Everton Kirkby Project
Encyclopedia
The Kirkby Project was a proposed new football stadium in Kirkby
, England
for . The plan originated in 2006, was the subject of a Public Inquiry in December 2008, but was eventually rejected by central government in November 2009. The stadium had a planned all-seated capacity of 50,401 with a provision to be expanded to 60,000.
Tesco purchased the existing town centre stores from Development Securities for £65m following DevSec's decision to withdraw their planning application for the site. Tesco also purchased an adjoining piece of land south of Cherryfield Drive for £12million from Knowsley Council. Tesco intend to reroute the River Alt
, relocate the wildlife living there and remove the woodland from the site to make it viable for the stadium.
The £52million cross-subsidy was sarcastically described as a "miracle of modern economics" by Liverpool City Council's
barrister Stephen Sauvain. He told planning inspector Wendy Burden: "Tesco’s expert doesn’t think the money is coming from Tesco and Ms Ramsey doesn’t think it’s coming from Knowsley, so it’s a miracle of modern economics, because nobody is prepared to tell you what the situation really is."
Everton director Robert Earl
had previously described Tesco's contribution as "manna from heaven" and a "non reimbursable cheque" in the Liverpool Echo.
Other stadiums which have been built with retail enablers include Parc y Scarlets
(Llanelli), McDiarmid Park
(Perth), St. Mirren Park
(Paisley), Stadium MK (Milton Keynes), Liberty Stadium
(Swansea), Ricoh Arena
(Coventry) and Halliwell Jones Stadium
(Warrington).
and another possible location in Kirkby
(in the neighbouring borough of Knowsley
) were put forward. Everton said at their AGM they have signed an exclusive deal to look at the Kirkby proposal but will not move out of the city without the fans backing. On 7 February 2007 Everton submitted their initial proposals to Knowsley Council
, with a preferred location being next to Knowsley Community College
, off Cherryfield Drive in Kirkby.
The Kirkby option included a stadium designed loosely on that of FC Köln's stadium
in Germany selected for the World Cup in 2006. It was part of a development known as 'Destination Kirkby' which was backed by Terry Leahy
the CEO of the supermarket chain Tesco
and would include a Tesco supermarket, a hotel and a retail park with car parking.
to a new stadium on the site of Kirkby Golf Course.
A fan-funded organisation was set up by supporters called 'Goodison For Everton' who later commissioned the Architects behind Twickenham's
redevelopment for a feasibility report which supports the view that Goodison Park can be redeveloped.
In 2000, Everton
released plans for a proposed new 50,000 seat stadium that would form part of the King's Dock development in Liverpool
on the Mersey
waterfront.
A ballot of supporters at this time found that, of those questioned, 85% would prefer to leave Goodison Park for a new stadium. As part of the proposal, Everton would be granted "preferred bidder" status and would contribute £30m towards the project. However, the club failed to raise the money necessary and were forced to pull out of the project in 2003.
There were rumours that Everton's preference for a new stadium site was Stanley Park, before planning approval was granted to Liverpool F.C.
were planning a new stadium
to replace Anfield
, Everton met with the then Sports Minister Richard Caborn
, the city council and representatives of Liverpool to discuss the possibility of a ground-share. This proposal was however not greeted with significant enthusiasm by either club, and so Liverpool have continued the project alone.
The ground share idea was reintroduced in 2008 when Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley told the local press that he had been working on it behind the scenes. Former CEOs at both clubs (Liverpool's Rick Parry
and Everton's Keith Wyness
) dismissed the idea as a non-starter.
However, following the rejection of the club's plans by the government and the financial problems at both Everton and Liverpool, the idea of a groundshare has been raised again.
On Goodison Park's 115th anniversary, 24 August 2007 the result was announced.
As a result Everton will continue to negotiate plans with Tesco and Knowsley Borough Council. An application was submitted to Knowsley Council by the club and Tesco
on 2 January 2008.
On 9 June 2008, Knowsley Council approved of the plans with 20 councillors voting in favour and 1 against. Keith Wyness, the club's CEO said:
"The next big step comes in the form of trying to ensure the project is not 'called-in' for inquiry form the government."
On 6 August 2008, the project was called in by the Government. In a statement by the club, Everton were said to be "disappointed by the decision.".
The outcome of the Public Inquiry will announced some time before 27 November 2009.
The stadium could be ready for the beginning of the 2012/13 football season if planning permission is granted; originally it was expected to be ready for 2010/11.
Everton are relying on selling Bellefield
, Goodison Park
and stadium naming rights
to fund the stadium build. The sale of Bellefield was delayed when the UK Government upheld Liverpool City Council's decision to reject a planning application to build 70+ houses on the land.
The rival for the Liverpool host stadium is Liverpool's
Stanley Park Stadium
. It is thought that should Stanley Park Stadium be built, it would be chosen ahead of the Kirkby Project should Liverpool's host city bid accepted. At Liverpool's host city bid launch in the Liverpool Echo Arena
, Knowsley Council representatives and Everton's managerial and playing staff failed to attend the event. Chris Bascombe
of the News of the World suggested that this was because Everton felt let down by the decision to reject planning application for Bellefield
.
in the suburb of Kirkby
, population 42,000. Fans are divided on whether Everton should relocate. The most common reason given by those who do not wish for the club to relocate is that Kirkby is outside of Liverpool and in the neighbouring borough of Knowsley. Alternatively, it is perceived by some that Liverpool's city boundaries are outdated and that the next boundary revision should see South Sefton and Knowsley
incorporated into Liverpool.
