Tuesday 22nd November

Our team has recently transformed a shop unit into a key location where people can find out more about the exciting plans for Birkenhead and help shape its future. Birkenhead is going through major transformation with more than £100 million of government funding secured to support it and our pop-up space (‘BirkenEd’s Place’) will be somewhere that people can share views and inform the town’s long-term regeneration.

On the evening of Tuesday 22^nd November, we held our launch event for BirkenEd’s Place, and it was a great success. It was lovely to see so many people attend the event from the council and project design teams as well as local people who popped in for a chat and to find out more. We send our thanks and appreciation to all who attended the evening and massive thanks must go to Cathy Palmer, Luke Bithell, and David Roberts for sharing the vision from day one, and all their colleagues at Wirral Council for making BirkenEd’s Place possible. We look forward to working with OPEN, BDP, Maccreanor Lavington, Mott Macdonald, Planit-IE, and others in the space over the next three months.

Head of Regeneration at Wirral Council, Cathy Palmer, gave an inspiring speech to mark the opening of the space and we enjoyed a film of the site that is going to be developed into Dock Branch Park and Neighborhood. Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Janette Williamson, also delivered a speech on the evening and said: “Birkenhead and the surrounding area is on the cusp of real and important changes which we are determined to make sure benefit as many local people as possible and reflects their hopes and ambitions for their town. The aim is that BirkenEd’s Place will be more than just a space to talk about Birkenhead but will welcome those who want to know more and have their voices heard as we move ahead with ambitious plans for the town. It will also be a place where they can meet with a community group, take part in a craft activity, or simply have a cup of tea and a chat about the town.”

BirkenEd’s Place is a pop-up engagement hub led by PLACED and delivered in partnership with Wirral Council. The space will be open from November until mid-February 2023 and will be an easily accessible location for anyone wanting to find out about the key development and regeneration projects coming forward and share their ideas and views to help shape what happens next. Consultations that will be coming to the shop for people to comment on include Dock Branch Neighbourhood masterplan, and later St Werburgh’s masterplan, and Hind Street. These are based on the Birkenhead 2040 Framework, a twenty-year plan which sets out the most radical proposals for the town since the 1947 Town Plan. We also want BirkenEd’s Place to be a welcoming community space for people to sit, socialise, and enjoy a warm drink or get involved in fun and creative activities. Over the next three months, there will be a range of events happening at the space, from walking tours to family craft activities, along with opportunities to get creative, such as a photography competition.

You can find BirkenEd’s Place at 8-10 Borough Pavement, Grange Precinct, Birkenhead. It is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11-5pm and Saturdays from 11-4pm.