The sale has been agreed for a former library and a former Ministry of Defence site
A former school, a cottage opposite a cemetery, land near Upton, a historic house, and a former laser engineering centre behind a Greggs could all be up for sale soon. Wirral Council is looking to sell more land and buildings following a fire sale in 2023.
The local authority has now sold ten properties including former treasury buildings, a kiosk, a former school site, and a number of other buildings generating £5,562,000 for the local authority. The council has also agreed terms to sell the Bromborough Civic Centre, a former Ministry of Defence site, and two other properties which will generate £7.7m.
These sales would mean more than £13.2m will be generated for the local authority which is more than is needed to pay back a government loan for emergency financial support. However five more properties could be added to the mix according to a Policy and Resources committee report.
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These are the Conway Centre, Conway Street, Birkenhead, Ivy Farm Cottage near Arrowe Park and Landican Cemetery, Pennant House in Bebington village, land near the Upton bypass, and the former Laser Engineering Centre in Birkenhead.
The Conway Centre sits opposite Birkenhead bus station. According to a case study done by ORB Rope Access who removed plants from the building, it was built in 1903 and has been a school, hotel, education centre, offices and a police station.
The Laser Engineering Centre off Campbeltown Road was put up for sale in 2021. The idea was for it to be sold to Quinnovations but they weren’t able to complete the purchase.
As time has passed, the building has been revalued and councillors are being asked to put this forward to Quinnovations again. However if they can’t buy it “in a timely manner” officers are asking to “be authorised to progress a sale on the open market on the best terms possible” at a committee meeting on December 11.
Two properties are also currently on the market including the former Eastham Youth Centre could become new homes. Land off Ditton Lane in Moreton has been described as “residential development opportunity.” The land is “former grazing land which is now characterised by areas of washland, self-seeded grass, shrubs and trees.”
A number of properties are expected to be put up for auction including the former Seacombe library and the Plymyard Cemetery Lodge in Bromborough. The council is also preparing to sell off the Hamilton Building, a former school, though how it will do this hasn’t been decided.
Discussions are ongoing with a local sports club to take over the former Clare Mount Specialist Sports college which the council put up for sale last year. It will also look to sell the Marine Technology Park on Vanguard Way, the Wirral Business Centre on Dock Road, as well as the Coronation Gardens Cafe subject to current leases being sorted.
The council could also look to sell a parcel of land off Old Clatterbridge Road in Bebington for £10,000 below market price. This is because councillors agreed to offer the land to neighbours including Claremont Farm.
It was valued at £45,000 but people living next door could only club together £35,000. Councillors are being recommended to sell it at this price.
The former Bebington Town Hall as well as former Council offices on Seaview Road in Liscard could move forward for development. Councillors are being asked to greenlight a development partner being approved for both sites.
