EXCLUSIVE: Wirral Council plans revealed for Neptune to run Birkenhead Market

EXCLUSIVE: Wirral Council plans revealed for Neptune to run Birkenhead Market                                                         While much of the news focus has been on the large petition in opposition to changes to Hamilton Square, a report by Cllr Adrian Jones to a meeting of Wirral’s councillors on Monday evening outlines further detail on Neptune’s plans for Birkenhead. His … Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE: Wirral Council plans revealed for Neptune to run Birkenhead Market”

EXCLUSIVE: Wirral Council plans revealed for Neptune to run Birkenhead Market

                                                       

birkenhead-market-lease-birkenhead-market-limited-wirral-borough-council-plan-number-2-internal-floor-plan-thumbnail-min

While much of the news focus has been on the large petition in opposition to changes to Hamilton Square, a report by Cllr Adrian Jones to a meeting of Wirral’s councillors on Monday evening outlines further detail on Neptune’s plans for Birkenhead.

His report states:

A number of other major developments are ongoing, including:
 
  • Negotiations are ongoing with Neptune Developments for the sale of three sites at Europa Boulevard to provide a replacement swimming pool and fitness suite, Budget Hotel, Food court and Fast Food Drive-through. Allied to this as Phase 2 will be the grant of an intermediate lease of
    Birkenhead Market to Neptune to safeguard its continued operation, with a view to the eventual grant of a restructured lease to facilitate the development of a smaller market which will, in turn, release land for the reconfiguration of The Grange.

  • The proposal to establish the Isle of Mann University ICT Faculty in Birkenhead is still being worked on. This will utilise the Conway Building and Municipal Building in Cleveland Street. Proposed Heads of Term have been prepared in anticipation of confirmation from the University that funding is in place.

In other words, Wirral Council plan to grant Neptune an intermediate lease of Birkenhead Market, then "develop" a smaller market so that some (or all) of where Birkenhead Market is at present can be sold to become part of the Pyramids and Grange Shopping Centre.

There are further details on the rest of Neptune’s plans in a story I wrote earlier this year Will councillors tell the public what Neptune’s plans for Birkenhead Market are?

Will will the promised consultation with the public over Neptune’s plans for Birkenhead Town Centre happen?

Meanwhile across the road from Birkenhead Market, Wirral Council look set to lease the Conway Building to what’s down in the report as the "Isle of Man University", but is more likely to be the Isle of Man College at the University of Chester.

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Why did Wirral Council receive £2 million from an off shore company based in the Isle of Man?

Why did Wirral Council receive £2 million from an off shore company based in the Isle of Man?

Why did Wirral Council receive £2 million from an off shore company based in the Isle of Man?

                                                          

Following on from yesterday’s blog post about how Wirral Council spent £16,412.04 on legal advice for regeneration of Birkenhead Town Centre, you only have to look at the lease for New Brighton’s Marine Point to see why Wirral Council sees these sorts of deals with companies such as Neptune Wirral Limited/Neptune Developments Limited & Neptune Projects Limited as lucrative.

In return for a 250 year lease of New Brighton’s Marine Point between Wirral Council and Neptune Wirral Limited (an offshore company based in the Isle of Man), Wirral Council received a premium of £2 million (plus VAT). In addition to this £2 million Wirral Council also receives 6% of the rents paid by commercial tenants in the Marine Point development as the documents below show.

It’s highly likely that if Neptune’s plan to redevelop Birkenhead Town Centre goes ahead, that there will be some sort of similar lease between Neptune and Wirral Council.

New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd cover page
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd cover page
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral council Neptune Wirral Ltd index page
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral council Neptune Wirral Ltd index page
New Brighton Marine point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd £2 million premium
New Brighton Marine point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd £2 million premium
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd Additional Rent Page 1
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd Additional Rent Page 1
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd Additional Rent Page 2
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd Additional Rent Page 2
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd Additional Rent Page 3
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd Additional Rent Page 3
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd Additional Rent Page 4
New Brighton Marine Point lease Wirral Council Neptune Wirral Ltd Additional Rent Page 4

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EXCLUSIVE: Wirral Council spent £16,412.04 on legal advice for Birkenhead Town Centre regeneration

EXCLUSIVE: Wirral Council spent £16,412.04 on legal advice for Birkenhead Town Centre regeneration

EXCLUSIVE: Wirral Council spent £16,412.04 on legal advice for Birkenhead Town Centre regeneration

                                                 

Indicative illustration of Neptune Development Limited's masterplan for Birkenhead Town Centre
Indicative illustration of Neptune Development Limited’s masterplan for Birkenhead Town Centre

Invoices published below for the first time today show that Wirral Council spent £16,412.04 with Weightmans on legal advice on proposals for redevelopment of Birkenhead Town Centre. Advice was given by Weightmans to Wirral Council on the preferred development agreement (later referred to as a lock out agreement) with developers Neptune Developments Limited.

Wirral Council’s Cabinet agreed last month to consult staff at Europa Pools, which might be relocated as part of the regeneration proposals.

Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £3,328.32 29th July 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £3,328.32 29th July 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £4,482 2nd April 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £4,482 2nd April 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £735.48 30th August 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £735.48 30th August 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £960 8th October 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £960 8th October 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £1929.60 28th June 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £1929.60 28th June 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £4976.64 27th March 2013
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans £4976.64 27th March 2013

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Will councillors tell the public what Neptune's plans for Birkenhead Market are?

Will councillors tell the public what Neptune’s plans for Birkenhead Market are?

Will councillors tell the public what Neptune’s plans for Birkenhead Market are?

                                                 

Indicative illustration of Neptune Development Limited's masterplan for Birkenhead Town Centre
Indicative illustration of Neptune Development Limited’s masterplan for Birkenhead Town Centre

Thursday’s meeting of Wirral Council’s Cabinet had a last-minute item added to its agenda titled “Birkenhead Town Centre – Masterplan Principles”. Neptune Developments Limited (the company behind the New Brighton Marine Point development) have a plan and want Cabinet to approve a consultation on it.

These are the elements of the masterplan:

  • Demolish Europa Pools
  • Build new leisure centre on the car park next to Conway Park train station
  • On the site of what was Europa Pools build a drive through restaurant, public bar/restaurant and seven units (probably cafés and restaurants) plus car parking
  • Reduce the car parking adjacent to Birkenhead Bus Station and put a café there
  • Remodel Birkenhead Bus Station to “remove service vehicles and avoid pedestrian/bus conflicts”
  • Remodel Birkenhead Market Hall
  • Possibly a hotel on the vacant plot on the corner of Conway Street and Europa Boulevard

There’s even a ten page leaflet with glossy photos about the proposals on Wirral Council’s website.

What probably won’t be reported by the rest of the press, as Wirral Council have chosen to keep much of these details out of the public domain is that according to this report (see 2.5) from 2013 Neptune Developments Limited have an interest in one of the pieces of land in Conway Street that would be needed for the scheme.

The report going to Cabinet on Thursday evening also states “No other options have therefore been considered as NDL has already secured an interest in the balance of the land that is needed to deliver the re-provided market.” If Cabinet agree to consult on these plans, Wirral Council will have to seek legal advice that including Europa Pools in the proposals won’t contravene procurement or state aid rules.

At the moment, there is uncertainty as to what the proposals mean for Birkenhead Market and hopefully some light can be shed on this element of the proposals at the Cabinet meeting this Thursday evening.

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