Churchtown Aviary Volunteers Continue Fight Against Closure, Sefton Council 2026

Key Points

• Churchtown Aviary Closure Motion Rejected by Sefton Council
• The Councillors rejected the motion in a vote of 35 against 27 held at Bootle Town Hall.
• The 87-year-old aviary at Botanic Gardens in Churchtown is expected to close in March 2027.
• According to Sefton Council, the site does not meet the welfare standards of animals in the current era, and the cost of maintaining the infrastructures is prohibitive.
• It plans to rehouse around 150 birds at facilities that have appropriate infrastructure.
• The officials have confirmed that euthanasia is not being considered.
• The volunteers at Botanic Gardens Community Association say that they will continue their efforts to save the aviary.
• The petition with more than 500 signatures was presented by Hannah Melling on behalf of the community association.
• The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals has supported the council’s decision to close the site.
• The efforts made earlier to pass the responsibility for the aviary and fernery to a community group failed, including those considered in 2016 and 2017.

Sefton Council (Liverpool standard) September 18, 2026 – Churchtown aviary closure plans are moving forward after Sefton Council rejected a motion calling for the historic site at Botanic Gardens to remain open, but volunteers campaigning to protect the birds and preserve the venue say they will continue their efforts.

The council voted 35–27 against the motion during a full meeting at Bootle Town Hall. The result allows Sefton Council to continue preparations for closing the 87-year-old aviary, which is expected to shut in March 2027.

The decision has prompted renewed criticism from members of the Botanic Gardens Community Association (BGCA), which has supported the aviary and helped with its running costs. The organisation says the birds should not be removed from a site that volunteers have worked to improve over several years.

As reported by the Liverpool Echo, David Cobham, chair of trustees at the BGCA, said the group intended to continue its campaign after the motion was defeated. He said volunteers “want to go further” and would not give up their efforts to protect the birds facing rehoming.

The council’s decision follows a review of the aviary’s condition, animal welfare requirements and the cost of maintaining its infrastructure. Sefton Council confirmed in July that it intended to close the facility because it was not keeping up with modern welfare standards expected for birds in its care.

What did Sefton Council decide about the aviary?

Sefton Council decided to proceed with the planned closure after councillors rejected a motion submitted by Councillor Daniel Lewis.

The motion stated that there was “significant concern” among residents, volunteers and community organisations about both the proposed closure and the way the decision had been communicated. It sought to stop the closure process while concerns could be considered.

However, councillors voted 35–27 against the motion. The vote means the council can continue preparing for the site’s closure in approximately six months, based on the timeline reported by the Liverpool Echo.

Sefton Council has said that the birds will be rehomed with organisations that have suitable facilities and expertise. It has also confirmed that euthanasia will not be considered as part of the process.

The authority’s position is that closing the aviary is necessary because the existing site does not meet the welfare standards now expected for captive birds. It has also pointed to the cost of maintaining the aviary’s infrastructure.

The council’s decision is supported by PETA, which describes itself as the world’s largest animal rights group. PETA has backed the closure because of concerns about the suitability of the facility for the birds.

What have volunteers said about the closure plans?

David Cobham criticised what he described as a lack of recognition for the work carried out by volunteers over the past five years.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo after the meeting, Cobham said the volunteers had become involved in the aviary’s operation and had helped resolve problems and improve the site. He said the aviary had been inspected by officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

According to the report, Cobham said:

“What wasn’t mentioned was how the volunteers got involved and over the last five years sorted things out and improved the aviary.”

He also questioned how the council would rehome approximately 150 birds and argued that the site already provided a sanctuary for them.

Cobham said:

“The site has been vetted by DEFRA officials and we’ve turned it into something really good. We want to go further, how are they going to rehome 150 birds?”

He added:

“This is a sanctuary, what is better anywhere else than what we have? We’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.”

Cobham concluded:

“We’re absolutely not giving up.”

The comments underline the central disagreement between the council and campaigners. Sefton Council believes the aviary’s current facilities are no longer suitable, while volunteers argue that their work has improved the site and that the birds should remain in Churchtown.

How many birds are expected to be rehomed?

Sefton Council is expected to arrange the rehoming of about 150 birds when the aviary closes.

The authority has stated that the birds will be transferred to suitably equipped organisations. It has not indicated that the animals will be euthanised, and the council has specifically said euthanasia will not be considered.

The rehoming process is likely to be a significant part of the closure preparations because the aviary currently houses a large number of birds. Campaigners have questioned whether enough suitable placements will be available and whether moving the birds would be in their best interests.

Cobham raised this issue after the council meeting by asking how the authority would rehome all 150 birds. His comments reflected the BGCA’s wider argument that the existing aviary provides an established sanctuary and that volunteers have demonstrated their ability to support it.

The council’s plan means that suitable organisations will need to be identified before the proposed closure. The arrangements will also need to account for the welfare, care requirements and compatibility of the birds being moved.

What is the Botanic Gardens Community Association doing?

The BGCA has continued to campaign against the closure and has supported the operation of the aviary.

Hannah Melling, speaking on behalf of the association, submitted a petition containing more than 500 signatures calling for the aviary to be saved. She said the public deserved a better response from Sefton Council.

