Below: The towers at East Float are way behind the river front with the water passage to Egerton and Morpeth Docks sealed up in this new proposal. On the river front from left to right, Morpeth Dock with Egerton behind, the filled in Wallasey Dock with the ro-ro berth in front and Alfred Dock with the river locks.

It appears Peel Holdings have integrated a land by stealth strategy into this bold proposal, as was the Canal Link at Liverpool Docks attempting to fill in West Waterloo Dock.

Oddly, there are no developments on the river frontage, with all developments centred around East Float and Vittoria Dock further inland. Even more oddly, there is no water passage to river fronting Egerton and Morpeth Docks from East Float. Alfred Dock incorporates the river lock and the whole dock is used as a large lock for long ships. Wallasey Dock was filled in to use as a car park for cars using the Twelve-Quays ro-ro ferry berthing in the tidal river.

A ro-ro ferry terminal is to be built at Langton Dock wall  at Liverpool, opposite the current ro-ro terminal.

When the Twelve-Quays ferry moves back to Liverpool this leaves three wet docks of Egerton, Morpeth and Alfred docks and the infilled Wallasey Dock. Do not be surprised if after the first few towers are built at East Float, a proposal is submitted to fill in Egerton and, Morpeth Docks and most of Alfred dock, leaving only a long river lock, generating a large mass of valuable river fronting land. These quays should remain and used to build around enhancing the East Float development, not filled in to  make millions for developers. Developers regard the docks and waterspaces as a building land bank.


Below: Birkenhead Docks looking west with the River Mersey to the right and Liverpool Bay in the background. The Wirral Waters development will be mainly around East Float and Vittoria Dock. Vittoria Dock is the dock with the cream coloured roofed sheds, with water either side of the sheds.



Below: Birkenhead Docks looking towards Liverpool across the river. Note the green patch at the near end of the docks where Bidston Dock was recently filled in.



Below: Plan of the proposal. Vittoria Dock is number 06 on the map.

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Peel Holdings, announced on 6th September 2006 a bold scheme, breathtaking in scale, titled Wirral Waters, to transform Birkenhead Docks into a mini Manhattan. Birkenhead Docks are different to Liverpool docks in not following the line of the riverbank. With a small river frontage, the docks move inland for many miles forming the border between Birkenhead and Wallasey. Unfortunately the dock at the end of the complex, Bidston Dock, the most inland dock, was misguidedly filled in in 2002. The Wirral has now lost Bidston, Wallasey, Morpeth Branch and Bromborough Docks, amounting to substantial acres of water space.

The inland nature of the dock waterways, the large size of the two floats, East and West Float and the snaking shapes of the Floats, makes Birkenhead Docks superb for development, serving both Wallasey and Birkenhead. If this proposal goes ahead it will make the Mersey the finest waterfront in Europe.

Below: The tall towers are predominantly between the East Float and Vittoria Dock. Some buildings overhang the dock waters, while some quays are reshaped to accommodate the bold designs. Triangular islands are to be constructed between the infilled Wallasey Dock and Vittoria Dock.


The complex is centered around the large East Float and Vittoria Dock.  Commercial activity will be centered further inland at West Float Birkenhead, meaning the large ships will sail through the proposed new high rise development, giving an attractive, active, nautical aspect.

Below: Looking west along Vittoria Dock from East Float.



Below: Looking east along the north side of East Float.




Below: A shopping mall proposed at Bidston Moss at the most inland point of the Birkenhead Dock waterways. To be built on the needlessly filled in Bidston Dock. Using the water space of Bidston Dock would have enhanced the shopping development.

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