'It would be a crying shame to lose it' - residents campaign as IM Marsh site goes up for sale

Residents are stepping up their campaign to save the former IM Marsh campus as a community sports facility after it went up for sale.

The site in Mossley Hill is owned by Liverpool John Moores University, which has put it on the market as a “development opportunity.”

Describing it as being in a “highly sought after South Liverpool suburb”, the triangular space – which is just under 12 acres – is open to offers until the end of May.

Mossley Hill Residents Association had been hoping secure the site as a sports hub for future generations, in line with its history for sports education which dates back more than 100 years.

Irene Mabel Marsh’s Liverpool Physical Training College was based on Barkhill Road from 1919 and renamed in her honour in late 1940s, becoming the first state-maintained specialist institution of its kind in the country.

It’s that proud tradition which residents are keen to maintain and, they say, any sports use would be far more beneficial to the area than more new housing.

Dave Thomas, chairman of the residents’ association, says they’re fighting a battle on two fronts – to preserve the sporting legacy and prevent the area becoming overcrowded with development.

“IM Marsh is unlike other developments because it has sporting fields and there is a shortage of them, we know that. If the site goes for housing, that could be lost and it would be crying shame for the whole community if that happened.

“Irene Marsh left that site to be used for sport and dance and for decades people did that.

“Generations have gone there for sport and they now want future generations to be able to continue to have the same opportunity. The University doesn’t want it for sport anymore but another organisation might and it could still be a facility for everybody.

“There are too many of these spaces just being eaten away and in their place we’ve got new developments everywhere.”

Dave says in addition to loss of sport-related space, another housing development would put unbearable strain on the area for current residents.

In November last year, Mossley Hill topped a list of happiest places to live in Liverpool, but he believes that’s at risk.

He said:

“It ceases to be Mossley Hill as people know it if you keep squashing in more and more new buildings. It might be an attractive area to come to but it won’t be if you can move for traffic and property.

“We’ve already got the Carnatic site which is in the final stages of planning and likely to go through this summer, and Rose Lane is already very busy. It’s only about a quarter of a mile from Carnatic to IM Marsh and the roads are so tight, it will be gridlocked around there.

“If it did go for housing that probably wouldn’t finish being built until 2031, so you’d have those two developments going on at the same time and the whole area couldn’t cope with it.

“But unfortunately the repercussions for the people who live in the area aren’t always thought about because it comes down to money.”

There is no guide price for the sale of the land, and it is open to anyone to bid, but Dave says realistically the highest bidder is likely to be a housing developer.

The sales brochure, which divides the land into two clearly outlined parcels – one with various buildings including two listed ones and another with all playing fields – highlights “a highly sought after residential area with limited new build supply.”

“We’ve got our residents’ association AGM on May 13 when we’ll be talking about what we’ve done throughout the year and also about Carnatic and IM Marsh – all four councillors coming and they’ll be able to answer questions on the night,” adds Dave.

“At the moment I’m trying to get people involved who would keep it as a site for sport. I’ve spoken to other interested parties who aren’t housing developers and I’ve sent them the brochure with the plan of the whole site.

“Let’s just hope we can keep some if not all of it.”

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