Concerns were raised by those who oppose the development that public transport for spectators may be limited as the site's location is 8 miles from Liverpool city centre.
The stadium was praised as being the "best served transportation wise of any stadium in the north west if not the UK" by Keith Wyness. Steer Davies Gleave
, the company responsible for the transport arrangements at major stadiums in the country (notably Wembley Stadium
and Emirates Stadium
), later suggested the phrasing by Wyness used was inaccurate and "comprehensive" would be a more fitting description.
The site is located adjacent to the M57
and A580 East Lancashire Road
with the M58
close by. These major roads link to the main north west
motorways of the M6
and the M62
. However there are concerns amongst some fans, Merseytravel
, and Network Rail
that the existing bus network and local railway station
will not be able to cope with the demand for a 50,401-capacity stadium.
Whilst the railway station is a short distance away from the stadium and has a direct access to Liverpool
, Wigan
and Manchester
city centres, it only has one platform and there are no current plans to add another. The costs of adding a second platform and a second rail track over the nearby motorway are prohibitively expensive. Three trains currently leave the station per hour in all directions; however Merseytravel have agreed that extra Liverpool services will be implemented on a match day, meaning up to five six-carriage trains will be used.
The club are also paying for an additional 170 or more bus services to take fans to and from the stadium before and after each game. Tesco
have pledged to build a 30-bay bus station
on the site of nearby Kirkby athletic stadium should planning permission be granted. The bus station will be one of the largest and busiest in Merseyside. It is expected to process upwards of 16,000 fans on a match day.
Opinion is divided between both Everton supporters and Kirkby residents on the project. Some believe that the associated traffic problems may bring the town centre to a stand-still, whilst many others believe the stadium will be a catalyst for Kirkby's regeneration.
Liverpool Council Leader, Liberal Democrat
Warren Bradley
, was in attendance and stated that the City Council have a strong desire to keep Everton Football Club within the city. He and Joe Anderson
, leader of the opposition Labour group
, later accused the previous council of 'shame' in not doing enough to keep Everton within the city boundaries.
Former Everton players have backed the KEIOC movement including ex-Everton fans favourite Duncan Ferguson and Tony Kay
.Everton manager David Moyes
was photographed with fan campaign group Keep Everton In Our City during a pre-season tour in the United States
. A club official said '"He was not aware of the wording on the banner when the photograph was taken.'". David Moyes has never commented.
Keep Everton In Our City went on to voice their concerns over the stadium proposal at the Public Inquiry.
has announced that Everton FC are looking to sell naming rights for the proposed new stadium.
The Club's press officer Ian Ross said that the club could obtain up to £6million per annum for the naming rights.
He said: "We are currently in the throes of finding the best naming rights deal. That has involved meeting some of the biggest companies in the world."
"We could be looking at deals which generate maybe £5m or £6m a year. As Keith Wyness has hinted already, the whole thing could be self-financing."
Earlier Robert Elstone
, the club's then deputy Chief Executive Officer had said the figure would be closer to £4.5million per annum.
Elstone also said: 'We are known as the people's club and so we are trying to live up to that. We're looking for a brand that fits with the consumers, who are typically 18-35 year old males.' Elstone said the club is looking to secure a 15-year deal and that the brand could be the same company that sponsors the club's shirt as is the case with Bolton and Reebok, and Arsenal and Emirates.
The club appointed Anschutz Entertainment Group
(AEG) to find a company willing to purchase the stadium naming rights. Two Liverpool based companies Ampersand Communications and Mocha were commissioned to create a DVD and interactive pop-up book. Everton gave 500 DVDs and DVD players to prospective partners.
Robert Elstone revealed he had been in talks with Japanese company.
"This scheme does not meet the criteria in terms of design quality set out in PPS1 and we do not think that it should receive planning permission.".
It was also described as "at best, a lost opportunity".
, Sefton Council, West Lancashire Council
and St Helens Council
as they felt that the accompanying retail park would have a detrimental effect to towns in their area. The Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley
referred to the Everton's proposed stadium in Kirkby as "a cow shed in a small town". The objections led to more controversy as Knowsley councillor Eddie Connor publicly stated that Liverpool political party leaders Warren Bradley
and Joe Anderson
should not have been able to address their planning committee's due to their footballing allegiances to Everton.
Joe Anderson responded angrily to the suggestion that he was putting football before his civic duty and responded "Let me be clear to both EFC and Knowsley Council, you will not silence me on speaking out and representing what I believe to be in the best interests of the people of Liverpool, that is what I am elected to do."
The Duke of Westminster's
company Grosvenor
and developers St. Modwen Properties
lodged an objection. Grosvenor argued that the development may have an adverse affect on Liverpool city centre (but not their own Liverpool One project) and St. Modwen stated that nearby Skelmersdale
would suffer if the development went ahead.