The petition demonstrates that opposition to the closure extends beyond the volunteers directly involved with the site. Residents and community groups have also expressed concerns about the future of the aviary and the way the closure decision was communicated.

The BGCA has previously been involved in discussions about taking on responsibility for the aviary and fernery. Those efforts were part of wider attempts to transfer the site away from direct council responsibility.

The association also helped with running costs, making its position more than a general objection to the closure. Its representatives have argued that community involvement could provide a way to preserve the facility while addressing concerns about its management and condition.

The council’s rejection of the motion means the BGCA’s campaign will now take place while preparations for closure continue. This could include further public campaigning and attempts to challenge the decision through political or community channels.

Have there been previous attempts to save the site?

Yes. Efforts to transfer the aviary and fernery from the council’s control were made about a decade ago but did not succeed.

The Liverpool Echo reported that discussions took place in 2016 and 2017, including proposals from the BGCA to manage both facilities. Those proposals ultimately fell through.

The earlier negotiations are significant because they show that the question of who should manage the site has existed for several years. The latest dispute is therefore not the first attempt to find an alternative to direct council operation.

Since those earlier discussions, the BGCA has continued supporting the aviary’s running costs and volunteers have become more involved in improving the facility. Campaigners say this work should be taken into account before the council proceeds with closure.

Sefton Council, however, is now advancing a formal closure plan based on welfare and infrastructure concerns. The council’s position indicates that the issue is no longer simply about ownership or operating costs, but also about whether the existing buildings can meet current standards.

Why does Sefton Council want to close the 87-year-old aviary?

The council has given two main reasons for its decision: animal welfare standards and the cost of maintaining the site’s infrastructure.

According to Sefton Council’s position reported by the Liverpool Echo, the aviary is not keeping up with modern welfare standards expected for the birds in its care. The authority also considers the cost of maintaining the infrastructure to be too high.

These concerns have been disputed by volunteers, who say the aviary was inspected by Defra officials and improved through their work. The disagreement means the future of the site depends on competing assessments of its condition and suitability.

PETA has supported the council’s decision to close the aviary. Its backing adds weight to the argument that the facility should not continue operating if its design or condition cannot provide appropriate standards for the birds.

At the same time, the BGCA believes the site remains valuable as a sanctuary and that improvements made by volunteers should be considered. The association’s campaign is based on keeping the aviary open rather than accepting rehoming as the only solution.

What happens next before the proposed March 2027 closure?

Sefton Council will continue making preparations for the aviary’s closure. The reported timetable places the closure in March 2027, around six months after the council meeting.

The next stage is expected to include identifying suitable organisations to receive the birds. Any transfers would need to be organised around the welfare requirements of the animals and the capacity of the organisations involved.

The council will also need to communicate further details about the closure, including the arrangements for rehoming the birds and the future of the aviary site. The BGCA is likely to continue pressing the authority to reconsider its decision.

The rejection of Councillor Daniel Lewis’s motion does not end the campaign. It does mean, however, that the council’s closure plan remains active unless a later decision changes the position.

The dispute is now likely to focus on three issues: whether the aviary can be brought up to modern welfare standards, whether the council’s cost concerns can be addressed, and whether the birds can be safely rehomed if the facility closes.

Background to the Churchtown aviary closure

The aviary is located at Botanic Gardens in Churchtown, near Southport town centre, and has been operating for 87 years. It has become a recognised feature of the gardens and is supported by volunteers connected with the Botanic Gardens Community Association.

The BGCA has helped with the site’s running costs and has been involved in efforts to improve the aviary. Earlier proposals to manage the aviary and fernery were discussed in 2016 and 2017, but the attempts to transfer responsibility did not succeed.

Sefton Council confirmed in July 2026 that it intended to close the aviary in March 2027. The council said the facility no longer met modern animal welfare expectations and that maintaining its infrastructure was too expensive.

PETA supported the closure, while local volunteers and community campaigners opposed it. A petition containing more than 500 signatures was submitted by Hannah Melling on behalf of the BGCA.

At the council meeting, Councillor Daniel Lewis presented a motion seeking to halt the closure process. Councillors rejected the motion by 35 votes to 27, allowing the council to continue its preparations.

The Liverpool Echo report, which is the source for the details above, quotes David Cobham and Hannah Melling in their roles representing the BGCA and campaigners. The report does not identify the article’s author in the accessible page text.

How could the decision affect Southport residents and visitors?

For Southport residents and visitors, the decision could lead to the loss of a long-standing attraction at Botanic Gardens if the closure goes ahead in March 2027.

The most immediate effect will be on the birds, which the council intends to rehome with suitably equipped organisations. Volunteers and members of the public who use the aviary will also lose access to the existing facility if the planned closure is completed.

The decision may increase public attention on how councils balance animal welfare, heritage sites, community involvement and maintenance costs. It could also encourage further discussion about whether community organisations should be given more opportunities to manage local facilities when councils face financial or infrastructure pressures.

The effect on the wider Churchtown area will depend on what happens to the aviary building after the birds are removed. At present, the available report does not confirm the site’s future use or whether the structure will be retained.

The likely short-term outlook is continued campaigning by the BGCA alongside council preparations for rehoming. Unless Sefton Council changes its position, the 87-year-old aviary is expected to close in March 2027.