Eldonian Community Trust Welcomes Planning Decision
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PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
4 September 2026
The Eldonian Community Trust Limited welcomes the decision by Liverpool City Council to refuse planning permission for the proposed 290-apartment development on the former Our Lady of Reconciliation Primary School.
For the Trust, this decision represents an important moment for the Vauxhall community and follows months of work by the Charity to ensure that the concerns of local residents were properly heard.
On 16 April 2026, the Trust brought more than 100 local residents together to discuss the proposed development. The strength of feeling expressed at that meeting was clear: residents wanted the future of this important site to reflect the needs and interests of the local community.
The Trust subsequently made formal representations to Liverpool City Council, raising concerns about the scale of the proposed development, the loss of green space, the quality and accessibility of the proposed homes, the absence of affordable housing and outstanding infrastructure issues.
The Council has now refused the application.
Protecting the Community's Interests
The Eldonian Community Trust believes the decision provides an opportunity to reconsider the future of the site and to return the focus to what it can deliver for the people of Vauxhall.
The land has a particular significance for the Trust. It was transferred to the Eldonian Community Trust with the stated purpose of extending the Eldonian Village and providing affordable social housing for the local community.
There remain important unresolved questions concerning the subsequent disposal and ownership of the land. These matters are currently subject to investigations and the Trust will not seek to prejudge that process.
However, the Trust believes that the future of the site must ultimately be determined openly, lawfully and with the interests of the local community at its heart.
Looking Forward
The Trust will continue to work constructively with Liverpool City Council, local residents and other legitimate stakeholders to explore an appropriate future for the site.
That future should, in the Trust's view, provide high-quality affordable housing, meaningful community green space and development that respects the character of the Eldonian Village and the wider Vauxhall community.
Rhys Jones, Secretary of the Eldonian Community Trust, said:
“We are pleased that Liverpool City Council has refused this planning application. The Trust has worked hard to ensure that the voice of the Vauxhall community was heard, and we are extremely grateful to the residents who have supported us throughout this process. This is an opportunity to look again at what this site should deliver for our community. The Trust remains committed to ensuring that its future is considered openly, lawfully and in the interests of the people we were established to serve.”
The Eldonian Community Trust Limited remains committed to its charitable purpose and to working for the long-term benefit of the Eldonian Village and the wider Vauxhall community.
[ENDS]
Issued by:
The Board of Trustees / Directors
Eldonian Community Trust Limited
[Registered Charity No. 519333 | Company No. 02147755]
Media enquiries:
Eldonian Community Trust