"In reality, if there be any cross subsidy of the Everton Football Club Stadium, it is not being generated by the retail proposal but in fact by public sector subsidy through reduced land receipt from the proposed disposal."
They suggested that it would be funded from land value increases as a result of planning permission being given for a retail park
being given on what is currently public land:
"Given that Everton Football Club is a private company and not a community facility owned by the community, it seems to me that what really lies beneath this proposal is arguably nothing other than State aid to Everton Football Club."
.
7.12 If Kirkby and Knowsley became the home and 'partner' of Everton FC, the borough would be in line to receive a significant amount of publicity on an international stage. The exact details of the new Premier League TV deal are still to be finalised and there will need to be discussions between the Council and Everton over the branding and media links between the two parties. Issues are likely to include how Knowsley brands itself as "The Home of Everton FC"
The council currently does this on the M57 motorway
with hoardings advertising the borough as home of QVC
. They also intend to move Everton's charity 'Everton in the community' and BBL
Basketball Team Everton Tigers
to Knowsley.
Further community benefits from the redevelopment include the new civic facilities, including a library and gallery, and the provision of community services by Everton in the Community from a new local base.
. However he dismissed it as he did not believe it would have the potential for a 75,000 capacity stadium. Sir Anwar Pervez
and his company Bestway
devised an alternative stadium scheme with Liverpool City Council. It would have seen Everton move to just outside Liverpool city centre. Bestway property director Malcolm Carter said: "We have recently been presented with an opportunity which, for the city, would combine the massive desirability of allowing Everton FC to remain within the city of Liverpool and come home to Everton, while acting as a catalyst for the regeneration of the wider area. This would involve developing a new stadium and associated commercial enterprises both within our existing location and on neighbouring sites. Bestway already has a design team in place and are in discussion with a stadium contractor about working up proposals which, from an initial assessment, are very feasible. We know that a football stadium will fit into our site and could work in this location. It would be the blue heart of the city."
Everton fans voted to move to Kirkby in a ballot and Scotland Road site plans were put on hiatus.
, the club's CEO has stated Everton
will pay a "peppercorn rent" but has not given an exact sum. Tesco will sign a 999 year lease for the land from Knowsley Council and Everton FC will sub-lease from supermarket giants Tesco
.
Liverpool City Council Regeneration and Transport Select Committee meeting on 10 February 2011, proposes to open the eastern section of the Liverpool Outer Loop line from Hunts Cross to Walton using "Liverpool Football Club and Everton Football Club as priorities, as economic enablers of the project". This proposal would place both football clubs on a rapid-transit Merseyrail
line circling the city giving high throughput, fast transport access. This would entail Liverpool FC abandoning the relocation plans from their Anfield
ground to the planned nearby Stanley Park Stadium
.
Kirkby
Kirkby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in the metropolitan county of Merseyside in England. The town was developed from the 1950s through 1970s as a means to house the overspill of Liverpool. It is situated roughly north of Huyton, the administrative HQ of the borough and about...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for . The plan originated in 2006, was the subject of a Public Inquiry in December 2008, but was eventually rejected by central government in November 2009. The stadium had a planned all-seated capacity of 50,401 with a provision to be expanded to 60,000.
Tesco and Knowsley Partnership
The stadium was to have been be part of a retail park complex which has been planned by Tesco and Knowsley Council. The stadium would have cost Everton Football Club £78million to build, and supermarket giants Tesco's involvement would have provided £52million of 'value'. The overall stadium value was reported as a minimum of £130million up to £150million. It was not been revealed how Tesco's involvement would have benefited Everton FC because of "confidentiality issues" and no details on costing was given at the Public Inquiry which was called to see whether the project could go ahead.Tesco purchased the existing town centre stores from Development Securities for £65m following DevSec's decision to withdraw their planning application for the site. Tesco also purchased an adjoining piece of land south of Cherryfield Drive for £12million from Knowsley Council. Tesco intend to reroute the River Alt
River Alt
The River Alt is in Merseyside, England.The Alt runs from Hag Plantation in Huyton at , through Croxteth Park, roughly follows the M57 motorway south of Kirkby, then flows north of Aintree and south of Maghull...
, relocate the wildlife living there and remove the woodland from the site to make it viable for the stadium.
The £52million cross-subsidy was sarcastically described as a "miracle of modern economics" by Liverpool City Council's
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
barrister Stephen Sauvain. He told planning inspector Wendy Burden: "Tesco’s expert doesn’t think the money is coming from Tesco and Ms Ramsey doesn’t think it’s coming from Knowsley, so it’s a miracle of modern economics, because nobody is prepared to tell you what the situation really is."
Everton director Robert Earl
Robert Earl
Robert Earl may refer to:* Robert Earl * Robert Earl * Robert Earl * Robert Earl , Chief Judge of the NY Court of Appeals 1870 and 1892...
had previously described Tesco's contribution as "manna from heaven" and a "non reimbursable cheque" in the Liverpool Echo.
Other stadiums which have been built with retail enablers include Parc y Scarlets
Parc y Scarlets
Parc y Scarlets is a rugby union stadium in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, that opened in November 2008 as the new home of the Scarlets and Llanelli RFC. The ground replaced Stradey Park, the home of Llanelli's rugby teams for almost 130 years...
