LFC poised to ask for bigger stadiumApr 30 2007

[Dave_the_Red]

By Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post

 

 

 

 

AMERICAN billionaire Tom Hicks and his Liverpool FC co-owner George Gillett are to meet for key talks with council officials this week, city leader Warren Bradley said last night.

 

The duo, in town for tomorrow?s crunch Champions League semi-final return leg against Chelsea, are expected to discuss plans for their new multi-million pound stadium.

 

One plan is to preserve the turf of the existing ground as the centrepiece for a new plaza, to ensure fans? dreams and memories can forever be played out on the world- famous Stanley Park turf.

 

The council can expect to receive a new planning application for both the existing and new sites, which lie virtually side by side in Anfield, this summer. That will delay the opening of the new stadium until at least the start of the 2010 season.

 

 

 

 

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It will also send the cost rocketing from the current £180m to well over £200m.

 

 

Although work on the new stadium will still start this summer, the Americans are thought to believe that a new planning application is the best way of getting their plans sorted out from the outset.

 

 

As the area needed does not change, work can start simul- taneously with consideration of the amended plans.

 

 

By seeking a new planning approval for much enlarged stadium, Liverpool FC will have to carry out a new traffic impact study. The previous assessment was based on a crowd capacity of 61,000, but if the stadium is going to hold between 75,000 and 80,000 people the whole process will have to be redone.

 

 

There will be pressure on the club to provide a new Merseyrail train station along the Utting Avenue cutting to offer public transport links to the enlarged ground.

 

 

The owners will be meeting a city council group led by Cllr Warren Bradley, council chief executive Colin Hilton and regeneration director John Kelly.

 

 

Last night Cllr Bradley said: ?My guess is that Liverpol FC will opt to go for a new planning application.

 

 

?The owners are not going to increase the footprint (the overall site size) of the new stadium, but the capacity will be significantly increased. We have to respect the fact that many people live in the area and we will make sure that the impact is properly assessed.

 

 

?I can see the sense in a fresh application because they have their own ideas of how they see the stadium being used and it is much better to get it right at the very beginning.

 

 

?It will mean the opening being put back, but we will have a world-class facility in our city. The plans they are talking about for Anfield Plaza are extraordinary.

 

 

?They want to change the original concept and leave the existing pitch as a grassed area. They want people to be able to relive the moments of glory on the existing pitch."

[Leo No.8]

I love the way people involved with it seem to be hinting at the whole development being absolutely out of this world.

 

I don't think George and Tom want to do this by halves, and they are really gettting the idea if they want to leave our hallowed turf where it is...

[Cobs]

One plan is to preserve the turf of the existing ground as the centrepiece for a new plaza, to ensure fans? dreams and memories can forever be played out on the world- famous Stanley Park turf.

love that idea

[magneto]

Please let this be true.

[Huyton_Red]

I am made up to be honest, if they do build a 75-80,000 seater staduim it shows from the offset the ambition of the men and I am happy we have new owners who have such ambitions

 

And it means we can all get season tickets, sat by our mates

 

We can all take our young relatives to games

 

The kids can all get tickets for games

 

And we have the best stadium in the country

 

F'ckin fantastic all round, imagine 76,000 liverpool fans on a champions league night, the whole f'ckin city would shake

[surf]

I don't like the bit where it's called Anfield 'Plaza' rather than Anfield Stadium.

[Leo No.8]

I don't like the bit where it's called Anfield 'Plaza' rather than Anfield Stadium.

 

I think 'Anfield Plaza' is going to be what they'll call the shops, restaurants etc when the stadium has moved which seems OK to me.

 

It won't actually be a stadium anymore after all...

[Dominus Maximus]

I have a question. Lets say we get the 76.000 stadium. Would we be able to fill it? Would we be able to gather 76.000 people to a game against the 17th placed something in the middle of the season?

[Bailo]

I honestly don't care if we get a few spaces, means I can get a season ticket at some point in my life.

[Huyton_Red]

I have a question. Lets say we get the 76.000 stadium. Would we be able to fill it? Would we be able to gather 76.000 people to a game against the 17th placed something in the middle of the season?

