Mersey Milestone - New Woodside Terminal Landing Stage arrives on Waterfront

THE new Mersey Ferries landing stage and linkspan bridge at Woodside are now successfully in place on the Wirral Waterfront as part of a £9m transformation project.

The installation was an eye catching sight for onlookers by the River Mersey earlier today as the impressive Lara 1 floating crane was used to install the new:- 120 tonne bridge. Meanwhile the:- 52 metre long, 350 tonne landing stage was floated across the river and connected to the new supporting piles.

An expert team on both sides of the river co-ordinated the complex 2 day process, ensuring it ran safely and smoothy across the busy shipping lanes. The challenging procedure was capture in stunning drone and time lapse footage, covering the journey from start to finish.

Now the landing stage and pontoon are in place, the final fit out will be completed which includes a modern waiting room to boost the passenger experience.

The new landing stage is the next phase of major investment in Mersey Ferries, seeing the 39 year old landing stage, linkspan bridge and supporting boom structures carefully dismantled and responsibly recycled and replacing it with new infrastructure; ensuring Mersey Ferries continue to serve the region for years to come.

It's all part of the wider 20 year Mersey Ferries strategy, which includes the multi million pound refurbishment of Seacombe Ferry Terminal, which reopened in 2022, and a new ferry for 2026, which is currently being constructed at Cammell Laird in Wirral and last month took to the river for the 1st time as part of its basin testing.

Cllr Steve Foulkes, Chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee, said:- “For generations, the Mersey Ferries have been carrying people across the river to work, gigs, the football and a day out shopping, and we’re determined to make sure this continues for many years to come. longside the new Mersey Ferry, these works at Woodside highlight our commitment to the future of ferries as a much beloved cultural asset for our City Region. We're really pleased to be playing our part alongside Wirral Council in the transformative regeneration in this are that will be taking place over the next few years.”

Working together with Wirral Council and Big Heritage CIC, it is planned that the return of Mersey Ferry services to Woodside will tie in with the completion of the public realm works at Woodside and the new Battle of the Atlantic Museum.

Cllr Paula Basnett, Leader of Wirral Council, said:- "Woodside is an iconic location and it is fantastic to see work on the new landing stage and bridge is now completed in a remarkable piece of engineering. This will allow the Mersey Ferries to continue to serve people for generations to come, especially when the new Royal Daffodil is in operation next year, allowing locals and visitors alike to continue enjoying one of the most famous ferry rides in the world."

The regeneration scheme is being made possible by Local Regeneration funding from Wirral Council and active travel funding from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which will breathe new life into the area connecting the Woodside Waterfront with Birkenhead Town Centre.

Both the LGA and the CLA have commented on draft National Planning Policy Framework consultation

THE CLA (Country Land and Business Association) President has commented on the draft National Planning Policy Framework published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, for consultation. It represents the most significant re-drafting of planning rules in over a decade.

On the draft National Planning Policy Framework the CLA President, Gavin Lane, has told us that:- "Under our Rural Powerhouse campaign we have been working closely with Government to show planning reform can unlock the vast economic potential of the rural economy. Ministers within MHCLG and Defra should be praised for listening. This National Planning Policy Framework consultation represents a positive step forward for rural areas and, once enacted, these policies will boost growth in the countryside. The consultation acknowledges the unique challenges faced by rural communities and includes:- new policies on management of flood risk, energy and water. Now we need Planning Officers to have better access to training on rural issues and agricultural matters to ensure these reforms deliver for the countryside. Exempting the smallest sites from BNG while the planning system is being reformed could help unlock many developments that are currently stuck in the system, and supports the CLA's call for a small number of homes to be built in a large number of villages to help keep rural communities sustainable. The NPPF consultation also proposes a new medium size threshold for planning applications of:- 10 to 49 houses. Exempting sites up to 49 houses from BNG requirements could kill an emerging off-site market that is funding landowners and managers to do vital work on nature recovery and raising the bar on nature rich housing development. If the natural capital market is hollowed out, England won't be able to deliver on the Environmental Improvement Plan and meet the Government's own nature targets."

Also responding to the launch of the NPPF consultation by MHCLG, Cllr Tom Hunt, Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA) Inclusive Growth Committee, said:- "The proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework are some of the most significant we've seen, so it is crucial that the views of Councils; who approve nine in ten planning applications and are keen to deliver developments for their areas; are fully taken into account through this consultation process. While the Government's commitment to boost development and housebuilding is admirable, changes to the planning system alone will not suffice. Councils need sufficient powers and funding to buy land, bring forward and connect with much needed infrastructure, and speed up build-out of sites with planning permission. Government must also take steps to address the growing skills and workforce challenges in the construction sector. Planning committees are the democratic backbone of the planning system, with Councils being accountable to their communities about what should be built where. This is a central tenet that must remain under a reformed planning system. We will now work with our members to fully consider the proposed changes and what they mean for local Government and the communities they serve."

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