Wirral Market Watch: 1,600 Homes Edge Closer in Birkenhead and Tenant Demand Keeps Rising

This week’s Wirral property news covers one of the biggest housing schemes in the borough taking its next step, the council’s own figures on how many homes Wirral has actually delivered, and a national surveyors’ report pointing to rising tenant demand and fewer landlords.

Borough Yard, Birkenhead’s 1,600-home scheme, moves towards a start

Enabling works for The Borough Yard, the 32-hectare scheme between Birkenhead Central and Green Lane stations formerly known as the Hind Street Urban Village, could start soon. On 18 November, Wirral Council’s Policy and Resources Committee will consider a report asking for approval to begin enabling works on the site. (Wirral Today, Start date set to be agreed on enabling work for major Birkenhead housing scheme)

The scheme is planned for around 1,600 new homes. It’s being brought forward by Ion Property Group, which has since been acquired by VINCI. Outline planning permission was approved in early 2025. The plans include removing two flyovers and building the first stretch of the £15m Dock Branch Park, a linear park along the old railway line, modelled on New York’s High Line, that will link Birkenhead’s docks with Green Lane station.

It’s still early days. Enabling works come before any homes. But a scheme this size, right next to two Merseyrail stations, changes what that part of Birkenhead looks like over the next decade.

Wirral has delivered more homes than its target

A council housing update published on 10 September shows Wirral delivered 1,845 new homes between 2022 and 2025, against a target of 1,500. That’s 123% of the Government’s Housing Delivery Test. 657 of those homes were affordable. (Wirral View, Housing update highlights progress against key priorities)

The report also shows 850 homes benefiting from energy efficiency programmes in 2025/26, and the number of households in temporary accommodation falling from 217 to 182. It was due to go before the Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee on 14 September, following the council’s adoption of its Housing Strategy 2026–2031 earlier in the year. The update names new developments with housing providers in Hoylake, Moreton, Liscard and Wallasey. It also mentions council action on empty properties to bring them back into use.

Beating a delivery target matters beyond the headline. Councils that fall short of the Housing Delivery Test can face tougher rules on where development is allowed, so hitting it gives Wirral more say over where new homes go.

Surveyors see tenant demand rising and landlords pulling back

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ August Residential Market Survey, reported on 10 September, suggests the national sales market is steadying. New buyer enquiries were still negative, but at -19% they were the least negative since January. Agreed sales improved to -17%, from -38% back in April. The North West held on to moderate price growth while the national reading stayed negative. (Mortgage Solutions, Housing market stabilises in August as buyers return: RICS)

The bigger story is lettings. Surveyors reported tenant demand up (a net balance of +18%) while new landlord instructions fell (-14%). A net balance of +44% expect rents to rise over the next three months, and surveyors predict average rent rises of around 3% over the next year. RICS figures are national survey balances, not a Wirral count. But more tenants chasing fewer rental homes is worth knowing if you’re looking at buy-to-let on the Wirral.

What this means if you’re watching the Wirral

None of these three stories tells you what a specific house on a specific street is worth. Together they show a major Birkenhead scheme getting closer to a start, a borough delivering more homes than it was asked to, and a rental market where demand is outrunning supply.

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