC Press and PR department, therefore our council, yet again, must have been trying to fob us off.
Making press releases like those, should not have been happening when they new things weren't right ! I wonder who passed them ????

Well, I haven't noticed any furious building activity in the Liverpool venture either. Looking across the water, not a brick has been set upon a brick as far as I can see.

Is the Liverpool development in the same straits as the Wirral one I wonder?

I just think it so strange that particularly Manchester, also Leeds, Sheffield just seem to be able to get things right, but Liverpool and Wirral, consistently fail. Whatever happened to the wonderful Liverpool tram venture ? Another failed excursion.

Mind you, once upon a time anyone from Liverpool was unlikely to get employment elsewhere, due to the general militant attitude. Maybe the reputation goes before them ,even now. You can't blame companies for not wishing to enter into a volatile zone.

...and while Birkenhead and the general area are referred to nationally as Liverpool the stigma may well continue.

The problems roll back to post-WW2, while most of the other parts of the country got significant re-building money, Merseyside, despite being one of the hardest hit, didn't get anywhere near its fair share. There are still WW2 bombed out areas around but admittedly these have diminished quite rapidly in recent years.

Liverpool Waters is steaming ahead, investment appears to have been agreed for three of the private developments because detailed planning permission was put in for them last month. A forth development is under way with detailed planning permission expected to be placed in autumn.

Liverpool 2 container depot must be near completion, I've not looked but the pile-driving finished some time ago and I assume the slab laying stage is done. The dock cranes have been bought.

I see in the Globe the council are spending £4.3m on some new lamp posts. Wonder if these will then be kept switched off to save money.

Probably ligting the way to the Golf course.

The pile driving is only about half completed and continues
daily - quite loudly at times.

Cheers Wally1, I used to be able to hear it if I listened carefully and haven't heard it for ages so thought it had finished. Perhaps its just away from shore in deeper water now so it doesn't resonate as much.

They started late 2013 and 345 piles to put in, whole project was supposed to complete before the end of this year, I thought they'd be well ahead on their way by now.

People around Seaforth must be pulling their teeth out if the pile driving has been going on this long.