I address the serious concerns raised in Horningsea Park and surrounding communities over a controversial development by Trifalga Property Group on the well‑known former Trash and Treasure market site along Camden Valley Way. The 124-lot residential subdivision called Greenlands Horningsea Park has sparked considerable backlash from the community. Residents of Horningsea Park feel their voices have been disregarded in the face of unchecked development. They believe while more housing is necessary, this proposal comes at a cost to their quality of life and neighbourhood identity. Trifalga Property Group may argue that the low-rise development addresses the housing shortage, but local residents know it will have a huge impact on their daily lives.
Despite the former Trash and Treasure site's entry point being on Camden Valley Way, the new development will seal off the main road and instead channel the vehicles from the 124 new lots into local suburban streets, which are already clogged every morning and afternoon peak. From the very beginning, the community has encountered a lack of transparency. Back in 2022, in the early stages, residents reported that they were not properly notified about the proposal, missing out on crucial opportunities for input. That is unacceptable. One resident shared with local media that she only found out about the development through a neighbour, and not through any official notice from the council or developers.
Fast-forward to 2023 and, despite concerns, the Land and Environment Court has approved the development following a conciliation conference with Liverpool City Council. The approval was granted even though the council previously rejected a similar development plan on the same site back in 2015. Back then, the council raised valid issues like the removal of land meant for public use and the potential for increased flood depths in the area, given it borders Cabramatta Creek. Unfortunately, the court's decision has left residents sidelined and powerless in the face of developers that seem able to push through plans regardless of local concerns.
The local roads were never designed to handle the additional traffic from a new estate of this size. Each morning, residents of the surrounding suburbs experience gridlock on streets that were once quiet neighbourhood roads. Now, with the addition of an estimated 200 to 300 more vehicles each day, streets like Taubman Drive, Tate Crescent and Blackman Crescent will be forced to handle traffic volumes far beyond their intended capacity. This will worsen congestion and pose risks to both drivers and pedestrians, including kids who attend the local John Edmondson High School, which is a short distance from the development. The development's traffic report dismisses this impact as "minimal", but anyone who lives in the area knows the reality.
Every additional car adds to an existing problem, and the burden on local roads will only grow worse. In May this year, I reached out to Trifalga Property Group on behalf of my constituents, formally requesting that it reconsider the design and implement a left-in, left-out access point on Camden Valley Way. The small adjustment could make a significant difference, allowing traffic to flow directly onto a collector road and relieve some of the pressure on our local streets. Trifalga has chosen to ignore my letter proposing this practical solution, instead pushing ahead with a plan that places the development's needs above the wellbeing of the local community.
However, it is not just the traffic that is concerning. No new amenities are planned to support the influx of residents that will come with this development. There is no provision for parks, additional schools or essential services—all elements that are crucial for a growing community. It is one thing to add more housing, but, without the infrastructure to support it, the development risks straining existing resources and compromising the neighbourhood's liveability. The situation highlights a broader pattern of how developers, councils and regulatory bodies fail to properly engage with the communities they are meant to serve. When residents are shut out of the consultation process or are treated as an afterthought, it erodes trust. Developers need to recognise that their responsibility does not end when they simply hand the keys over. It extends to ensuring that they develop sustainable and prosperous communities where people want to live for many years.
The people of Horningsea Park are not asking for anything unreasonable. They want their neighbourhood to remain a safe, welcoming place to live. They want to ensure that new developments add to, rather than take away from, their community's quality of life. That means developers like Trifalga need to do more than just meet the bare minimum requirements. They need to listen to the people who will be directly affected by their projects and make adjustments that honour the character and needs of the community. I urge Trifalga Property Group to heed the calls of Horningsea Park residents and revisit their plans to ensure a responsible, respectful approach to development. The residents of Horningsea Park deserve better, and we will keep fighting to make sure their voices are heard. To that end, I will be launching a petition on my website to ask Liverpool council and Trifalga Property Group to reconsider the current plans and keep the left in/left out on Camden Valley Way. I encourage everyone to jump on my website and sign that petition.