(Llanelli), McDiarmid Park
McDiarmid Park
McDiarmid Park is a football stadium in Perth, Scotland, the home ground of St. Johnstone FC. It has an all-seated capacity of 10,673.-History:...
(Perth), St. Mirren Park
St. Mirren Park
St. Mirren Park, more commonly known as Love Street, was a football stadium located on Love Street in Paisley, Scotland. At one time the stadium was capable of accommodating almost 50,000 spectators, however in its final years it had an all-seated capacity of 10,800. Until its closure in 2009, St....
(Paisley), Stadium MK (Milton Keynes), Liberty Stadium
Liberty Stadium, Swansea
The Liberty Stadium is a purpose-built sports stadium and conferencing venue in the Landore area of Swansea, Wales. The stadium is all-seated, with a capacity of 20,532 making it the largest purpose-built venue in Swansea and the third largest stadium in Wales after the Millennium Stadium and the...
(Swansea), Ricoh Arena
Ricoh Arena
The Ricoh Arena , home to Coventry City F.C., is a stadium complex situated in the Rowleys Green district of the city of Coventry, England containing a 32,609 seater football stadium, a 6,000 square-metre exhibition hall, a hotel, a leisure club, and a casino...
(Coventry) and Halliwell Jones Stadium
Halliwell Jones Stadium
Halliwell Jones Stadium is a rugby league stadium in Warrington, England that is the home ground of Warrington Wolves. It has also staged Challenge Cup semi-finals, the European Nations Final and the National League Grand Finals' Day....
(Warrington).
Early move plans
In December 2004, Everton again began looking at the possibility of leaving Goodison Park for a new stadium. In 2006, two possibilities of a location for the ground being in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and another possible location in Kirkby
Kirkby
Kirkby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in the metropolitan county of Merseyside in England. The town was developed from the 1950s through 1970s as a means to house the overspill of Liverpool. It is situated roughly north of Huyton, the administrative HQ of the borough and about...
(in the neighbouring borough of Knowsley
Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley
The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England. It comprises the towns of Kirkby, Prescot, Huyton, Whiston, Halewood and Cronton; Kirkby, Huyton, and Prescot being the major commercial centres...
) were put forward. Everton said at their AGM they have signed an exclusive deal to look at the Kirkby proposal but will not move out of the city without the fans backing. On 7 February 2007 Everton submitted their initial proposals to Knowsley Council
Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley
The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England. It comprises the towns of Kirkby, Prescot, Huyton, Whiston, Halewood and Cronton; Kirkby, Huyton, and Prescot being the major commercial centres...
, with a preferred location being next to Knowsley Community College
Knowsley Community College
Knowsley Community College is a further education college based over three sites in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, in Merseyside, England....
, off Cherryfield Drive in Kirkby.
The Kirkby option included a stadium designed loosely on that of FC Köln's stadium
RheinEnergieStadion
The RheinEnergieStadion is a football stadium in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was built on the site of the two previous Müngersdorfer stadiums. It is the home of the local Bundesliga team, 1. FC Köln. The stadium was one of the 12 hosting the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
in Germany selected for the World Cup in 2006. It was part of a development known as 'Destination Kirkby' which was backed by Terry Leahy
Terry Leahy
Sir Terry Leahy is a former CEO of Tesco, the largest British supermarket chain.He lives in Cuffley, Hertfordshire, with his wife, Alison and his three children.- Early life :...
the CEO of the supermarket chain Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
and would include a Tesco supermarket, a hotel and a retail park with car parking.
Kirkby Golf Course and King's Dock
In 1996, Everton FC under Peter Johnson released plans to relocate EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
to a new stadium on the site of Kirkby Golf Course.
A fan-funded organisation was set up by supporters called 'Goodison For Everton' who later commissioned the Architects behind Twickenham's
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
redevelopment for a feasibility report which supports the view that Goodison Park can be redeveloped.
In 2000, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
released plans for a proposed new 50,000 seat stadium that would form part of the King's Dock development in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
on the Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
waterfront.
A ballot of supporters at this time found that, of those questioned, 85% would prefer to leave Goodison Park for a new stadium. As part of the proposal, Everton would be granted "preferred bidder" status and would contribute £30m towards the project. However, the club failed to raise the money necessary and were forced to pull out of the project in 2003.
There were rumours that Everton's preference for a new stadium site was Stanley Park, before planning approval was granted to Liverpool F.C.
Ground-Share
In 2005, with the announcement that LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
were planning a new stadium
Stanley Park Stadium
Stanley Park is a proposed football stadium in Liverpool that if built, would become home to Liverpool Football Club. The stadium would have a capacity of 60,000 to 72,000 all-seated if built as originally planned...
to replace Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, Everton met with the then Sports Minister Richard Caborn
Richard Caborn
Richard George Caborn PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central from 1983 to 2010...
, the city council and representatives of Liverpool to discuss the possibility of a ground-share. This proposal was however not greeted with significant enthusiasm by either club, and so Liverpool have continued the project alone.
