When Merseyside Police Authority first aired the proposals at the end of 2008, local politicians reacted with outrage fearing the closure of stations across Wirral.

Cllr Bill Weightman, chairman of the Police Authority, accused local politicians of treating policing as “a political football”, saying the Area Command Centre would only mean the replacement of the nearby Laird Street station and the ageing Birkenhead Police Station in Mortimer Street.

He said: “There were political sideswipes but we want to improve policing on the Wirral and this will do just that.

“This will be a major development, Peel are regenerating the whole dockside area and we are at the sharp end of that.

“We hope it will encourage others to come.

“Integrated into the development will be a new neighbourhood station at the front of the building and we have incorporated community areas for local groups in the design.

“At £20m to £30m, this is a major investment for us, and the overwhelming response from the consultation process was extremely positive.”