Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium gets unanimous planning approval

Once the minister approves this, work is expected to start in the spring/summer. Does anyone know what the first steps are? Drainage? Reinforcement of dock outer walls? Where can I find the step-by-step details?

In your defence Jonathan your not the only one who thinks this whole thing was pie in the sky.

But still It looks like it’s happening, I’m over the moon. 😀

"For anyone serious about regeneration in North Liverpool, this was a no-brainer.

"Giving the green light to major shovel-ready infrastructure projects such as this will be key to spearheading a recovery here in the North. Bramley-Moore Dock will create thousands of jobs, unlock billions in economic growth for local communities and open up the city further to the rest of the world.

"This is a project which will help put the city of Liverpool in the economic Premier League it deserves to be in post-crisis."

COUNCILLOR Q AND A
Q’s from councillors and A’s from EFC. EFC (Colin, Ian etc) had full and ready answers to all questions):
Sandhills / transport.
Consultation incl non-soccer fans.
Jobs, construction.
Parking incl away fans.
Benefit to Liverpool people re jobs.
Joe Hansen – self-declared red – had only one constituent against.
Encouraged collaboration with Unite given benefits of trade unionism.
Environment, water channel, heritage.
Safety given proximity to water.
Disabled fan transport.

COUNCILLOR COMMENTS
Tom Crow (not a councillor?) at length on variety of issues re ecology, energy, transport. Tone sounded as if there might be problems here. Set his issues out as conditions.
EFC responses already addressed in planning application documentation.
Tom Crow: “answered vast majority of my Q’s”.

PETER JONES – PLANNING (CASE) OFFICER
Rehearsed in some detail issues and responses re transport, ecology, sustainability, consultation, public benefits (social / economic) v World Heritage site. Issues raised by Tom Crow already addressed as conditions in Peter’s report and accepted by EFC. Recommended approval of application.

CONCLUDING COMMENTS FROM COUNCILLORS
All very positive. Overwhelming support. Couched in terms of heritage versus social and economic benefits with latter outweighing former.

THE VOTE
Unanimous approval.
The presentation by EFC, and responses to questions, were superb.
The committee chair did the usual good job of confirming acceptability of responses at each stage in the meeting. Steered the committee to the increasingly-predictable conclusion.

Can only hope we do a Leicester and buck the overwhelming trend of turning to mush when a new purpose-built footy stadium appears.

Kiss of death they are.

Every councillor spoke in favour, even a Kopite who said Everton are The People's Club! The only concern is how many bat boxes will be needed.

Get Bill out, yes him, to use the spade that gets us moving and on we go, saving up, from today, to buy a new suit for the opening game at Bramley-Moore Dock and get a programme on the day.

It's all systems go!

Obviously a new stadium is not a panacea. It will not guarantee a great atmosphere any more than it can automatically deliver success on the field. The clubs which have been relatively successful since they moved into their new homes, such as Manchester City, Leicester, Southampton and Brighton, all required time, investment and effective management to achieve improvement on the pitch. I suppose by the end of the current season West Ham might be added to that list despite their many issues concerning stadium design and layout.

Jenrick will have to weigh up the potential for 15,000 jobs, massive inward investment, completely redevelopment and rejuvenation of an area that the public can't currently access, renewed transport infrastructure, and a policy of levelling up the economy of the Northwest against those objections.

The man is a dickhead, but he's also a Tory minister. Which side of him will win, I wonder?>

I'm literally standing here with tears of joy.

Honestly - are we actually going to employ a company with 1,000 men with spades to build the ground?

If there is a spade in the ground, how do we know it's related to the ground and not some scally digging a hole?

Shit - better not post too much more, the council might not have the answers to these questions and could demand an enquiry.

Link

Onwards and upwards, Mighty Blues... next step, a trophy.

Thank you all at EFC for the progress made on and off the field in the past few days. Now for consistency on the pitch and who knows how this season will end but it's great that we're still fighting on 2 fronts near the end of February.

Standby for bitterness from the Reds. Bitterness that will sound, read and smell sweet.

I've been looking for that and also George's interview last night on Granada.

After everything Bozo has said about economic recovery after Covid, 'levelling up' and 'build, build, build', they'd be really dumb to call it in. The benefits to the local economy, the restoration of the accumulator tower and the community benefits from the legacy scheme easily outweigh the limited impact on the World Heritage Site.

On top of all that, what else are you supposed to do with a 173-year-old dock? Just hope it doesn't get called the USM Arena! How about Dean Park?

Already got one (Scouse red living in Henderson NV)

Me (on a WhatsApp group): "Seriously though this is a great thing for both the club and the city."

Him: "Until global warming really kicks in."

They can't accept us being even the remotely little bit successful, can they?

Probably most of them are dead now or in their 90s. But if you were the couple who went to the Man City Semi-final in '69 and forgot the key to the locking petrol cap and drove home with a towel over the gauge so you could not see it was on E – hope you are doing well.

Firstly, the irony that the Jezzer banner waving Kop can turn to a Tory Government for hope.

Secondly, maybe so, however a Government that got in partly on a "levelling out" ticket turns down a proposal that provides a magnificent regeneration opportunity for a deprived area of a northern city?

It's happening.

Also, what a joke about World Heritage Site etc etc. This is an old, neglected dock; last time I stayed in the Titanic Hotel, I looked over at a decent-sized piece of land and it just looked rubbish. It may have been the heart of the city 100 years ago but these boards and bodies sometimes I think are there to meddle and not actually accept the facts that it's time for a change.

The likes of the walls; yes, they might be lovely but it's just a bloody wall. I would be saying to the digger guys, "Just ram that bit there and hopefully the whole thing will go!'