The ground share idea was reintroduced in 2008 when Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley told the local press that he had been working on it behind the scenes. Former CEOs at both clubs (Liverpool's Rick Parry
Rick Parry
Rick Parry is the former chief executive of Liverpool Football Club, and the former head of the FA Premier League. He is currently on the board of directors at New York Cosmos .-Career:...
and Everton's Keith Wyness
Keith Wyness
Keith Wyness is a Scottish businessman, who was chief executive officer of Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen and then Premier League club Everton during the 2000s.-Early years:...
) dismissed the idea as a non-starter.
However, following the rejection of the club's plans by the government and the financial problems at both Everton and Liverpool, the idea of a groundshare has been raised again.
Proposed plans
On 20 July 2007 the proposed stadium plans were produced for the Kirkby option. However prior to this Everton conducted a ballot to decide if it was the best option would be held with eligible voters being current season ticket holders, individuals who have had a season ticket in the last three years, adult Evertonia members and shareholders. Complimentary season ticket holders were not eligible to vote.On Goodison Park's 115th anniversary, 24 August 2007 the result was announced.
As a result Everton will continue to negotiate plans with Tesco and Knowsley Borough Council. An application was submitted to Knowsley Council by the club and Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
on 2 January 2008.
On 9 June 2008, Knowsley Council approved of the plans with 20 councillors voting in favour and 1 against. Keith Wyness, the club's CEO said:
"The next big step comes in the form of trying to ensure the project is not 'called-in' for inquiry form the government."
On 6 August 2008, the project was called in by the Government. In a statement by the club, Everton were said to be "disappointed by the decision.".
The outcome of the Public Inquiry will announced some time before 27 November 2009.
Stand Capacities
These are approximate for Planning Statement purposes and include general spectators, hospitality, directors, disabled, press and media but exclude players.| Lower Tier | Upper Tier | Tier Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Stand | 5,684 | 5,378 | 11,062 |
| West Stand | 6,725 | 7,232 | 13,957 |
| East Stand | 7,030 | 7,300 | 14,330 |
| South Stand (includes away section) |
5,674 | 5,378 | 11,052 |
| Total | 25,113 | 25,288 | 50,401 |
Financial Benefits of Moving
Everton's financial advisors (Deloitte) have revealed that "the annual potential financial benefit to the club of the new stadium is of the order of £6m" Deloitte also suggested that Everton's ability to raise over £80m for the stadium was "questionable".The stadium could be ready for the beginning of the 2012/13 football season if planning permission is granted; originally it was expected to be ready for 2010/11.
Everton are relying on selling Bellefield
Bellefield
Bellefield, in West Derby, Liverpool, is Everton FC's former training ground.Bellefield had been Everton FC's training ground since 1946. It was purchased in 1965 from landowner Mr Tyson and Everton developed it so it was ready by summer of 1966...
, Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
and stadium naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
to fund the stadium build. The sale of Bellefield was delayed when the UK Government upheld Liverpool City Council's decision to reject a planning application to build 70+ houses on the land.
2018 World Cup
There is a chance that the stadium would be used for the England's bid for the 2018 World Cup. FIFA rules dictate that only one city can have two host stadia, and no other city can have more than one. The proposed stadium is part of Liverpool's bid. It is not known whether the plans meet FIFA's recommendations.The rival for the Liverpool host stadium is Liverpool's
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
Stanley Park Stadium
Stanley Park Stadium
Stanley Park is a proposed football stadium in Liverpool that if built, would become home to Liverpool Football Club. The stadium would have a capacity of 60,000 to 72,000 all-seated if built as originally planned...
. It is thought that should Stanley Park Stadium be built, it would be chosen ahead of the Kirkby Project should Liverpool's host city bid accepted. At Liverpool's host city bid launch in the Liverpool Echo Arena
Liverpool Echo Arena
Echo Arena Liverpool is the arena half of ACC Liverpool located on the former King's Dock in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. The BT Convention Centre forms the other half of the complex...
, Knowsley Council representatives and Everton's managerial and playing staff failed to attend the event. Chris Bascombe
Chris Bascombe
Chris Bascombe is a sports journalist.Bascombe, a Liverpool F.C. fan was threatened by fellow supporters for moving from the Liverpool Echo to the NewsCorp owned News of the World.-References:...
of the News of the World suggested that this was because Everton felt let down by the decision to reject planning application for Bellefield
Bellefield
Bellefield, in West Derby, Liverpool, is Everton FC's former training ground.Bellefield had been Everton FC's training ground since 1946. It was purchased in 1965 from landowner Mr Tyson and Everton developed it so it was ready by summer of 1966...
.
Location and transportation
The site for proposed stadium is 4 miles from Goodison ParkGoodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
in the suburb of Kirkby
Kirkby
Kirkby is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in the metropolitan county of Merseyside in England. The town was developed from the 1950s through 1970s as a means to house the overspill of Liverpool. It is situated roughly north of Huyton, the administrative HQ of the borough and about...
, population 42,000. Fans are divided on whether Everton should relocate. The most common reason given by those who do not wish for the club to relocate is that Kirkby is outside of Liverpool and in the neighbouring borough of Knowsley. Alternatively, it is perceived by some that Liverpool's city boundaries are outdated and that the next boundary revision should see South Sefton and Knowsley
Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley
The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England. It comprises the towns of Kirkby, Prescot, Huyton, Whiston, Halewood and Cronton; Kirkby, Huyton, and Prescot being the major commercial centres...
incorporated into Liverpool.
