Everton FC breaks ground at new waterfront stadium site
The £500m project at Bramley-Moore Dock plays a prominent role in Peel L&P’s £5bn Liverpool Waters development.
Everton Football Club took possession of the site on 26 July, with lead contractor Laing O’Rourke getting to work immediately on readying the site for the three-year build. On 10 August, the club had a ceremony celebrating the first incision made into the eastern quayside of the dock.
“This is a momentous day,” said Everton chairman Bill Kenwright. “One that we have all been waiting for. To know that Evertonians and the people of this great city are together with us on this journey is a special feeling.
“Now that the work has commenced we can all watch our magnificent home as it comes to life,” he continued. “I am stating the obvious, but must reiterate that this day could not have happened without [Everton owner Farhad Moshiri’s] continued support on every level and the drive and determination of our CEO Denise [Barrett-Baxendale], and her team.”
Everton’s new stadium could deliver a £1bn boost to the city’s economy, the club has said. Credit: via planning documents
Chris Capes, director of development for Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters said: “Everton’s new stadium will transform the city’s waterfront, accelerate regeneration, and support social and economic growth for North Liverpool and the wider Liverpool City Region.”
When complete, the stadium will have a capacity of 52,888 fans.
Approximately 12,000 construction staff are expected to work on the stadium over the course of its build. Everton estimates the construction will boost the UK economy by £1.3bn.
The scheme itself has proven controversial of late. It was singled out as one of the reasons for Unesco stripping Liverpool of its world heritage title earlier this summer.
Read more about Liverpool Waters:
Onwards and upwards for Liverpool , this will have a massive positive knock on effect to the Liverpool Water front .
By Anonymous
What a blessing for Peel that Everton can bring them some much needed profile while they continue at a snail’s
pace on the rest of Liverpool Waters.
Up to now ie about 12 years in, maybe £250m of investment pulled in, and still no sign on the cruise line terminal and hotel, while Patagonia Place is still a vision.
By Anonymous
Snail’s pace it has been for Liverpool Waters but this stadium will be a game change – also the ball and chain of WHS has now thankfully gone – cruise terminal is still being built Patagonia Place work is commencing this year , there is activity on the water front today – be patient it is happening and will be worth it.
By Anonymous
An amazing project and setting for Everton’s new stadium. Who said derelict docklands can’t be brought back to life and add to the sustainable development of the City. Now WHS is no longer constraining Liverpool lets push ahead with more pioneering projects.
By TJL
Sunderland has a funky landmark football stadium too…
If this was a game changer, it’s only that the game was changed against the city’s interests. One man wanted a stadium here, and that’s what’s happened. Shame he didn’t seem to care about much else!
This project is being carried out in complete isolation. There is no master plan, no transport provision or consideration, just plenty of low end property speculation (which had been going on long before the project was made public…)
Game changer? No, it’s the same game.
By Jeff
@Jeff this is not Sunderland it’s Liverpool , they said the same Etihad in Manchester and of course it will have a massive knock on effect – low end property speculation ? Transport ? this went to the Secretary of State am sure has looked at the plans and the benefits this will bring to Liverpool ? lol take a deep breath Jeff !!
By Anonymous
Best looking stadium in the premier league by far situated in the best looking City
By Anonymous
I like this proposal and the stadium looks great but this obsession with Liverpool being the best looking city, is clearly a swipe at Manchester. It may be the best looking city, that is debatable but in the real world that is irrelevant,as Rome is prettier than New York, and one has an 1 trillion and half dollar economy and one is a museum.
By Elephant
The former commonwealth games stadium was built to a long term plan, including having transport access built in from the outset. This, as I say, is being built in very unsplendid isolation. It’s almost as if anything goes, as long as a stadium gets built there.
As for not calling it in, that did not signify confidence but simply the government not being bothered about Liverpool, not wanting the hassle, and wanting to remove resources that had been tied up dealing with UNESCO (on a matter they couldn’t care less about). If this city mattered to them of course they would have called it in. If they had confidence in the project they would have called it in and then approved it.
I’m sure certain hoteliers will get very rich once more. As for regenerating north Liverpool, remind me, where are both stadiums located presently?…
By Jeff
@Elephant, Ouch!
By Man on a bicycle
Here we go let’s turn a positive in Liverpool which clearly barks and upsets our Manchester commenters
No matter what Liverpool does it clearly upset you down the M62 we get it .. stop interfering.
By Anonymous
Sad to see both the sniping and the defensiveness here. There are great examples where these stadium developments have been a real spur to development, and quite few where they aren’t. I guess when you look at some of the quality of the decision-making at LCC in recent years you wonder whether they’ve joined all the dots required to make this a success.
By Rich X
Manchester clearly not NY and Liverpool is Liverpool
By Anonymous
I think if people from Liverpool didn’t make obvious swipes at Manchester you’d find that there would be no kick-back. Just enjoy your victory Liverpool, there’s no need to criticise Manchester.
By Anonymous
As far as I can see no snipes were made from the sunny end of the M62 but from the rainy end?
More a case of anxieties from one person interpreting the thread to their own agenda.
Both cities are great, let’s enjoy them and the rest of the NW!
By Emperor of the North.
Well done Everton. You have the best looking stadium.
By Elephant
@Jeff not on the Waterfront , and not to this standard
By Anonymous
I see nothing but traffic and mayhem.
By Bixteth boy
Good looking stadium? average at best. Ugly at worst. Not sniping simply the truth.
By Anonymous
Peel have changed The Port Of Liverpool around and expanded it , four more cranes have arrived today from Shanghai with a further £400 million invested again ? more jobs and growth for the Liverpool City Region , we are a port like Singapore , New York , London , there are more goods passing through Liverpool than there as ever been – we also build cars and ships here too , the list is endless !!!!
By Anonymous
I see mayhem in the city centre on Saturday afternoons. It may be better keeping out of the way on match days.
By Red Kenneth
‘Peel have changed the Port of Liverpool around’ Are you the chairman of Peel holdings? Yes they’ve invested ,mostly for their own profit as they always do but they’ve also helped lose the far more important than anyone realises UNESCO heritage, caused chaos and left and will continue to leave the waterfront with very average some would say ugly mish mash of non descript development. In any of those other cities you reference Peel wouldn’t get a look in . And it’s not just Liverpool , the North West deserves better than the quick buck design we see perpetrated on the Landscape. As per the recent report, the UK is one of the most expensive places in the world to build. The money certainly doesn’t go on architecture!
By Anonymous
500 MILLION I REST MY CASE – NOT TO BE SNIFFED AT !!!!!
By Anonymous
What does it matter if the stadium is in, or near, the city centre, it wouldn’t be the first time.
Newcastle, Cardiff etc have stadiums in the centre, meanwhile Chelsea are in a heavily populated area of SW London.
The Everton ground is far enough from town as to need facilities nearby, so I except pubs, cafes and hotels to open, as well as shops, so this will be for the good.
By Anonymous