St Julie’s school rebuild set for approval
The final project in the £169m Liverpool school renewal programme has been recommended for approval by city planners, with St Julie’s Catholic High School in Speke Road to undergo a £20m rebuild.
All buildings on the site currently occupied by the school and land to the north known as Woolton Woods will be demolished as part of the scheme, to make way for 100,000 sq ft of new school facilities across three interconnected blocks.
The school was designed by IBI Group and will be built by Kier Construction.
The mayor’s pledge to deliver 14 new or revamped schools in the city in a £169m programme was the local authority’s response to the collapse of Building Schools for the Future in 2010.
According to a spokesman for the council, a second phase of the programme has not been planned, but the council “will monitor the government’s new budget in July to see if there are any opportunities to bid for funding”.
Liverpool City Council’s planning committee is due to visit the site and decided on the planning application on 16 June.
The planning application was made by Cass Associates.
Awful news! Beggars belief how they have got this. Oh I know Liverpool City Council granting planning permission to Liverpool City Council. They could easily fit the new school on the old site if it wasn’t such an uneconomical design! That part of the site could still be sold off as planned to REDROW HOMES. And not have to take part of the wood to build on.
By Bob Dawson
Disgraceful! The school could be built on the current site. Council have been given alternative plans but refuse to give any reason why these plans are not suitable. The amount of parking space given to school is not needed and not very Eco friendly. It is plain and simple. They want to encroach land that has a covenant on it. The land swap for public use is a joke it. The land would cost thousands to use it for public use and council refuse to say who would fund not only the proposal but also the up keep. This is a sad a d desperate time for the green spaces of our City. Attend outside St Julie’s 9 45 for silent and peaceful protest and later @ Town Hall 10.45 planning meeting.
By Anonymous
Attend st Julie’s at 9.45am for silent protest when Liverpool City Council planners attend the school on Tuesday 16th June. And planning committee meeting at Town Hall at 10.45am at Liverpool town hall.
By Les
I think what people don’t appreciate is when the council say they are only taking 5% of the wood to build on that the majority of people don’t realise a) it’s not really needed as they could fit the new build on the site and still sell what they want to Redrow if the design was just bit more considerate. There is a lot of economies. That could be achieved on building envelope b) that it will be four storeys high not just one level coming out so that 5% which is still a lot will seem a heck of a lot more. And when you consider the volume of building within this 5% it’s huge. When this is a historic village with restrictive covenants and Camp Hill is part of the identity of this c) st Julie’s has falling pupil numbers so are the council wasting more money following the Parklands school debacle as this school now lies empty. Is a school of this size needed? Or is Joe just keen to say I have done what I said I would do even if I have wasted money. Not got best value and lost green space.
By Mary Smiley
I’m struggling to understand what’s going on here? Are the nuns selling the land and giving some money to the new build and keeping the rest for their pensions? Why do we continue to sake the tax payer to fund religious organisations who then do as they please within these establishments? Why do they have so much power? Given there are historical rights of way and the land has been used for so long by the people of Woolton and the wider community why can the council take this land to build a school for a religious organisation? That not every child in city could attend. Surely there are laws against this?
By Liesa R
This is why Liverpool is not ready for devolved powers!
By Kay Williams
A typical Liverpool farce. The school could be built easily within the current school footprint if they have a decent architect, however , Liverpool City Council would rather steal land gifted to Liverpool people by a local family. This is a deliberate act in order to break the covenant on the land. It’ all very well Liverpool pretending to play to a worldwide audience when large events come to the city but they are incapable of benevolence to the local people who are paying high rates in order to live in a lovely place and who also pay for the showy events put on by the city. Shame on you Liverpool City Council.
By Linda Parsons
Devolved powers for the wider city would allow strategic matters to be dealt with seperately from community matters allowing the city Council to focus more closely on getting these issues right.
By Paul Blackburn
Excellent point there Paul. Finding all this LCC-bashing tiresome to be honest
By mancboi
No the City Council need to ‘get it right’ and prove they can do this before they are given such powers otherwise it will be disastrous! What they are doing here is ridiculous and to say that they have no cost plan or figures for the site it just nonsense. Simple the design is uneconomical, a lot is being wasted on envelope etc. – could save on footprint of new build and have more open space for the girls. Were not saying don’t build it – just do what’s best all round. Don’t waste any more of our money!
Also the covenant – can someone please explain why LCC think its not enforceable – its all well and good saying its just not WHY????? This is what Joe Anderson said at the public meeting – its just not and this is all we have had since! LCC please explain.
By Bob Dawson