One building could be sold off in the future as all options are considered
Snowy rooftops and Wallasey Town Hall, Wirral. (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Two Merseyside landmark buildings are set to see a £4.3m investment over the next two years to carry out essential repairs. Wirral Council is currently exploring future options for its town halls in Wallasey and Birkenhead.
The repairs are being carried out as the local authority expects to be responsible for both for at least the next two years. As they are listed buildings, this means the council must make sure they remain in good condition, as they “need to be wind and weathertight”.
Repairs will be carried out to the frames, roofs, external walls, stairs, ramps, windows, and external doors of the buildings. A number of services have also been moved into Wallasey Town Hall.
Wirral Council has been reviewing options for both of the town halls over the last two years, but now a report suggests it could be looking at ways to better use its offices in Birkenhead going forward. While the use of the offices was previously ruled out, a new report said: “The council’s financial position has changed since that decision was taken, and therefore the committee may wish for this option to be explored further.”
If approved by councillors, £1.7m will go to Wallasey while £2.6m will be spent on Birkenhead. Despite not being a public-facing building, the council received more enquiries at the offices on Alice Ker Square than at either town hall.
The report said the council “could seek to release Birkenhead Town Hall onto the open market,” which would likely see it converted for a different purpose. This would be subject to things like planning and finance, and the process would take between one and two years.
While Birkenhead Town Hall is closed due to budget cuts, the report before councillors on July 23 said this was only a short-term option. Officers have told councillors: “The best way to protect any listed asset is to ensure that it has a long-term use and it is operating within an achievable financial envelope.”
Wirral Council said there was interest in using the town hall on Hamilton Square from a number of organisations, including for residential use, using it as a venue, and having the building kept for community use.
A number of options have been put forward for the council to consider by the groups, which include a live music venue, offices, or a wedding venue, though these are just suggestions at this stage.
Regarding the council’s offices in Birkenhead, the council said it was looking at ways to improve the use of the Mallory building as well as get the buildings let out. Currently around 2,200 staff operate from Mallory.
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