Historic city institution hosts debate on Everton expansion plans

The Athenaeum event

Members of a 222-year-old Liverpool institution heard how Everton FC’s planned new statium would provide an uplift to the city and its economy as part of the club’s ‘More Than a Game’ presentations.

The Athenaeum is a private members’ club in the heart of the city favoured by generations of Liverpool’s business community.

Everton chief executive Prof Denise Barrett-Baxendale and stadium development director Colin Chong were the special guests for a question and answer session, held in the splendour of The Athenaeum’s library, one of the greatest propriety libraries in the UK and a frequent location for TV and film crews.

They spoke about their stadium plans at Bramley-Moore Dock, and how a community-led legacy at Goodison Park could become an exemplar development.

Addressing an influential audience made up of some of the city’s key business and legal minds, Denise and Colin explained how a new stadium will not only provide a platform for the growth of the club, but also have a transformational socio-economic impact on North Liverpool and the wider Liverpool City Region – delivering a £1bn boost to the economy, the potential for up to 15,000 jobs, bringing 1.5 million new visitors to the city and more than £237m of societal value.

Guests also heard about Everton’s plans to respect and accentuate the maritime heritage of the dock site as well as how the club plans to build on the life-changing and life-saving work of Everton in the Community to develop a community-led legacy at Goodison Park.

Stadium development director Colin Chong said: “We are currently embarking on our second stage public consultation and this has been an extension of that programme.

“It was a pleasure for Denise and I to be invited to The Athenaeum, such an historic institution in our city to talk to their esteemed members about our plans.

“The positive feedback we received tonight echoes what we have heard throughout our consultation period. All the feedback we receive is invaluable to us and will be used in our planning application submissions, which are on track to be submitted before the end of 2019.”

Dr Gaynor Bresnen, president of The Athenaeum, added: “The Athenaeum has been at the centre of debate and decision-making in our great city for more than 200 years. We are delighted to have hosted Everton Football Club this evening and look forward to the positive impact that their Bramley-Moore Dock stadium project will have on the much-needed regeneration of North Liverpool.”

The People’s Project second stage public consultation is currently touring the city region.

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