The site of the former Ainsdale Hope School is allocated for housing in the Sefton Local Plan, and is one of the sites being looked at through Sefton 2030.

Sefton 2030 is a partnership between Sefton Council and The Sovini Group that aims to help deliver 1,000 new affordable homes across Sefton by 2030.

No planning application has been submitted for the site, and no decision has been made about its future.

At the moment, work is taking place to better understand the site. This includes looking at issues such as wildlife, traffic, drainage, local services and ground conditions.

Specialist teams will be on site at different times throughout 2027 to carry out surveys, as some surveys, such as wildlife surveys, need to take place at particular times of year.

We know local people have questions about the site. Residents have raised concerns about wildlife, traffic around the railway crossing, flooding and pressure on local services.

This page answers some of the questions we have received so far and will be updated as more information becomes available.

If proposals move forward in the future, residents will have opportunities to share their views through the appropriate consultation and planning processes.

FAQs

About the site

What is happening at the former Ainsdale Hope site?

The former Ainsdale Hope High School site is allocated for housing in the Local Plan 2017 and has been included as part of Sefton 2030.

At this stage, no planning application has been submitted. Residents will be able to comment on the proposals through the planning process, and the results of the surveys will be used to inform them.

Why is the site being considered?

The site is owned by Sefton Council and has been allocated for housing in the Local Plan, which was adopted in 2017.

Because it is already in Council ownership, it is one of a number of sites being reviewed through the Sefton 2030 initiative, which is part of the Council’s commitment to addressing housing need in the borough by increasing the delivery of affordable homes.

What is Sefton 2030?

Sefton 2030 is a partnership between Sefton Council and The Sovini Group.

It combines the delivery of social, affordable and accessible housing with local economic growth, with any surplus reinvested back into the borough.

The goal is to help local people find good-quality homes they can afford, while supporting investment in communities across the borough.

Why is The Sovini Group involved?

The Sovini Group is Sefton Council's delivery partner for Sefton 2030.

The Council owns the site and remains responsible for decisions about its future.

The Group's role is to work with the Council to explore opportunities for affordable housing on Council-owned sites and, where appropriate, help deliver new homes.

The Sovini Group is a Sefton-based organisation with a long history of supporting local communities. Through its housing association, One Vision Housing, it owns and manages affordable homes across the borough and wider region.

One Vision Housing was established in 2006 to manage homes that were previously owned by Sefton Council. Since then, it has grown into The Sovini Group, while maintaining its focus on providing quality housing, investing in communities, and supporting local people.

Today, The Sovini Group delivers a range of services, including affordable housing, construction, property maintenance, and housing management. As a not-for-profit organisation, any surplus it generates is reinvested into homes, services, and communities.

The Local Plan and Decisions

Has a decision already been made about this site?

The site has been allocated for housing in Sefton's Local Plan since 2017. This means the site is planned for housing.

However, being included in the Local Plan is not the same as receiving planning permission. Any future proposal would still need to go through the planning process and be considered on its own merits.

Residents would also have an opportunity to comment before any planning decision could be made.

Have residents been consulted on whether this site should be used for housing, and will they be asked again?

The site was considered when the Council prepared its Local Plan in 2017. During that process, residents and other organisations had the chance to comment on proposals to allocate the site for housing, and those comments were considered before the Local Plan was adopted.

We know some residents disagreed with that decision at the time. Being allocated in the Local Plan means the principle of housing on the site has been through a public process and agreed by a Government Inspector. It does not mean a detailed scheme has been approved: any proposal would still need planning permission.

Because the principle of housing has already been considered through the Local Plan, future consultation will focus on the detailed proposals for the site and its impacts on the local environment, and residents' views will be considered through the planning process if an application is submitted.

Have alternative uses for the site been considered?

We understand that many residents value this site and would like to see it used in other ways, such as for nature, open space or community facilities, and we have listened carefully to these suggestions.

The site is allocated for housing in the 2017 Local Plan, and housing remains the planned use. Decisions about how public land is used have to take account of a wide range of factors, including housing need, funding and long-term costs.

