Everton revamps £500m stadium design
Proposals for Everton FC’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock have been tweaked and the club says it expects to be on site early next year subject to planning approval.
In a letter to supporters, Everton’s stadium development director Colin Chong outlined a series of design changes to the plans submitted to Liverpool City Council last December. The club is preparing to launch a fresh public consultation on the revisions for the stadium to be located at the Port of Liverpool site.
According to the letter, the height of the stadium has been decreased “in line with the council’s Liverpool’s World Heritage site guidance”, but the capacity – 52,000 people – remains unchanged.
The multistorey car park attached to the West Stand has been scrapped in favour of a surface level car park at West Quay.
In its place, a stepped plaza facing the River Mersey has been added to the West Stand, creating an area of public realm.
The overall height of the stadium has been reduced but the capacity remains unchanged
This, along with a decision to relocate solar panels planned for West Quay to the roof of the stadium, aims to create more space for supporters on match days.
The amendments to the plans will be subject to a council-led consultation and the club hopes a planning decision will be made before the end of the year.
Once approved, lead contractor Laing O’Rourke will embark on a three-year build process.
Buro Happold and Planit-IE have been retained as engineering consultants and landscape architects respectively, according to Chong who confirmed the appointment of Pattern as project architect after the departure of Meis Studio, which designed the scheme.
The letter said “it is most likely that work could commence on site in early 2021”, however Chong said this could be subject to change.
He said: “As there are currently so many factors over which we do not have direct control, it would be unwise to commit to a specific date when our build will commence – or when we are likely to be playing in the new stadium.
“However, we have every confidence in our project plan and the team we have assembled to deliver it. And, as I’m sure you know, everyone at the club is entirely committed to getting us into a new home at Bramley-Moore Dock as soon as we possibly can.”
The amendments were made following consultation with the council, heritage and environmental organisations and other stakeholders.
