Stanley Park Stadium
 | |
| Location | Liverpool, England |
|---|---|
| Owner | Liverpool F.C. |
| Operator | Liverpool F.C. |
| Capacity | |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | Approval given |
| Opened | Scheduled to open in 2011 [1] |
| Construction cost | £300 million |
| Architect | HKS, Inc. |
| Tenants | |
| Liverpool FC (from 2011) | |
Stanley Park Stadium is a proposed title of the planned football stadium to be built in Stanley Park, Liverpool, England. The stadium was given planning permission in February 2003. The stadium has a planned all-seated capacity of about 70,000 plus, with provision for expansion up to 88,000 seats or more.
History of the Stadium Development Process
Original plans for a new stadium were initiated by Liverpool F.C. to replace its stadium at Anfield in May 2002.[2] At that time the proposed capacity was 55,000 but it was later revised to 61,000 (with 1,000 seats given for segregation). The club had first announced its intention of building a new stadium 18 months earlier, with the original scheme calling for a 70,000 seat stadium which would cost around £200 million and would be ready for the 2004-05 season.[2]
There were several attempts by Liverpool City Council to instigate a groundshare of the stadium with local rivals Everton from 2003 to 2007, but this move was finally rejected as neither club was in favour of the move. The name Stanley Park Stadium was proposed for the purpose of facilitating a groundshare, but Liverpool FC have stated their intention to name the stadium separately later and currently call the stadium 'the New Anfield'.
The plans, originally approved in February 2005, needed to go before Liverpool City Council for a second time 12 months later to ensure that the proposed stadium complied with new planning regulations. It was reported on 11 April 2006 that the plans had passed without amendment.
On 8th September 2007 Liverpool received permission from the city council for development on the new 61,000 seater stadium, and were granted a 999 year lease for the site. The proposed new "Anfield" is almost entirely located within publicly owned "Green Space" within Liverpool.
Plans to start work on the new stadium were suspended in early 2007 following the takeover of the club by George N. Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks on February 6 2007, and on March 14 2007, a possibility of the capacity being increased to 80,000 was reported which would have made the stadium larger in capacity than any English football stadium except Wembley.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).
The stadium is scheduled to open in 2011. The 60,000 seat stadium has been designed to allow for future expansion which could see the capacity increased to a 78 - 80,000 capacity dependent on improvements to the local transport infrastructure. In particular, it would be impossible for the club to increase the capacity of the ground to 70,000 plus unless a new rail spur and improved road access to the notoriously land-locked site were first initiated.
New Stadium Design
The central importance of the Kop has also been recognised with a hugely increased capacity to 18,000 seats in a single tier stand. The new ground will also incorporate dedicated facilities for the Anfield Sport and Community Centre and Liverpool Hope University and external facilities will include tennis courts and new multi-use games area. Integral to the ethos of the club will be the incorporation into the new stadium of the Hillsborough Memorial and the Shankly Gates, which will be taken from Anfield.
The asymmetrical design, with a huge 18,000 seat single-tier Kop at one end, has been developed as part of the overall regeneration of Stanley Park. The West side is concave in form effectively embracing the park and providing changing facilities for those young amateur players and their parents who use the existing pitches which will be retained within the park.
The North and East facades take a convex form respectively overlooking Priory Road and Utting Avenue across gardens which will be developed in the tradition of Stanley Park. The South facade will be of completely different form, taking on a more formal appearance appropriate to its civic function at the northern edge to the new Anfield Plaza development which will replace the current ground.
The stadium will have a stone work base on the North, West and East sides with mainly glass facades above. The South side will be clad in metal and overlook the Plaza. One feature will see the South East and South West corners of the stadium visually open, providing views from the park deep into the stadium.
The stadium represents an investment of around £400 million by the Club in North Liverpool.
The pitch will be suspended 26ft under the ground.
Notes
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7081610.stm
- ^ a b "Liverpool unveil new stadium". Article on BBC Sport. May 17, 2002. Retrieved March 17.
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External links
- Club's official website page on the proposed stadium
- Images and Description
- BBC report stadium approval in September 2006
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