Liverpool bows to pressure on site of future school
Community outrage triggered a rethink of the location of the potential Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy – leading the city council to submit a proposal for a smaller-than-desired plot to the Department for Education.
Liverpool City Council received approval from the DfE for a new school run by Star Academies Multi-Academy Trust in August 2023. The result is the proposed Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, which will offer 600 student places when at capacity.
Earlier this year, Liverpool City Council unveiled its plans to present the DfE with a four-acre site bordering Upper Parliament Street, Mulgrave Street, and Selborne Street for the building of the school. This site included land that contained and was used by the African Caribbean Centre. The council had said it would work to relocate the centre as part of the plan.
Protesters had voiced their objection to the loss of the community centre at its current location at two council meetings – one in February and the other in March.
The council had argued that it was the only site that met the DfE’s criteria, which called for a plot of between four and six acres that was located within the L7, L8, or L15 postcode. The land is situated within the L8 postcode.
After months of meetings with community stakeholders, the council has now submitted a location proposal for the school that excludes the land utilised by the community centre, even though this takes the site below the four-acre DfE limit.
The original proposed site is outlined in red, with a blue outline, added by Place, around the plot that has since been removed. Credit: via Liverpool City Council report
“The acreage of the land made available is less than the preferred four acres; however, the proposal submitted, which has the support of Star Academies Multi-Academy Trust, contains a realistic feasibility layout for the school showing that it can be accommodated on the site,” said a city council spokesperson regarding the proposal.
“Efficient space planning has enabled a layout that meets the DfE space standards for the classrooms, sports block, and hard and soft play areas, and it is compliant with the DfE’s guidance for school sites.”
There are still several hurdles to jump before the school becomes a reality, including the DfE’s approval of the proposed site and a series of community consultations on the plans for the building. The school has a target completion of August 2028.
Cllr Lucille Harvey of Princes Park ward, the area in Liverpool earmarked for the school, praised the change in plans for the academic institution.
“I’m pleased that this project has reached a stage where we can move forward positively,” she said
“I appreciate that the council has listened to the trustees of the African Caribbean Centre and responded to their concerns,” she continued.
“The centre has been at the heart of the L8 community for decades, and its place in people’s lives should not be underestimated, so it is great news that it will retain its current site…
“We know that our communities are strongest when they work together. A new school and a thriving community centre will bring real benefits to the L8 community for many years to come.”
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This isn’t a matter of working together, it’s inflexible locals who see any change in their area as negative. The current Caribbean Centre is sited on a large plot fronting onto Upper Parliament St, it’s an outdated building and unattractive, the proposed school would’ve looked better and it still could’ve accommodated a new centre or another site be found.
There have been a number of cases where proposals have been shouted down in this locality eg a few years back a residential scheme refused because it was too near the Mosque and not for local people, also I think it was the probation centre earmarked for redevelopment and that was objected to as well. No wonder the locality is not progressing, people are stuck in a time warp, and how many years have some of the local streets lay derelict eg Ducie St, these are classical houses which should have been repaired and refurbished by now.
By Anonymous
I agree with the above, although LCC obviously mismanaged the consultation exercise.
By Anonymous
I agree with everything @by Anonymous at 12:52 says – people in the city are not open to change and are stuck in their ways. The city is behind due to the narrow mindsets.
By Anonymous
Liverpool Labour are currently running Liverpool like the Labour Government are currently running the country.
By Anonymous
It looks like the consultation had the intended effect… prepare a concept/vision for public consultation, take the consultation feedback on board, revise the plans accordingly (if needed), progress with the project. I see no controversy here. If the plans didn’t change, the comments would be full of people saying the consultation was just a waste of money and a box-ticking exercise.
By Anonymous
@Anon 5.19pm, go take a look at the current Afro Caribbean centre, it’s a cheaply and hastily constructed building which looks tacky, and quite frankly Liverpool’s Afro Caribbean community deserves better. The building itself is quite small and set within grounds and doesn’t like great from the main road.
There should be a replacement ,which uses up the whole plot, of up to 4 floors with community facilities at ground level and residential on the upper floors for young people/couples to live in.
By Anonymous
Nice to see them listening….this area still has a community, it’s not a ‘student’ accommodation, or ‘investment’ apartment area. The people need to be listened to. The problem with development in Liverpool has much deeper issues,no one wanted to come.People are fed up of not being listened to as developers see profit in Liverpool as other city’s become more expensive.They don’t care about communities.
By Fi W
I don’t understand the comments about the condition of the existing Caribbean centre. The need for investment in the existing centre is absolutely right, but that’s not what the story is about?
By Anonymous
The locals are not inflexible, they are right. The council have been nebulous and arrogant, and forget who they are supposed to work for.
They have yet to even cohesively explain why they are building this school at all, why it appears they are allowing the British government to tell them to. The locals have never asked for anything other than good schooling.
Labour act like the CCP with the people the last to know and treated like an inconvenience.
By John
Just worth noting that the council has stated the reason for the school. From the council report linked in this story: “a further 425 year 7 places are required by 2026” in the city.
By Julia Hatmaker
I can’t think of any significant developments in this area for decades, and even after the 1981 riots there’s been relatively little to rejoice about. One of the contributors here mentions profit as if it was an abhorrence but how else is development going to happen, even charities have to make a profit or surplus to survive. Maybe the Council should have worked harder with the locals but it seems the school is badly needed and could also enhance the area on a prominent site.
By Anonymous
The council are wrong and don’t listen to locals. The centre is a valued part of the community and the academies are not.
By Pol Mac Cobhrain
Council wanted to remove the African Caribean Centre? Who needs community when you can be a consumer, a commuter, a home-owner, and have TV and internet? Community is so old-fashioned. We are all Anarchists now.
By Anonymous
I’m pleased that the project reached this level with all concerned still onboard. Hopefully dfe will approve the project as submitted.
While a lot of people focused on how the proposed site impacted on their specific interests, the over all benefit of the proposed project can bring to this underdeveloped area is often overlooked or understated. All the stakeholders from the local communities and LCC, whose responsibilities include providing sufficient school places would do well not overlook the potential benefits of the proposed school to L8 area in their; often heated deliberations.
Best wishes
By Aaja
Once again the council listens to a small minority instead of thinking about the betterment of the city. Moving the Caribbean centre is a minor inconvenience when major investment into the city is vital. Just another case of the tail wagging the dog!!
By Tony
Let’s be honest here this school is a public sector initiative, not private, and still the “locals” have objected. This is a pattern across Liverpool where we have these action groups opposing numerous developments almost for the sake of it.
We know voters generally have a say but if you ask them what they want they’ll just say more playgrounds, more parks, more community centres, but for a city to grow you have to have big ideas and follow them through not to be bogged down with pavement politics.
Manchester has the right approach in building and rebuilding local neighbourhoods,they come up with comprehensive schemes and get on with it.
By Anonymous
The comment regarding the community objecting against gentrification within the L8 community is a effing disgrace. Local people have the right to remind any newcomer to the L8 area that they have joined our community….we haven’t joined you.
By Indigenous L8 man
Julie, the forecasting of school places is separate to an apparent edict telling us we have to build an Islamic school. Religious schools in this city are an historic legacy, not a modern need. We don’t need more, we need fewer of them. Local people want schooling not religion. Why were they have to have both?
By John
@ Indigenous L8 man, the point of this article is about a school which has nothing to do with gentrification, and your 8 line contribution more or less confirms that sections of the local population who think like you are inflexible, and any newcomers into the area must comply with your ideas or keep quiet. No wonder developers and investors avoid the Granby area, and no wonder it remains to look run down.
By Anonymous