Everton pushes on with stadium plans

Everton FC is on track to reveal designs for a stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and plans for the future of its current home at Goodison Park this summer, after receiving more than 20,000 responses during a public consultation.

During the three-week consultation held in November, the club argued the case for what it calls The People’s Project, a scheme which will see a new stadium built at Bramley-Moore Dock followed by the demolition of Goodison; the former stadium will then be redeveloped to house community facilities, healthcare uses, and new homes.

Analysis of the consultation responses revealed 94% agreed Bramley-Moore Dock, part of Peel’s Liverpool Waters, was an appropriate location for the club’s proposed stadium, while 95% agreed Goodison Park should be developed to benefit the community.

Everton has already completed a lease agreement with Peel L&P to assume a 200-year lease on the dock, subject to the club receiving planning permission.

In total 20,168 questionnaires were completed, including more than 2,000 from non-Everton supporters, which Everton claims is one of the largest ever responses to a public consultation for a commercial development proposal in the city’s history.

The club is targeting the submission of planning applications for both projects in the second half of this year.

While design details and capacity are yet to be revealed, it is expected the stadium will take around three years to build with completion pencilled in for 2023. A contractor has not yet been appointed, while Dan Meis is connected to the project as architect.

Everton chief executive Professor Denise Barrett-Baxendale said: “These results are more than a vote of confidence in our plans; they show people recognise the transformational impact our stadium will have on North Liverpool and indeed the positive effect it will have on the wider City Region.

“A new stadium will unlock a unique opportunity for our city region by delivering a £1bn boost to the economy, 15,000 jobs and an estimated 1.5m new visitors to the city as well as the regeneration of North Liverpool, including a community-led legacy at Goodison Park.”