Concerns were raised by those who oppose the development that public transport for spectators may be limited as the site's location is 8 miles from Liverpool city centre.
The stadium was praised as being the "best served transportation wise of any stadium in the north west if not the UK" by Keith Wyness. Steer Davies Gleave
Steer Davies Gleave
Steer Davies Gleave is an independent consultancy working worldwide across the transport sector.Founded in 1978 in the UK, the company has grown into an international business employing around 350 staff in 15 offices...
, the company responsible for the transport arrangements at major stadiums in the country (notably Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
and Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
), later suggested the phrasing by Wyness used was inaccurate and "comprehensive" would be a more fitting description.
The site is located adjacent to the M57
M57 motorway
The M57 motorway, also known as the Liverpool Outer Ring Road, is a road in England. Designed as a bypass road for Liverpool, it is long and links various towns east of the city, as well as the M62 and M58 motorways.-Route:...
and A580 East Lancashire Road
A580 road
The A580 is a primary A road in England that connects Walton, near Liverpool and Salford, near Manchester and known officially as Liverpool-East Lancashire Road. Locally, the road is shortened to the "East Lancs". The road was designed and built to provide better access to the Port of Liverpool for...
with the M58
M58 motorway
The M58 is a motorway passing through Merseyside and Lancashire, terminating in Greater Manchester, England. It is 12 miles long and provides a link between the M6 motorway and the area north of Liverpool.-Route:...
close by. These major roads link to the main north west
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
motorways of the M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
and the M62
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
. However there are concerns amongst some fans, Merseytravel
Merseytravel
Merseytravel Merseytravel Merseytravel (MPTE, or Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive, is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination of public transport in the metropolitan county of Merseyside, England...
, and Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
that the existing bus network and local railway station
Kirkby railway station
Kirkby railway station is situated in Kirkby, Merseyside, England. The station is an interchange between Merseyrail services from Liverpool Central and Northern Rail services from Manchester Victoria via Wigan Wallgate....
will not be able to cope with the demand for a 50,401-capacity stadium.
Whilst the railway station is a short distance away from the stadium and has a direct access to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
city centres, it only has one platform and there are no current plans to add another. The costs of adding a second platform and a second rail track over the nearby motorway are prohibitively expensive. Three trains currently leave the station per hour in all directions; however Merseytravel have agreed that extra Liverpool services will be implemented on a match day, meaning up to five six-carriage trains will be used.
The club are also paying for an additional 170 or more bus services to take fans to and from the stadium before and after each game. Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
have pledged to build a 30-bay bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
on the site of nearby Kirkby athletic stadium should planning permission be granted. The bus station will be one of the largest and busiest in Merseyside. It is expected to process upwards of 16,000 fans on a match day.
Opinion is divided between both Everton supporters and Kirkby residents on the project. Some believe that the associated traffic problems may bring the town centre to a stand-still, whilst many others believe the stadium will be a catalyst for Kirkby's regeneration.
Keep Everton In Our City Campaign
At an open meeting for Evertonians on 10 March 2007, a movement named Keep Everton In Our City (KEIOC) was inaugurated, with the stated aim of preventing Everton Football Club moving to a site that they did not feel was adequate for a Premier league football club for varying reasons.Liverpool Council Leader, Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
Warren Bradley
Warren Bradley (politician)
Warren Bradley is a British firefighter, politician and a former Liberal Democrat . He is a councillor for the Wavertree ward as well as the former Leader of Liverpool City Council, Before taking over as leader of the council from former Liverpool Liberal Democrats leader, Mike Storey, he was the...
, was in attendance and stated that the City Council have a strong desire to keep Everton Football Club within the city. He and Joe Anderson
Joe Anderson (politician)
Joe Anderson is leader of the Labour Party in Liverpool, England and the incumbent head of Liverpool City Council after his party won a majority of seats in the 2010 Liverpool council elections...
, leader of the opposition Labour group
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, later accused the previous council of 'shame' in not doing enough to keep Everton within the city boundaries.
Former Everton players have backed the KEIOC movement including ex-Everton fans favourite Duncan Ferguson and Tony Kay
Tony Kay
Anthony Herbert Kay is a former English footballer who became notorious after being banned from the professional game for life following the British betting scandal of 1964....
.Everton manager David Moyes
David Moyes
David William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...
was photographed with fan campaign group Keep Everton In Our City during a pre-season tour in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A club official said '"He was not aware of the wording on the banner when the photograph was taken.'". David Moyes has never commented.
Keep Everton In Our City went on to voice their concerns over the stadium proposal at the Public Inquiry.
Naming Rights
Everton chairman Bill KenwrightBill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
has announced that Everton FC are looking to sell naming rights for the proposed new stadium.
The Club's press officer Ian Ross said that the club could obtain up to £6million per annum for the naming rights.
He said: "We are currently in the throes of finding the best naming rights deal. That has involved meeting some of the biggest companies in the world."
