WIRRAL is the only area in the north of England to move through to the next stage of developing a new university.

Only six locations in England have been chosen to press ahead with plans for the new higher education sites.

In Wirral, it is expected to be part of the proposed £4.5bn Wirral Waters scheme.

Partnerships interested in developing a higher education centre or new university campus were asked to make their proposals under the Government’s new “University Challenge” scheme.

They each had to provide a statement of intent and

a full business case. A total of 23 statements of intent were submitted.

Wirral Council, working with the University of Chester, put forward plans for a “new multi-million-pound Wirral Learning Zone”, which would form part of Peel Developments’ Wirral Waters plan for the Birkenhead dockland area.

The Government approved six which could be developed further. These are Somerset, Crawley, Milton Keynes, Swindon, Thurrock and Wirral.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) decided a further 17 proposals were not strong enough to proceed.