Date posted:
Fri 02 July 2021
Creating a connected Birkenhead business district
Two new office schemes, which form part of Wirral Growth Company’s multi-million-pound regeneration of Birkenhead town centre, have received the WiredScore Gold standard, meaning they are ‘future-proofed for connectivity’.
The certification for the two Grade A office buildings, totalling 150,000 sq ft will see them placed among the best in the country in terms of broadband and telecom infrastructure, making sure that future tenants will have all the connectivity they need.
WiredScore certification is the digital connectivity rating system that provides the definitive standards for the digital connectivity of commercial buildings.
Work is currently underway to press ahead with the developments in Birkenhead town centre in the summer, forming phase one of a comprehensive regeneration masterplan.
Wirral Growth Company is a 50:50 joint venture partnership between Wirral Council and national urban regeneration specialist, Muse Developments.
Alan Evans, Wirral Council’s Director of Regeneration and Place, said: “Digital connectivity is more and more vital to the way we work and connectivity is one of the most critical factors for tenants when selecting office space. The widely recognised WiredScore certification is a trusted symbol that identifies buildings that have been independently certified to provide the best-in-class connectivity infrastructure that businesses require to thrive.
“Connectivity, as we have all seen more than ever before during the last year since the pandemic hit, is crucial, and as we look to move on from the worst of the COVID-19 impacts and return to working in offices more, knowing these buildings can meet the needs of major organisations is vital to ensuring these spaces will be desirable to potential tenants.
“This early phase of the Wirral Growth Company plans for Birkenhead will be in part taken up by the council, but there will be other organisations and businesses based there too. So, demonstrating that this Grade A office space will meet the needs of those looking to be based in the centre of the town as it undergoes this incredibly exciting renaissance is a vital step.”
Jonathan Ashcroft, project director at Muse Developments, said: “The WiredScore certification has come at a very important time as we gear up to starting on site with phase one in Birkenhead. Businesses are beginning to think about returning to the office, but to do that with confidence, they need to know they have the digital infrastructure in place to do their most productive work.
“As a developer, we have a strong track record, not only in town centre repurposing and regeneration, but also in delivering business destinations that attract high quality occupiers, and attaining a WiredScore certification is a big part of that.”
Around the world, WiredScore has certified commercial office space impacting six million office workers, across 10 countries since its launch in New York in 2013.
Wirral Growth Company is creating a connected Birkenhead and future proofing its community through its 15-minute neighbourhood philosophy, ‘everything within 15 minutes’, which focusses on all aspects of community and work life; transport, infrastructure, amenity and leisure.