High school rebuild plan
Revised plans for the latest project in Liverpool's schools renewal programme have been published, the new St Julie's Catholic High School on its existing site.
The rebuilt school would expand onto parkland next door, using 5% of Woolton Woods. The council said none of the woodland or trees will be disturbed.
A spokesman for the council said: "A complete rebuild on the existing footprint of the St Julie's site is not considered feasible due to tight site constraints, and a comprehensive survey has shown there are no other suitable sites nearby which would deliver a large enough building or provide safe access. Existing access points will be used during construction of the new school. There will be no change to vehicular access to the school site."
The original plan to move St Julie's to the former Lower Lee Special School on Beaconsfield Road in Woolton was withdrawn in June following concerns from residents over traffic.
The project is part of the Liverpool Schools Investment Programme, which will see at least 12 new schools built. It was devised as a rescue package following the scrapping of Wave Six of Liverpool's Building Schools for the Future programme. The council raised £169m and delivered 10 out of 12 planned new schools by summer 2014, within a four-year period, and plans to complete the final two schools by May 2016.
Tim Alderman, headteacher of St Julie's, said: "We are pleased with the latest proposal that the council has come up with for St Julie's and our students. It will provide a 21st century learning environment that includes the latest technology as well as cutting edge resources which are becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to deliver in our current school building. We are all really excited at the prospect of seeing the proposals become reality, delivering real benefits for pupils now and in the future and for the wider local community, particularly young families."
There is a FINAL consultation meeting tonight with Mayor Joe Anderson, Liverpool City Council and BSF at 6.00pm at St Julie’s. Please attend this meeting and make your views known about this loss of public green space.
By Keep Woolton Safe
I am sure there are countless contractors reading Place North West now who could build this scheme safely and efficiently on a site of this size. I am sure Kier could and would if they were allowed to. I have been on sites in Manchester which are 16 storey with adjacent buildings in a busy city centre – so why can’t St Julie’s be built on the existing site with a well thought out design and phased construction?
By Woolton Resident
How can Liverpool City Council be allowed to take this green space which is not theirs to take? Was this site and wood not gifted to the people of Liverpool – not to the council to give away and build on. This place is a conservation area, Woolton goes back to the Doomsday book. It is the place where Lennon met McCartney, it is recognisable by the Hill and the Wood. Don’t do this Joe!
By Simon
Don’t bother with the sham of consultation – Liverpool under this Mayor is turning into Putin’s Russia: one man’s whims and fancies dictate policy
By John Brown
‘Not Feasible’ basically too costly to go higher or dig down, so its the locals who have to foot the bill by losing green space. I wish I had a house that backed on to a park, see if the council would give me 5% to extend into!!
By DB