Everton eyeing early 2021 start for new waterfront stadium

South stand view of the proposed stadium

Everton FC said work could begin on its £500m waterfront stadium in early 2021.

But it warned that it will have to overcome objections to its plans from heritage groups in the meantime.

The 52,000-seat development is expected to generate a £1bn boost for the local economy, create up to 15,000 jobs, and attract 1.5 million visitors to the city.

In an update on the project today by the club’s stadium development director, Colin Chong, he said plans to start work early next year are based on receiving planning permission from Liverpool City Council towards the end of this year.

But he cautioned the process could still be delayed should the plans for the Bramley-Moore Dock scheme need review by central government.

He said following a further public consultation, and due to the size of the application, the council might need to convene a special planning committee meeting towards the end of the year to give its determination to the application: “The detail of this determination is likely to dictate whether the application will also need to be reviewed by central government.”

He added: “This additional local consultation, together with some aspects of the project relating to third parties having slowed slightly due to the impact of COVID-19, means that – subject to planning approval and finalising our funding packages – it is most likely that work could commence on site early in 2021.”

He revealed that Merseyside Civic Society – the city’s foremost heritage group campaigning to preserve the best of Merseyside’s existing buildings and spaces – recently supported the stadium plans.

But, he warned that objections to the plans are expected to emerge in the coming months from Historic England and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a heritage body acting on behalf of UNESCO.

He said they believe the club’s proposals should be reviewed by the Government due to their concerns over the impact that plans to infill the dock could have on what is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and conservation area. Similar concerns have also been raised by the Victorian Society.

However, Mr Chong said: “While we understand the position of these organisations, we also know that local politicians, the more than 60,000 people who took part in our public consultations, our business community and third sector stakeholders all have a different view and fully support our proposals.

“The local public has told us – in huge numbers – that they believe the public benefits of our plans far outweigh the suggested level of harm to the heritage assets.”

He also revealed that the plans allow the site to be reverse-engineered back into a dock should the club decide to move or relocate in the distant future.

Following consultations, he said some minor amendments have been made to the original design, taking into account feedback.

These include the West Stand, facing the River Mersey, where a new river-facing stepped plaza has been introduced, while the multi-storey car park has been removed.

New plans for the West Stand

Solar panels originally proposed on the West Quay will now be relocated to the stadium roof, freeing up and decluttering the quay for non-matchday use and allowing for extra matchday parking.

The brick façade has been simplified, while some of the most exposed areas within the stands have been covered to better protect supporters from the elements.

Finally, in line with the council’s World Heritage Site guidance, the overall height of the stadium has been slightly reduced, without affecting capacity.

Mr Chong said: “We believe these enhancements create a stronger connection between the stadium and the Mersey – as well as offering the people of the city and visitors a fantastic new public space to enjoy within a World Heritage Site.”

East Stand south east view

The updated designs will be formally submitted to the council in early September.

The club will also being contacting season ticket and hospitality members soon, as well as supporters on waiting lists, to understand which areas of the ground they would be most likely to consider purchasing tickets for, what kind of pricing they would expect, and the type of catering and entertainment that would be preferred in hospitality lounges, concourse areas and in the fan plaza.

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