Everton in talks to buy dock next to £760m new stadium for sports-led regeneration

Everton FC’s new owners, US-based The Friedkin Group (TFG) is eyeing further redevelopment alongside the club’s new £760m Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.

Colin Chong, the club’s interim CEO, revealed their ambitions at a session in Cannes of the annual week-long MIPIM global property event.

In a boardroom shake-up last week it was announced that Chong will be replaced as CEO by Angus Kinnear, current Leeds United FC CEO, on June 1, but will remain at the club overseeing the stadium project.

Intriguingly, in his quotes  following the announcement he said: “I look forward to taking on this new role focusing on our new home and, just as importantly, the regeneration of the area around it.”

His presentation to MIPIM last Friday now throws further light on the club’s ambitions.

He was quoted by Place North West as saying that TFG is in talks with Peel Group, which owns the Liverpool Waters estate that the new stadium is located on, regarding acquiring the neighbouring Nelson Dock for further sports-led regeneration.

He said: “There was always an idea that we might be able to develop a complementary development to support the stadium’s development.

“Our new ownership has tasked me with looking for a sports-led redevelopment that could be accommodated on Nelson Dock, and maybe even further if we can get the right partners to invest.

“We are currently going through a fact-finding mission, carrying out surveys, and hopefully we will have some information back in the next month or two.”

He added: “Our owners are very keen to secure Nelson Dock because they believe they’ll do something good with it regardless – that’s their mindset, which is a breath of fresh air.

“If I was given a wish list, that would be on the top of it, secure Nelson Dock and protect the asset that we’ve just developed.”

Chong said the club will look at masterplan design before going to market following initial responses to the Nelson Dock plans.

In his address at MIPIM, he also revealed that the club is considering switching its women’s team from its current Walton Hall Park home to Goodison Park when the Blues take residence at Bramley-Moore this August.

He said demolition of the 133-year-old stadium is not an option and that it could host the women’s side for 10-15 years.