Wirral Waters’ developer, Peel L&P, was joined today (Thursday 8th June) by its funding partner, Pension Insurance Corporation plc (“PIC”), construction firm GRAHAM, Homes England, Wirral Council, and staff and students from Wirral Met College, to celebrate the ‘topping out’ of what is the single biggest development to date at the UK’s largest and most sustainable regeneration project.
Miller’s Quay, Peel L&P’s cornerstone residential scheme will see the construction of 500 highly sustainable one- and two-bedroom waterfront apartments, 100 affordable new homes and a wide range of unique learning and employment opportunities for the local community.
Peel L&P’s partners on Miller’s Quay, including Wirral Met College, construction firm GRAHAM and Peel L&P’s funding partner PIC, have all joined forces to use their expertise and specialist knowledge to create cutting edge opportunities for the local community and improve employment prospects for local students.
Since construction began last July, 319 students from Wirral Met College have already benefitted from the ‘live’ classroom on its doorstep where students are taking part in a number of activities and learning a wide range of skills.
By collaborating with the employers involved within the wider Wirral Waters regeneration project, Wirral Met College has been able to review its curriculum to ensure its provision is directly aligned to the needs and demands across the modern construction industry.
Students are also benefitting from work experience opportunities through the construction of Miller’s Quay, providing genuine insight of how the industry works and the level of interaction which takes place between trades within a major scale regeneration project.
Richard Mawdsley, Director of Development for Peel L&P’s Wirral Waters, said: “We have reached an exciting milestone with the topping out of Miller’s Quay. This has been a fantastic day to reflect on everything that has been achieved so far and to celebrate the significant social impact this project is already having on the local community, thanks to the strong partnership that has been created by Peel L&P, GRAHAM, PIC and Wirral Met College.
“I have been really proud and humbled to see the students engaged in learning on site over the last ten months and knowing that they are learning about modern and green methods of construction for these energy and resource efficient new homes, is incredibly reassuring in our ambition to create the construction workforce of the future.”
Cllr Tony Jones, chair of Wirral Council’s Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee, said: “This development represents a significant milestone in the development of Wirral Waters, and the emphasis on working with local students shows how regeneration can make a real difference to people’s lives and offer opportunities to the young people of Wirral.
Paul Crawford, head of construction at Wirral Met College, said: “The opportunities which have already been created through the development of Miller’s Quay have been life changing for our young people. By working in collaboration with GRAHAM, our students are benefitting from hands-on training sessions and masterclasses. We have also been able to schedule site visits early within the induction period which has had a huge influence of their choice of career.
“The synergy that has been created by our partnership with GRAHAM, and other employers, is benefitting all parties as more students want to enrol at the college, employers have access to skilled apprentices with extensive work experience, and the construction industry is boosted with skilled young people with bespoke skills which are in short supply across the industry.”