December 22
Stadium move update

TEAMtalk

English Heritage confirmed on Friday that they would oppose Liverpool's plans to build a new ground on nearby Stanley Park. 

The Reds are keen to stay in the Anfield area of the city, either at a newly-built ground in the park or an an expanded Anfield, but it now appears that the latter option could be the only way forward after the latest opposition to their plans. 

A spokesman for English Heritage said on Friday: "Stanley Park is one of the city's finest registered parks and we would have serious concern about a major development there." 

Meanwhile, Anfield Lib Dem Councillor Joe Kenny, who has been spearheading the fight against a new stadium in the area said: "This is the best Christmas present the people of Anfield could have wished for. This is a very big step forward and a great boost for the campaign." 

Breckfield councillor Harry Jones added: "I believe this adds weight to the argument that the stadium should not be built on Stanley Park," and Council leader Mike Storey admitted the views of English Heritage will be taken into account when a final decision is made public. 

October 12
Reds' home fixture

By Mark Thomas/Liverpool Echo

Liverpool Football Club today called on the city council and the Anfield community to become its partners in the development of its new home.

The club pledged its future to the Anfield area - but warned that without public sector backing it may not be able to afford the huge costs of building a new stadium in Stanley Park.

After months of consultation work, chief executive Rick Parry today closed the door on all ideas of a move to Speke, or anywhere else outside Anfield.

That pledge represents a huge vote of confidence in a neighbourhood that is on its knees. But it still leaves the club with a stark choice to make between expanding the stadium it has occupied since1892 to accommodate the needs of the 21st century, or building from scratch in Stanley Park.

The club wants a capacity of between 55,000 and 70,000 fans, and if it is to achieve that in Stanley Park, it will need to tap into the kind of public sector grant money that Everton's Kings Arena plan will enjoy.

To get that kind of money, the club's development plans need to echo Everton's in representing something more than just a once-a-fortnight football venue. The good news for the community is that it stands to benefit as much as the club from the grants it seeks.

If the club had moved to Speke, Anfield would have been in danger of becoming a ghost town.

Everton FC is committed to a move to Liverpool city centre and a glamorous new Kings Dock home.

Goodison Park provides some matchday jobs and fills up its surrounding pubs and takeaway food outlets once a fortnight.

The economic impact of its move on north Liverpool should not be great, and the boost its multi-purpose arena will give the city centre will be far greater.

The new Anfield, by contrast, aims to bring the kind of economic boost to north Liverpool that the Kings Arena should provide for the city centre.

The club wants to develop itself as an "Anfield experience" visitor attraction on the scale of Barcelona's Nou Camp which attracts one million visitors a year.

Liverpool FC and the Beatles are the city's two most marketable international brand names. Last season's club triumphs and striker Michael Owen's explosion on to the world stage with England have captured the imagination of a new generation of soccer fans.

The club is already a huge matchday visitor attraction. Its plans should make a trip to Anfield part of the tourist itinerary of a much broader spectrum of visitors. It also aims to restore the Victorian elements of Stanley Park to their former glory with new features.

Whatever happens now, it will spell the most radical shake-up yet for the neighbourhood.

Mr Parry says community consultations show that local people want the club to stay, and accept that whether it expands or moves, further "targeted clearance" of property is inevitable.

But the club is showing signs of a new social awareness, talking of creating public open space and boosting local employment. The club is improving homes it owns on Skerries Road in partnership with Maritime Housing Association.

The Vernon Sangster sports centre and its adjoining tennis courts will go, but the club is planning to replace it with a leisure centre.

Infrastructure improvements are already in the pipeline, but adequate parking will certainly be vital.

October 12
The reasons behind the club's decision

By Mark Thomas/Liverpool Echo

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry today spelled out why Liverpool FC is to stay in Anfield.

In a letter to council chief executive David Henshaw he explains why the club needs cash help if it is to build a super stadium in Stanley Park.

He writes: "The key objective for us - and one which we must never be deflected from - is to achieve success on the pitch and win trophies.

"We want to stay in north Liverpool. The emotional bond that links our supporters to Anfield is incredibly strong; it is our home. But equally we believe that the aspirations of the club fit within the overall aims for the regeneration of the area."

Mr Parry said a move to Stanley Park would form part of a comprehensive regeneration plan for the area.

"We want to be sure that our proposals are part of major improvements for Anfield/Breckfield in terms of education, employment, leisure amenities including green space and housing."

He said community consultation made it clear that a majority want the club to stay in north Liverpool.

He warned: "The economics of the new stadium do give real cause for concern.

"The absolute investment is substantial for a business of our size and based on current projections, the likely future cash flows just about cover the repayments.

"Given our clearly stated objectives, we must not place ourselves in a position where we cannot provide the necessary investment for the team.

"There is no doubt that on the face of it, redevelopment of the existing site presents less of a financial risk and cannot be ruled out."

He said that if this happened the park improvements and broader regeneration hopes for the Anfield area could still be achieved and the club would still be making a major investment.

"Our proposal is that we work as a preferred partner with the council to carry out the detailed feasibility and options appraisal work necessary to achieve an increased capacity in Anfield, either in a new stadium or by extending the current one."

