Residents are being invited to get involved in the design of a brand-new, world-class public park that is being created in Birkenhead.
Dock Branch Park will be built on the disused former Dock Branch railway line in Birkenhead. Inspired by The High Line in New York and the Promenade Plantee in Paris, it aims to bring people together and help everyone get closer to heritage and nature. The first phase of the Park will be 800m long, running from Tower Road to Argyle Street.
From 1 September to 29 October, visit https://haveyoursay.wirral.gov.uk/dock-branch-park to get involved in shaping the park. This is an opportunity to put forward views on how Dock Branch Park could support local wildlife, leisure, play, cultural facilities, walking and cycling, and create a safe and appealing space for residents and visitors. Although it is currently known as ‘Dock Branch Park’, residents can share ideas for what the final name could be.
There is also the chance to nominate community groups that might like to get involved in the park by running growing projects or other green initiatives.
Dock Branch Park was previously consulted on in August last year, when it was known as ‘Green Corridor’. Following the feedback from that consultation, the original idea for the former railway line has been revisited. Previous plans to fill in the cutting, bring it up to street level and establish bus lanes alongside cycle paths have been reconsidered to create a new treetop walking and cycling route, exposing the heritage value of the railway cutting and bringing people closer to nature.
The park is one of the key projects outlined within the Birkenhead 2040 Framework which was presented earlier this year and outlines Wirral Council’s ambitious 20-year vision for the town.
Work is expected to start on Dock Branch Park in Autumn 2022 and take two years to complete.
Cllr Tony Jones, Chair of Wirral Council’s Economic, Regeneration and Development Committee said:
“Dock Branch Park is a perfect representation of our overall regeneration plans for Birkenhead. It’s ambitious, it’s transformative, and it’s large scale. The park is an essential part of delivering the vision for Birkenhead and creating an urban ‘garden city’ that our communities are proud of and makes more people want to visit and call Birkenhead ‘home’.
“Rather than designing Dock Branch Park and asking what you think, we want to hear from you now, so you can help shape this once-in-a-generation project right from the start. This project has the power to change the way people move around Birkenhead and think about the town, so please visit Have Your Say before 29 October to share your thoughts.”
The feedback from the consultation will be fed back to the design team who were recently appointed to bring the plans for the park to life. The team is led by global engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald, working with urban designers OPEN, renowned architects BDP, heritage consultancy BBHS and visitor destination experts Event.
The design team has extensive experience working together on complex projects like Dock Branch Park which need to consider how existing structures will affect the development of the park, as well as what it will look like when complete.
Mott MacDonald’s Built Environment Sector Lead, Marc Nadim, commented:
“At Mott MacDonald we strive to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do, and Dock Branch Park makes our purpose real. We are truly invested in this vision for Birkenhead having supported the Council in developing the concept and making the case for Dock Branch Park and we are delighted to take it through the next stages and deliver this important urban development project for the local community.”
