Latest stage launched in plans for £4m redevelopment of main Anfield high street

A £4m scheme to revamp the main high street in Anfield, near Liverpool FC’s stadium, creating a greener and safer experience for residents and visitors, is to be the focus of a public consultation.

Liverpool City Council is to launch the consultation next week (Wednesday, May 22) with a hat-trick of public events showcasing how the main road – and connecting streets – leading to Liverpool FC’s stadium, is to be upgraded.

This project is the latest element in a £300m investment programme in the Anfield area, which first began in 2014.

The football club, itself, has made significant investments in its ground, including a new main stand and, more recently, an £80m extension to its Anfield Road stand which boosted the stadium capacity to more than 60,000 seats.

Over the past decade the improvements have led to the creation of more than 600 new and 500 refurbished homes, a revitalised Stanley Park, new shops, environmental street works, improved community facilities and upgrades to the stadium itself.

For the new High Street scheme, the council is working in partnership with AECOM whose brief has been to design a visually more appealing and healthier public street scene with a priority to improve pedestrian movement and safety.

The focus will be on highway and public realm upgrades along Walton Breck Road, Oakfield Road, Pulford Street, Back Rockfield Road and Gilman Street.

As part of the initial design stage, the current proposals aim to improve walking routes, create wider footpaths, install new landscaping and public realm features, as well provide new trees and new underground bins.

A key proposal is a suggested reduction in speed limit on Walton Breck Road from 30mph to 20mph, between the junctions of Blessington Road, and Kemp Avenue to improve safety for pedestrians.

The highways element will also include new improved carriageways and crossings, as well as providing new on-street and resident parking bays with a focus on rationalising car parking, bus stops and taxi ranks.

And there’s a proposal to close access to Back Rockfield Road from Pulford Street, including a safe area for vehicles to turn around.

The outline designs will be on display at a trio of public drop-in events, at The Liverpool Lighthouse, Oakfield Road, L4 0U, on: Wednesday, May 22, 10am-5.30pm; Thursday, May 23, 1pm-7pm; Wednesday, June 12, 12pm-5pm.

The online consultation also goes live on May 22, and will be open for feedback until Friday, June 14.

Feedback will help shape the outline designs and a report to the council’s cabinet will be submitted in the autumn with a view to appointing a contractor to begin delivering the scheme next spring.

Feedback from the public consultation about the future for Anfield Square, and a planned way forward will be publicised in the summer.

Cllr Dan Barrington, Cabinet Member for Transport and Connectivity, said: “The redevelopment of Anfield stadium has understandably received global attention, but the works to improve the surrounding community are more important in many ways.

“Creating a healthier, greener, safer and more visually appealing high street will have a major impact on the day-to-day quality of life of our residents in this community, who have already seen a lot of improvements over the past decade.

“I hope everyone in the neighbourhood gets to visit our public consultation events and gives their feedback. Their views are vital to ensuring this scheme works and delivers long lasting improvements to living in, working in and visiting Anfield.”

Cllr Nick Small, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: “Enhancing the public spaces along Oakfield Road and Walton Breck Road is a vital aspect and a longstanding goal of the Anfield regeneration programme.

“Importantly, these proposed improvements to the high street will connect various regeneration projects in the surrounding area.

“This investment will also provide a boost to the existing businesses and those looking to invest and grow here, and there’s more improvements to come once plans for Anfield Square are formalised.”