WIRRAL’S iconic Birkenhead town hall looks likely to house a new John Peel Centre.

The borough council has invited The Hamilton Partnership to proceed to the final stage of a process to secure a new use for the building.

It proposes to use it to create The John Peel Centre for Community, Innovation and the Creative Arts.

Under their plans, the venue would include theatre and studio space, arts workshops and academy, the John Peel archive, business and enterprise centre, a wedding and conference venue and a resource centre for the community and voluntary sector.

Scaffold member John Gorman was one of the strongest voices behind creating a memorial in Hamilton Square to the Heswall-born DJ legend.

Merseytravel also looks set to take over the Pacific Road Arts Centre and Wirral Transport Museum and Tramway.

The council was looking for others to take over both buildings as part of the Strategic Asset Review to dispose of buildings the authority does not need.

Cllr Steve Foulkes said: “The Hamilton Partnership has been invited to provide the Council with a full, viable business plan on their proposals within the next six months.

“Officers’ knowledge and expertise will be available to support them, however, I must stress that there are no guarantees at this stage.

“Merseytravel submitted an extremely strong bid, which, importantly, supports our aspirations for the future of the borough.