WIRRAL BUSINESS
Wirral Chamber of Commerce
PATIENCE PAYING DIVIDENDS AT WIRRAL WATERS:
RICHARD MAWDSLEY, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Richard Mawdsley is the Development Director for Wirral
Waters with 25 years experience in property development
and regeneration. Richard is from Birkenhead but spent the
first 12 years of his career in London, learning his trade. He
has brought his experience back home to help deliver this
ambitious project. We asked Richard to give us an update
about progress at Wirral Waters and the benefits we can
expect from this ground breaking development.
Richard says, “Since planning was achieved in 2012, over 65 acres
of land has been remediated and multi million pound engineering
projects on infrastructure, energy substations and drainage have been
completed. A huge number of trees have been planted in partnership
with the Forestry Commission and Mersey Forests and funding is in
place to help deliver other key elements of the project.”
“After years of essential work behind the scenes, we are into the
delivery process now with initial phases being clustered in Tower Road,
Northbank and MEA Park. Some buildings are complete and others
are coming to fruition and I am very pleased with the progress we have
made. We have world class urban designers and architects involved,
who know how to create the right environment around infrastructure,
public spaces, improved cycling provision and public transport.”
“We are creating a place that is desirable for residents, employers and
manufacturers and we are attracting education organisations to help
with skills development. Skills are essential to growing the economy
and ongoing projects such as the Maritime Knowledge Hub, the Skills
Factory and Wirral Met’s Construction College are putting skills at the
heart of Wirral Waters.”
“Wirral Waters is also about jobs and it’s important that we nurture and
boost the economy here because new jobs and training opportunities
drive demand for other things. We aim to expand employment with
existing employers and bring in new employers by focussing on
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the Marine and Maritime and Energy sectors and the supply chain
businesses those sectors attract. The Marine Energy and Automotive
Park (MEA Park) is a million square feet of waterside manufacturing
space at West Float, with tax breaks for occupiers and is key to driving
the economy forward; creating jobs and allowing Wirral to retain
the talent which has so often in the past, left to fulfil its ambitions
elsewhere.”
“The hard work over recent years has put us in a good position and
with everyone pulling in the same direction, the results will come.
We are getting to the point where the groundwork is done and signs
of progress are visible, with buildings coming out the ground, others
going through planning, funding and other tangible things coming
together. Our determination, patience and perseverance is starting to
pay dividends and there is much more to come, but it will take time.”
“I have the best job in the world but it’s challenging and you have the
responsibility to do things right because you are impacting people’s
lives. The reward for me is seeing things that are well designed a positive
contribution to the community. As a Birkenhead lad myself, seeing
development take shape at Wirral Waters is especially satisfying.”
Richard Mawdsley updated Chamber members on the great progress
in energy infrastructure being put in place for Wirral Waters at the
latest In Business event on 21 February. Find out more on future In
Business events through [email protected].