 

I dont really care if has a few thousand seats empty against Fulham in January lad

 

I care that everyone who now wants a season ticket can have one, the local kids will now get a look, the club get on average about £1 million extra income per home game AND the f'ckin place with be bouncing for the majority of games when its full

 

Build it and they will come, I have always said that

[Gunga Din]

I have a question. Lets say we get the 76.000 stadium. Would we be able to fill it? Would we be able to gather 76.000 people to a game against the 17th placed something in the middle of the season?

 

yes, there are loads of peole who would go but they cant get tickets, or dont bother applying because they dont think they stand a chance of getting one. with the right marketing, and most importantlt pricing structure, we would fill a 80000 seater most games

[Dominus Maximus]

Thanks for the answers... Means that I'll have a chance of getting a ticket when travelling from Denmark...

[Mondavi]

If the new plans have got bradley excited, then it's fair to say us Reds are gonna be blown away by it.

 

Absolutely great news this, very exciting time for the club. Hopefully I can get off the PTS, and my match to match applications, and get a season ticket at last

[Gomez]

I dont really care if has a few thousand seats empty against Fulham in January lad

 

Exactly, it's not like the atmosphere at those games is great anyway.

[Mike]

can't help but be excited by all this.

[Frosty Jack]

yes, there are loads of peole who would go but they cant get tickets, or dont bother applying because they dont think they stand a chance of getting one. with the right marketing, and most importantlt pricing structure, we would fill a 80000 seater most games

 

agreed, most casual supporters I know never even bother calling the ticket office, and I don't blame them.

the huge increase in season tickets would take up a big chunk of that capacity.

[Mike]

should be able to sit where you like.

i'm going for a seat on the bench.

[matty]

Firstly, - the Council Leader shouldn't be commenting on planning applications before they are submitted for council consideration.

 

Secondly - that turf would be nicked before you could say Alf Arrowsmith.

 

thirdly - capacity for new stadium should be about 74,000. Anymore is probably a bit unnecessary.

[Frosty Jack]

thirdly - capacity for new stadium should be about 74,000. Anymore is probably a bit unnecessary.

 

73,864?

 

should be able to sit where you like.

i'm going for a seat on the bench.

 

Badgemans already bagsied that

[Mike]

Firstly, - the Council Leader shouldn't be commenting on planning applications before they are submitted for council consideration.

 

Secondly - that turf would be nicked before you could say Alf Arrowsmith.

 

thirdly - capacity for new stadium should be about 74,000. Anymore is probably a bit unnecessary.

 

1.we've already got planning permission - this is an extension of that

2.can't imagine it'll be open access

3.how do you know?

[Huyton_Red]

I have just decided that I dont want the increase in capacity

 

I have just been on google earth and the utting avenue freight rail line that they are talking about making into a public rail line is the currently three train a week freight rail line that is behind the new house I have just f'ckin bought on breckside park

 

Tw'ats

 

61,000 is plenty

Edited April 30, 2007 by Huyton_Sissoko

[smokescreen]

I have just decided that I dont want the increase in capacity

 

I have just been on google earth and the utting avenue freight rail line that they are talking about making into a public rail line is the currently three train a week freight rail line that is behind the new house I have just f'ckin bought on breckside park

 

Tw'ats

 

61,000 is plenty

 

If you build it, 28 trains a day will come

[matty]

1.we've already got planning permission - this is an extension of that

2.can't imagine it'll be open access

3.how do you know?

 

1. The Council Leader is talking about a fresh planning application.

2. Will be v difficult to police!

3. Just a supposition. Much above that and I reckon the number of empty seats for crappy games would diminish the atmos.

[Mike]

1. The Council Leader is talking about a fresh planning application.

2. Will be v difficult to police!

3. Just a supposition. Much above that and I reckon the number of empty seats for crappy games would diminish the atmos.

 

yeah but we already have planning permission for one new stadium - its not going back to basics

depends how its designed - what it is?

barca regularly get nowhere near their full capacity for most games - it depends on the design

[fyds]

Reading Bradley's comments are interesting - it seems to me that the increased capacity within the existing footprint has been informally agreed already behind the scenes. Why? I don't know - but wionder if it has to do with some of the rumours I keep hearing that G&H are contributing a sizeable wodge to the redevelopment kitty among other things?

 

No doubt we'll hear it all in good time - odd though how the council have gone from obstructive twunts to 'Come in, sit down! Have a digestive!'

 

Love the Anfield plaza idea - the green, green grass that Liddel used to play on...