(UK) Liverpool: Plans made for 250 place school for severe learning difficulties, autism spectrum conditions
- The end of childhood
- Jan 22
- 2 min read
Jan 21, 2026, North West Place: Princes School move set for Liverpool go-ahead
Approval is recommended for a 250-place facility in West Derby, allowing the special educational needs provider to bring four sites together.
The Colwell Road site previously housed primary education, before closure and demolition in the early 2000s.
Liverpool City Council wants to build a new school with staff/visitor car and cycle parking, taxi and minibus drop off area, sports facilities, soft and hard landscaped areas for play, and new habitat areas.
LCC’s project was signed off in April 2025, when its cabinet approved the allocation of a capital budget of £37.3m to give Princes School a new home.
At present, the main Princes site is at Selborne Street, with children also accommodated at a satellite site in Picton and within two other schools, Matthew Arnold Primary and St Anne’s Catholic Primary. Princes’ main locations are described as in a poor condition and in need of replacement.
The school will cater for pupils aged 4-11 with severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties, and autism spectrum conditions. With a significant number of pupils non-ambulant, the design is single-storey.
At the front of the school will be an assembly hall, café, kitchen and hydrotherapy pools. Access to the site will be via Colwell Road, with the vehicular entrance proposed opposite Croxdale Road, and the exit opposite Gainford Road.
The proposals include 83 staff parking spaces, and 18 for visitors/accessible bays/EV charging/mini bus bays – the majority of pupils will arrive/ depart by minibus or taxi.
Ridge & Partners and Arbtech head the professional team.
Liverpool City Council’s planning committee is recommended to approve the project at its meeting on Tuesday 27 January. Documents can be viewed on LCC’s planning portal, reference 25F/1709.
Comments