"We could be looking at deals which generate maybe £5m or £6m a year. As Keith Wyness has hinted already, the whole thing could be self-financing."
Earlier Robert Elstone
Robert Elstone
Robert Colin Elstone is British businessman, who is the current CEO of Everton Football Club.He attended the University of Hull and is a qualified accountant. He was originally a financial controller at a Barnsley-based lead-processing plant...
, the club's then deputy Chief Executive Officer had said the figure would be closer to £4.5million per annum.
Elstone also said: 'We are known as the people's club and so we are trying to live up to that. We're looking for a brand that fits with the consumers, who are typically 18-35 year old males.' Elstone said the club is looking to secure a 15-year deal and that the brand could be the same company that sponsors the club's shirt as is the case with Bolton and Reebok, and Arsenal and Emirates.
The club appointed Anschutz Entertainment Group
Anschutz Entertainment Group
The Anschutz Entertainment Group is a sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports events, the owner of the world’s most profitable sports and entertainment venues, and under AEG Live the world's...
(AEG) to find a company willing to purchase the stadium naming rights. Two Liverpool based companies Ampersand Communications and Mocha were commissioned to create a DVD and interactive pop-up book. Everton gave 500 DVDs and DVD players to prospective partners.
Robert Elstone revealed he had been in talks with Japanese company.
CABE
In March 2008, a government body, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment issued a report that stated:"This scheme does not meet the criteria in terms of design quality set out in PPS1 and we do not think that it should receive planning permission.".
It was also described as "at best, a lost opportunity".
Local authorities
A number of local authorities objected to the scheme including Liverpool City CouncilLiverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
, Sefton Council, West Lancashire Council
West Lancashire
West Lancashire is a non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Ormskirk. The other town in the borough is Skelmersdale....
and St Helens Council
Metropolitan Borough of St Helens
The Metropolitan Borough of St Helens is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It is named after its largest town St Helens, and covers an area which includes the settlements of Newton-le-Willows, Earlestown, Haydock, Rainhill, Eccleston, Clock Face, Billinge and...
as they felt that the accompanying retail park would have a detrimental effect to towns in their area. The Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley
Warren Bradley (politician)
Warren Bradley is a British firefighter, politician and a former Liberal Democrat . He is a councillor for the Wavertree ward as well as the former Leader of Liverpool City Council, Before taking over as leader of the council from former Liverpool Liberal Democrats leader, Mike Storey, he was the...
referred to the Everton's proposed stadium in Kirkby as "a cow shed in a small town". The objections led to more controversy as Knowsley councillor Eddie Connor publicly stated that Liverpool political party leaders Warren Bradley
Warren Bradley (politician)
Warren Bradley is a British firefighter, politician and a former Liberal Democrat . He is a councillor for the Wavertree ward as well as the former Leader of Liverpool City Council, Before taking over as leader of the council from former Liverpool Liberal Democrats leader, Mike Storey, he was the...
and Joe Anderson
Joe Anderson
Joe Anderson is an English film actor, probably best known for his performances in Across the Universe, Becoming Jane, Control, The Ruins and The Crazies.-Personal Life:...
should not have been able to address their planning committee's due to their footballing allegiances to Everton.
Joe Anderson responded angrily to the suggestion that he was putting football before his civic duty and responded "Let me be clear to both EFC and Knowsley Council, you will not silence me on speaking out and representing what I believe to be in the best interests of the people of Liverpool, that is what I am elected to do."
The Duke of Westminster's
Duke of Westminster
The title Duke of Westminster was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. The current holder of the title is Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster....
company Grosvenor
Grosvenor
-Baronets/Marquesses/Dukes of Westminster::*Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baronet *Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet , son of 1st baronet*Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet , grandson of 2nd baronet...
and developers St. Modwen Properties
St. Modwen Properties
St. Modwen Properties plc is a British-based property investment and development business specialising in the regeneration and remediation of brownfield land and urban environments...
lodged an objection. Grosvenor argued that the development may have an adverse affect on Liverpool city centre (but not their own Liverpool One project) and St. Modwen stated that nearby Skelmersdale
Skelmersdale
Skelmersdale is a town in West Lancashire, England. It lies on high-ground on the River Tawd, to the west of Wigan, to the northeast of Liverpool, south-southwest of Preston. As of 2006, Skelmersdale had a population of 38,813, down from 41,000 in 2004. The town is known locally as Skem.The...
would suffer if the development went ahead.
State Aid accusations
Liverpool City Council representatives Cushman and Wakefield suggested that Everton are attempting to receive state aid as they will not fund their share of the stadium from retail enabling as Everton originally stated."In reality, if there be any cross subsidy of the Everton Football Club Stadium, it is not being generated by the retail proposal but in fact by public sector subsidy through reduced land receipt from the proposed disposal."
They suggested that it would be funded from land value increases as a result of planning permission being given for a retail park
Retail park
In the United Kingdom, a retail park is a grouping of many retail warehouses and superstores with associated car parking. Its North American equivalent is a power centre. Retail parks are found on the fringes of most large towns and cities in highly accessible locations and are aimed at households...
being given on what is currently public land:
"Given that Everton Football Club is a private company and not a community facility owned by the community, it seems to me that what really lies beneath this proposal is arguably nothing other than State aid to Everton Football Club."