What residents have told us about nature and habitat, open space, community facilities, sports and youth facilities and the character of Ainsdale will help to inform the proposals, for example the design, green space and wildlife measures included in any scheme.

How will comments on the new Local Plan be considered?

The Council is preparing a new Local Plan (anticipated to cover the period 2029-2044), which is a separate process from Sefton 2030. 

The Council have recently consulted on the scope of the new local plan.  Comments made during this stage, including those about this site, are being considered by Council Officers as part of that process. 

The comments and the Council's response will be published prior to the next stage of the Local Plan development.  These comments will inform the content of the draft Local Plan including policies and the proposed use of land.

Has the site already been promised to The Sovini Group?

No final decision has been made about selling the land. The site is one of a number being assessed through the Sefton 2030 partnership.

Before any sale could go ahead, the Council would need to consider the site valuation, the proposed development and residents' views, and the decision would go through the Council's normal governance procedures.

Who will make decisions about the site, and what happens next?

Once the technical and feasibility work is complete, any recommendation to sell the land or progress a housing scheme would go through the Council's decision-making process, including Cabinet. Cabinet reports are published on the Council's website. The meetings are live streamed online and can also be watched as a webcast at any time afterwards.

Any planning application would be decided separately by the Council's Planning Committee.

The Council owns the land. Will it decide its own planning application?

The Council is required to treat all planning applications in the same way based upon planning merits and in line with the Local Plan.

The Council's role as landowner is separate from its role as the local planning authority. Residents would be able to comment on the application, and it would be decided by the Planning Committee at a public meeting.

Surveys and Site Work

Why are surveys being carried out if no decision has been made?

We know this is something residents have asked about.

Before any proposal could be put forward, we need a full understanding of the site, including any constraints that would need to be addressed. The surveys will help us understand wildlife, ground conditions, drainage, traffic and the layout of the land. 

Carrying out surveys does not mean a final decision has been made. Any proposal would still need to go through the Council's decision-making processes and the planning process.  The surveys will be necessary for the Local Planning Authority to assess a proposal. 

What surveys are being carried out, and by whom?

The surveys are being commissioned by The Sovini Group as part of feasibility work for the Sefton 2030 partnership. They are carried out by specialist consultants. They cover:

• Wildlife and nature: looking at the habitats on the site and whether protected species are present or use it. This includes checking for invasive, non-native plants.
• Ground conditions: looking at what the ground is made of, how stable it is, and whether there is any gas in the ground, such as methane.
• Drainage and flooding: looking at how water drains from the site and the surrounding area, and any flood risk.
• Traffic and access: looking at how the site could be accessed and the likely impact on local roads.
• The shape and layout of the site: measuring ground levels across the site, locating existing underground pipes and cables, and looking at noise and the landscape setting.

Architects and engineers will also visit the site to help understand it. Other assessments may be needed as the work progresses.

Will the Council pause work on the site?

No, the Council does not plan to pause the current survey and feasibility work, which people may see being carried out at the site.

This work is needed to understand the site's constraints, what could be possible and whether development would be viable. Without it, there would not be the information needed to make any decision.

Carrying out this work does not mean a scheme has been approved or that the land will be sold.

Will the surveys involve any work on the site?

Some of the work will happen on site and some won't. Where work does take place on site, most of it involves walking the site, taking measurements and recording what is there. 

The ground investigation will involve some small-scale work, such as digging small holes to take soil samples and monitoring for gas. This will be done over a few days at a time, across several weeks. Specialist teams will be on site at different times throughout 2027 and possibly beyond, as some surveys, such as wildlife surveys, can only be done at certain times of year.

Planning and Having Your Say

Has a planning application already been submitted?

No, there is currently no planning application for the site.

Before a planning application could be submitted, further work would need to be completed to understand the site and what could potentially be delivered there.

How can residents have their say?

We understand that local people want to be kept informed and have opportunities to share their views.

If a planning application is submitted in the future, residents will be able to comment through the formal planning process.

Wildlife and Nature

What ecological surveys have been undertaken?

Ecology is an important part of understanding the site. 

Qualified ecologists will look at the habitats on the site and check whether protected species, including those residents have raised with us, are present or use the site. 

