The Assistant Director for Property and Regeneration Investment presented the report of the Director of Regeneration and Place.

Members were informed that the Birkenhead Commercial District (“BCD”) programme was reaching a major milestone in that the phase 2 – CAT B (fit out) capital programme was completing for official handover between our appointed contractor and Wirral Borough Council on Friday 22nd March 2024.

The Council was to be taking full occupation across 3.5 floors with phased occupation dates from Monday 8 th April 2024 at Building A (2 Alice Ker Square - Mallory). The Council will partially exit Cheshire Lines Building and retain a lease of the basement to support archive storage, Police and Criminal Evidence (“PACE”) room and data centre.

The Council was working with agency partners to market the remaining vacant spaces in both new buildings. The outcome of the pandemic had resulted in changes for a lot of organisations looking for new office accommodation, resulting in smaller and more flexible space requirements. This paper provided an update on the BCD programme, including appendix 1 providing updates on revenue and capital costs, along with tenant demand and concept for fit out on Building B (Irvine building).

Members queried the environmental credentials of the building, and were informed that they had been built to BREEAM excellence standards, which is the longest established method of certifying the sustainability of buildings. Also discussed the procurement processes and lessons learnt on completion of the project.

Resolved – that,

1.  the update as set out in this report be noted; and

2.  the intended approach to fit out of Building B as referred to in Appendix 1 be endorsed.