Rebranding of Kirkby
Knowsley Council announced that they are looking to brand itself as the 'home' of Everton FC, to help boost the national profile of KnowsleyMetropolitan Borough of Knowsley
The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England. It comprises the towns of Kirkby, Prescot, Huyton, Whiston, Halewood and Cronton; Kirkby, Huyton, and Prescot being the major commercial centres...
.
7.12 If Kirkby and Knowsley became the home and 'partner' of Everton FC, the borough would be in line to receive a significant amount of publicity on an international stage. The exact details of the new Premier League TV deal are still to be finalised and there will need to be discussions between the Council and Everton over the branding and media links between the two parties. Issues are likely to include how Knowsley brands itself as "The Home of Everton FC"
The council currently does this on the M57 motorway
M57 motorway
The M57 motorway, also known as the Liverpool Outer Ring Road, is a road in England. Designed as a bypass road for Liverpool, it is long and links various towns east of the city, as well as the M62 and M58 motorways.-Route:...
with hoardings advertising the borough as home of QVC
QVC (UK)
QVC UK is a digital television shopping channel broadcast in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1993 when QVC, Inc. formed a deal with Sky TV to create a UK version of the US channel. "QVC — The Shopping Channel" first broadcast in the UK on 1 October 1993. QVC UK - 20% owned by Sky - moved into...
. They also intend to move Everton's charity 'Everton in the community' and BBL
British Basketball League
The British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
Basketball Team Everton Tigers
Everton Tigers
The Mersey Tigers are a professional basketball team based in the city of Liverpool, in England. The club was established in 2007 as a start-up franchise of the British Basketball League, the country's elite competition...
to Knowsley.
Further community benefits from the redevelopment include the new civic facilities, including a library and gallery, and the provision of community services by Everton in the Community from a new local base.
Scotland Road
Former Everton Chief Executive, Keith Wyness met with Liverpool City Council to discuss an alternative site within the city in the Everton district adjacent to Scotland Road on land known as the 'loop' next to the Wallasey TunnelKingsway Tunnel
The Kingsway Tunnel is a road tunnel under the River Mersey in Merseyside, northwest England, and runs between Liverpool and Wallasey. It is one and half miles long and is often called the Wallasey Tunnel to distinguish it from the older Queensway Tunnel which runs between Liverpool and...
. However he dismissed it as he did not believe it would have the potential for a 75,000 capacity stadium. Sir Anwar Pervez
Anwar Pervez
Sir Anwar Pervez , OBE, Hilal-i-Pakistan, is a businessman in the United Kingdom. He is the founder and Chairman of Bestway Group.-Career:...
and his company Bestway
Bestway
-Background:Bestway Group is UK’s second largest Cash & Carry operator, and is the second largest cement producer in Pakistan; and joint owners of Pakistan’s third largest bank; they are the largest overseas Pakistani investor with investments in excess of US$1.0 billion.-History:In 1976 Sir Anwar...
devised an alternative stadium scheme with Liverpool City Council. It would have seen Everton move to just outside Liverpool city centre. Bestway property director Malcolm Carter said: "We have recently been presented with an opportunity which, for the city, would combine the massive desirability of allowing Everton FC to remain within the city of Liverpool and come home to Everton, while acting as a catalyst for the regeneration of the wider area. This would involve developing a new stadium and associated commercial enterprises both within our existing location and on neighbouring sites. Bestway already has a design team in place and are in discussion with a stadium contractor about working up proposals which, from an initial assessment, are very feasible. We know that a football stadium will fit into our site and could work in this location. It would be the blue heart of the city."
Everton fans voted to move to Kirkby in a ballot and Scotland Road site plans were put on hiatus.
Ownership
Knowsley Council will be the stadium operators and they will directly negotiate the sub-lease terms with Everton. Keith WynessKeith Wyness
Keith Wyness is a Scottish businessman, who was chief executive officer of Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen and then Premier League club Everton during the 2000s.-Early years:...
, the club's CEO has stated Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
will pay a "peppercorn rent" but has not given an exact sum. Tesco will sign a 999 year lease for the land from Knowsley Council and Everton FC will sub-lease from supermarket giants Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
.
Rejection by the Government
On 25 November 2009 Everton's plans to build a new stadium in Kirkby were rejected by the government. They are now exploring other options as well as working to fix the problems found in the Kirkby proposal. A shared stadium with rival Liverpool is also an option.Liverpool City Council Regeneration and Transport Select Committee meeting on 10 February 2011, proposes to open the eastern section of the Liverpool Outer Loop line from Hunts Cross to Walton using "Liverpool Football Club and Everton Football Club as priorities, as economic enablers of the project". This proposal would place both football clubs on a rapid-transit Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
line circling the city giving high throughput, fast transport access. This would entail Liverpool FC abandoning the relocation plans from their Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
ground to the planned nearby Stanley Park Stadium
Stanley Park Stadium
Stanley Park is a proposed football stadium in Liverpool that if built, would become home to Liverpool Football Club. The stadium would have a capacity of 60,000 to 72,000 all-seated if built as originally planned...
.