Wildlife surveys must follow national guidance and can only be carried out when particular species are active. Because of this, they will take place over several months. The findings will be used to understand what protection or improvements would be needed if a proposal comes forward.

How will wildlife be protected?

We understand that residents want reassurance that wildlife will be properly considered.

Any future proposals would need to follow environmental laws and planning policies and information from surveys would be used to understand any measures that may be needed to avoid, minimise or mitigate impacts.

Will impacts on nearby protected habitats be considered?

Yes, the site is close to important wildlife habitats and environmentally sensitive areas.

Any future assessments would look at possible impacts on nearby habitats, species and protected sites.

Traffic and Transport

How will traffic and parking impacts be assessed?

Traffic is another of the issues raised by residents.

If proposals move forward, traffic specialists would carry out detailed studies to understand possible impacts on local roads, junctions, access routes and parking.

The findings would form part of any future planning assessment.

Will the railway crossing be considered?

Yes, we know the railway crossing is a concern for some residents, especially during busy periods.

If future proposals are developed, the impact on the crossing would be examined as part of a wider traffic assessment.

This would help inform any future planning decisions.

Schools, Healthcare and Local Services

What impact could this have on schools, GPs and other local services?

We understand that people will want to know that local services can continue to meet the needs of existing and future residents.

If proposals progress, information would be gathered from organisations responsible for schools, healthcare and other local services to understand current capacity and future needs.

This information would help inform any future decisions.

Ground Conditions, Drainage and Flooding

What about concerns regarding methane gas, peat and ground stability?

We know this is a concern for residents. The ground investigation will look at existing records and history for the site, then take samples to check what the ground is made of and how stable it is. It will also include monitoring for gas, including methane. If any issues are found, any proposal would need to show how they would be dealt with safely before it could go ahead.

How will drainage and flood risk be assessed?

We know residents want reassurance that development would not increase flooding or drainage problems.

A flood risk assessment and drainage strategy will look at how water currently drains from the site and the surrounding area, including differences in ground level with neighbouring properties. Any proposal would need to show that it would not increase flood risk elsewhere.

Construction

What would be done to reduce disruption during construction?

If development progresses in the future, a construction management plan would be put in place.

This would help manage issues such as traffic, noise, dust, deliveries and working hours.

The aim would be to reduce disruption as much as possible during the construction period.

Housing

What types of homes could be provided through Sefton 2030?

The Sefton 2030 partnership aims to provide affordable homes in line with the current Local Plan which sets out how the borough's towns, villages, and neighbourhoods grow and identifies land for new homes, jobs and infrastructure.

At this stage, no decisions have been made about the type or number of homes that could be provided on this site.

The mix of homes would depend on local housing needs and what is suitable for the site.

Who would the homes be for?

The aim of Sefton 2030 is to help meet local housing needs.

Homes for rent would be advertised and allocated through Property Pool Plus, based on housing need.

What is affordable housing?

Affordable housing is housing that costs less than renting or buying on the open market.

It helps people who may otherwise struggle to afford a suitable home in the area where they live. Examples include:

• Social Rent - Social rent homes are rented at lower rates than most privately rented homes. They are aimed at people with the greatest housing need.
• Affordable Rent - Affordable rent homes are rented below normal market prices. This helps make housing more affordable for local people.
• Shared Ownership - Shared ownership allows people to buy a share of a home and pay rent on the remaining share. This can make home ownership more affordable.
• Rent to Buy - Rent to buy allows people to rent a home at a reduced rate while saving towards buying a home in the future.

Information and Updates

Will the Council publish the business case, valuations and other information?

We want to be as open as we can. Decisions about the site are reported to Cabinet, and those reports are published on the Council's website.

Some information, such as valuations and commercial terms, is commercially sensitive while work is ongoing and cannot be published at this stage. We will share more information, including key documents about the site, on this page as the work progresses and decisions are made.

How will I know if there are updates?

We are committed to sharing information as openly as possible.

This webpage will be updated as new information becomes available.

Residents can also follow updates through Sefton Council and Sefton 2030 communications channels.

You can also sign up to receive updates at sefton2030.co.uk.