Marine FC reveals plans for Edge Lane move
The non-league football club is working with housebuilder Bellway and landowner Craig Sneddon on relocating from the historic Rossett Park in Crosby.
The Mariners have played at Rossett Park, College Road since 1904 but have been looking to move from a ground surrounded by housing and with a capacity of just 2,200.
Marine’s proposed site at Edge Lane L23 1TR is 8.32 acres. Crosby architect Diaz Associates has drawn up plans for the proposed 5,000-capacity ground. Such a move would see the club remain in Sefton, within the Thornton ward.
Marine described its new stadium as “one of the biggest community benefit projects in the North West”. Proposals include a community hub, classrooms, gym, 3G pitch and health & wellbeing hub including provision for a doctors, dentist and mental health nurse.
A 20-bedroom accommodation block will also be incorporated into the main stand. The club said that the College Road site will also be retained as a community hub.
Since Marine played Tottenham Hotspur in a Covid-era 2021 FA Cup tie, the club has progressed with two promotions and an increase in attendances from 350 to an average of 1,400. The ‘Marine In The Community’ programme, launched in 2019, has also grown exponentially in supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of thousands of people locally.
Marine FC chief executive James Leary said “It was our aim to find a site within L23 that could become our new long-term home. I am delighted that we have made it this far in our aim to safeguard the future of Marine Football Club for the next 100+ years and create a project that will become a huge community asset.
“Our aim is to retain and improve our support from the Crosby/Waterloo/Thornton triangle whilst growing our supporter base from the surrounding areas of Formby, Maghull, Aintree and Netherton. With that, the expansion of Marine In The Community to these wider areas will also further improve the community impact.”
Leary said that bus services will be launched to transport fans from Crosby
He continued: “The work to making this a reality though is far from complete and it will need to be a huge effort from everybody to ensure we can raise the funds to make it happen. I would like to thank Bellway Homes for their support and contribution so far.”
Leary sounded a note of caution, however, noting that the club still needs to raise a seven-figure sum. He also thanked Sefton Council for its support throughout.
A crowdfunder has been launched for what the chief executive described as “the most ambitious project in the club’s 130-year history”.
Click any image to launch gallery. All imagers credit Marine FC/Diaz Associates.
“raise funds” presumably includes lobbying the public sector to fund this rather than actual economic development
By self sustainer
Thornton has poor transport links to just about everywhere, especially compared to Marines current home. This would actually shrink their catchment area.
By Anonymous
it’s a shame that the current ground is a short walk from a merseyrail stop, whereas the new site is isolated from rail / merseyrail. There’s the promise of a bus but it’s not as convenient (particularly for away fans), and usually they don’t last meaning fans ‘just drive’. But if there are no, available better located sites which are reasonably close to existing supporters, what can Marine do. Their current ground is hemmed in to say the least, possibly the most famously hemmed in ground in the country! Fantastic to hear how they used that Spurs game as a springboard and good luck to them.
By Anonymous
Extremely sub-optimal site as far as accessibility goes. Nowhere near enough parking and no public transport worth speaking of. If I’d bought one of those many nice new houses around there, I’d be distinctly underwhelmed. A matchday parking zone, like that just implemented in advance of the first game at Bramley Moore next week, is in order.
By Penny Lane