Pair of historic Liverpool school buildings face demolition

A crumbling and “unsightly” pair of historic buildings could be knocked down at a north Liverpool school that was saved from closure.

After months of uncertainty, it was confirmed in February last year that the then De La Salle School in Croxteth would remain open. The school had been issued with a Termination Warning Notice from the Department for Education (DfE) in 2021 after two consecutive inadequate Ofsted inspections.

After partnering with the Dixons Academy Trust, which operates a number of schools across the city already, the site was kept open for the 342 11-18 year old boys on the roll. Now, a planning application has been lodged with Liverpool Council to demolish the Carr Lane East site’s former chapel and swimming pool hall.

According to documents lodged with the local authority on behalf of the school by Isabella Kendrick-Jones of seven architects, both buildings are no longer in use and no longer needed by the school. The form said: “The fabric is deteriorating, making the redundant buildings unsightly and it is expected that in future they will become unsafe if left to fall into further disrepair through lack of use.”

As a result, they have both been earmarked for demolition in July and completed by the start of the new term in September, subject to council approval.

The application form reads: “The method of demolition will be both manual and mechanical demolition. Breaking up of walls and roof will be mechanised, as will the breaking out of foundations and puncturing the existing pool slab. Care will be taken at points of junction with the structure to be retained through manual demolition. Any waste disposal will be managed by the Main Contractor once appointed to complete the demolition works.

“General spoil and rubble will be re-used as much as possible on site as hardcore. The proposed restoration of the site includes areas of new asphalt and grass to match the respective surrounding context.”

What happens next: It was revealed last year that displaced students from Dixons Croxteth Academy would be relocated at Cardinal Heenan High School through its own expansion, if a move to make it a mixed provision went ahead. A date for the decision on the proposed demolition of the dilapidated buildings at Carr Lane East by Liverpool Council’s planning committee has yet to be confirmed.