PLANS for a multi-million pound housing programme kick-starting residential development on Wirral Waters' dockside regeneration scheme were unanimously backed by councillors today.

'Wirral Waters One' - a £90m scheme for 500 apartments – was considered by the authority's Labour cabinet during a meeting at Wallasey Town Hall this morning.

A joint venture between the council and landowners Peel Holdings, and includes the Legacy Foundation - an investment fund established by former Tranmere Rovers player Aaron Cresswell.

It will see a series of apartment blocks built.

A building adjacent to the junction at Dock Road/Duke Street will also provide services and amenities for local residents.

The Legacy Foundation will provide £100,000 of funding in the first year to be invested in community activities.

Wirral Council leader, Cllr Phil Davies, said: "This major development at Wirral Waters, combined with the exciting plans on Wirral Growth Company, mean over the next 12 months we are going to be seeing huge investment and many new jobs created in our borough.

"This is an exciting proposition which will play a significant part in helping us to deliver the new housing which the area so desperately needs and will also help kick-start even more development on one of the key regeneration sites in Wirral.

Computer-generated artist's impression of 'Wirral Waters One'

"We are seeing huge confidence in Wirral as an area to invest in at the moment.

"Our plans for regeneration throughout the borough are gaining momentum and we will see more exciting news in the coming days and weeks about developments on a number of different sites.

"There is still work to be done to take this project forward but, combined with other developments already progressing at the site, this represents a major breakthrough for Wirral Waters."

The news has been welcomed by Birkenhead MP Frank Field, who said: "An idea bringing the largest programme of new housing to Wirral in living memory, announced today, is the brainchild of Andrew Forsey who is the head of my Parliamentary office.

"Through his work in making contact with footballers interested in making long term investments from their pensions.

"Andrew helped to persuade a crop of current and former Premier League players – including Aaron Cresswell, who was a Tranmere Rovers player and now plays for West Ham – to see whether it would be possible for his investment fund to begin work in Wirral Waters.

"The council is announcing today the successful progress made on those negotiations which will go to cabinet within two weeks to be signed off.

"This is a mega breakthrough not only for Wirral, as it is our biggest housing development undertaken in living memory, but sets an example for other local authorities to follow in attracting finance into their area to such good effect."