August 23
Stadium speculation mounts

TEAMtalk

Rick Parry is reported to be ready to confirm that Liverpool will seek permission to redevelop Anfield, rather than relocate to a new venue. 

Chief executive Parry intimated some weeks ago that The Reds would not be moving away from the Anfield area, without making any comment as to whether or not the controversial plans to develop what is essentially a green-belt area in Stanley Park would go ahead. 

At the time, Parry said the club "is a few weeks away from announcing which option it will go for", but he is now rumoured to be in a position to confirm the development of the current stadium rather than the building of a new arena in the local park. 

That news, if confirmed, will come as a relief to local councillor Joe Kenny, who has worked tirelessly to spearhead a campaign against relocation to Stanley Park.

He made his thoughts on a move to Stanley Park abundantly clear a few weeks ago when he said: 

"The club and the council will have an almighty job on their hands if they try this option. The council has an official policy of not selling off an inch of its parkland." 

July 24
Reds to stay at Anfield

By Larry Neild/Liverpool Echo

Liverpool FC is to stay in Anfield.

The club will NOT move out of the area to a new home in the south of the city.

But it WILL either expand its present stadium, or press ahead with proposals to re-build "next door" in Stanley Park.

The news ends months of speculation over whether Liverpool would move away from its trad itional home to a new purpose-built stadium in Speke.

Today the club's chief executive Rick Parry said: "We have stated all along that our preferred option would be to stay in Anfield, but we also had to explore other options.

"We now look forward to working closely with the community in Anfield towards regenerating the area and developing the stadium we need for the future."

Mr Parry said the club was 'a few weeks away' from announcing which option it would go for.

Today the news was welcomed by businesses in the area, who feared the loss of revenue generated from match days would force them to close.

But critic Cllr Joe Kenny said the club would face tough opposition if it bids for the Stanley Park site.

Cllr Kenny, who is leading a campaign against a switch to Stanley Park, said: "The club and the council will have an almighty fight on their hands if they try this option.

"The council has an official policy against selling off an inch of its parklands."

Liverpool officials have looked at a number of alternative sites around the city - the frontrunner being a huge slice of land in Speke, opposite the old airport runway.

A design team representing the club went as far as having provisional plans drawn up for the Speke/Garston site.

Such a move would provide a stadium with plenty of space, and largely remove the problem of traffic congestion.

But it would also take the club away from its famous home.

Today Mr Parry added: "We are already working very closely with community steering groups in Anfield, and believe whatever we do ultimately will be with the backing of the majority of the community."

July 16
Can Arsenal be a model for Reds' move?

Liverpool Echo

Arsenal have revealed plans that will turn their old stadium over to the local community to create 500 new homes and vital new services.

Now, Liverpool FC is being urged to consider a similar scheme should they decide to leave their Anfield home and develop a new stadium, either nearby at Stanley Park or possibly in Speke.

Liverpool councillors say it would give Anfield an important kick-start to regenerate the area if the Reds opt to leave.

Arsenal are moving to a purpose-built 60,000-seat stadium at nearby Ashburton Grove in 2004.

They have consulted local residents in the borough of Islington over what they want to see on the site of the current Highbury stadium when the team, nicknamed the Gunners, moves out.

More than 2,000 have responded through a freepost comments card, at a public exhibition of the proposals and on a special website.

About 70% gave their support for the £50m scheme which will transform two stands which are listed buildings into luxury apartments and provide affordable housing in two new blocks at either end of the ground, including a factory site which the club has bought.

The Highbury pitch will be planted and landscaped and will include a memorial garden for relatives of people whose ashes have been scattered on the ground as well as a children's play area as part of a communal garden which nearby residents would have access to.

Building plans also include a community health facility for several GPs and a children's nursery.

Paul Dimoldenberg is co-ordinating the project for Arsenal and said: "All this is in consultation with the local residents.

"There will be top of the range luxury flats but about a quarter of the 500 homes will be affordable and we're talking to a range of housing associations so that we get a full range of residents."

Arsenal will sell the land to a builder who will undertake the scheme, which should be complete by 2008.

"There is a lot of interest in this and there are lots of people queuing up," said Mr Dimoldenberg.

Kiron Reid, Liberal Democrat councillor for Anfield, said his party does not support Liverpool's proposals to build a new ground on public space at Stanley Park, but added: "If they came up with plans to stay in the area that were part of a comprehensive regeneration package, then we would look at that very carefully indeed."

And commenting on Arsenal's comprehensive package, he added: "The plans for private housing, improved local facilities for young people these are all things that are very much needed in Anfield."

He said the area has missed out on government regeneration funding, but added: "Liberal Democrat councillors would look very closely if Liverpool submitted plans as part of a full regeneration scheme."

Anfield ward councillor Joe Kenny said: "You are not going to attract hotels and factories and things of that nature so there needs to be housing, community sports facilities and shops.

"But it is a very sensitive issue, especially with the Hillsborough memorial there families of the victims, supporters and residents need to get round the table and discuss what they would like to see happen with the space.

"The Anfield and Breckfield area has already got an argument for regeneration 20 years ago the area used to be a very desirable place in which to live.

"But I am still concerned about what Liverpool Football Club's intention is as they still haven't said."

Thor Zakariassen ©