About time World Heritage got with the program and let us create something that will be there for centuries, much like their precious walls and clock tower.

I thought Bill's comment was interesting: 'another step' in a very long process, doesn't sound imminent to me.

And, there is the small matter of, do we know who is going to pay for it yet? Cos it is going to cost half a billion like. I still can't believe we turned down Joe's loan, cos they were mates rates.

I can't wait for the day when I can travel over the Irish Sea to watch the Blues in their new home without having to worry about restricted views.

Bring it on!

Reading Brent's report, thanks Brent, it's clear that the club have put together a top class professional team to push through this project, answer all queries etc, and all and sundry should be applauded for that.

It is massive Project when a aerial view of the site is shown.

Everton stuffing the RS.
The lockdown exit plan.
Blue Pearl crocus bulbs pushing through the winter soil at my place - Goodison Gardens - and the sound of spring birdsong.

A new dawn. can it get any better?

Oh, it just did as Bramley-Moore Dock gets unanimous approval.

Once again, the Mighty Blues rise. We will be part of that famous skyline. Anyone looking at images of our city will always be reminded of us along with those magnificent blue Liver Birds.

Those bitter reds will be fuming (titter) and there could be trouble on the streets of Oslo and Peterborough tonight.

These Unesco people should be walked off to some caves, dressed in animal skins and told to live there without any appliances until they get the idea that development and change is necessary and good.

Let's hope Bozo's crew don't find any reason to call it in.

The city comes before either team.

My dad is 87 now and would be beaming at this news on top of the mega win at the weekend. It's a pity that he's got dementia and can't appreciate what a great time it is to be an Evertonian just now. Sad to think of so many Blues who are in the same boat or gone for good and can't enjoy basking in some good news for once.

Echo says "Green Councillor Tom Crone is not on the committee but is concerned about the impact on the ecology of the area and thinks more needs to be done around discouraging drivers and promoting public transport".

I'll eat Crow.

She can take a bit of comfort that she wont be contributing to the infrastructure through taxes.

Unlike the very generous red lads and lasses of this city.

I wouldn't be very surprised if it doesn't get a very quick government approval due to Covid-19. The nation's economy will need a definite bounce once lockdowns are over, and massive building projects like this and the potential for revenue and employment once it's built will be a huge factor.

Saying that, while being a bit left-field, the only thing that I might see causing any delay would be down to what involvement Usmanov has in the stadium. With continued political issues in Russia, and his links with Putin, the government may want some clarification on his relationship with the club. There were rumours of sanctions a few weeks back to Putin allies, and he was named as one along with Abramovich.

He made some fair points (apart from expecting people to go the match on a bike) but this is part of the regeneration of the entire north of a city and he, clearly a southerner, has no right to object or make demands without being fully prepared.

There club has many cut from the same cloth

When Tom Crone was banging on about bikes, I thought he was referring to motorbikes. Then he referred to a bicycle parking area, similar to the one in Amsterdam, and I thought to myself, "Who the Fuck cycles to a football match"?

Can just imagine all the scallies "Mind yer bike, mister"? Probably be the same ones who will want to mind Brent's pedalo!!

I watched the planning committee meeting today – was interested to learn that we intend to erect 2-metre barriers to prevent fans falling in the dock – anyone else pick up on this?

Also was surprised to see no mention of safe standing/increased capacity (although I may have missed it). I appreciate that may be for another day, but thought it may have got a mention somewhere given quite a bit of focus on access/transport/safety etc.

The Council are solidly behind it and objections from Historic England that the plan to infill the dock would “fundamentally change its historic character” and “result in significant harm to its Grade ll significance” are simply ridiculous.

This the big step forward for the club that we have been waiting for and it is going to happen.

As for Government approval, it's impossible to think that a project that takes a derelict crumbling area to a state of redevelopment of the North of the City, and acting as the catalyst for prosperity and employment, will be turned down.

And the alternative? Wait for years whilst the site becomes even worse with no guarantee of a new investor.

To turn the application down would be madness and cause uproar with the Liverpool City Council. It's an absolute cert it will be approved by central Government.

A shout for Joe Hanson by the way, we should send him a crate of ale.

Anyone who lives around the Liverpool area, or those who have visited the site, will know full well that in it's present state, it is a dump. If it was that important to the World Heritage people, why hasn't there been any investment before now?

I'm sure our friends across the park will be jumping for joy in the knowledge that we have been given the green light, green being envy! Love it!

Moshiri just needs to make a large donation to the Conservative party and we'll be fine! ;-)

One of the surveys from the club to season ticket holders asked where they would prefer to sit in a new stadium as the club felt it important to accomodate requests for similar seating requests if possible.

Jenrick just has to get a civil servant to write a decision letter and add his scrawl at the bottom. Then he can bang on about being committed to regeneration of northern cities! Ha, ha.

This is going to happen (assuming Moshiri doesn't put all his money on a donkey in the Grand National).

Can't wait to take my seat for the first game at the new stadium.

I am already on.

Pretty sure I asked for them to ensure Dave Abrahams was not in my section!

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/every-word-incredible-defence-evertons-19897608

"People the other side of the wall were dying of starvation, they were dying of cholera, they were dying of typhoid. That dock wall kept them from getting access to anything that would help them survive.

"Part of that dock wall was built by Napoleonic prisoners of war, slave labour. Napoleonic prisoners of war died building that wall, everybody in Historic England is falling over themselves to protect something, or part of something, that was built by slave labour - who died during the process.

"Are we proud of that? Of course we're not, but it's part of our heritage.

"It's vitally important for our kids to get good, quality work - and that's what Everton will provide"

Brilliant.
Inspirational.
My kind of politician. He would get my vote every time.

So with the recruitment of Moshiri, Brands, Carlo and now the stadium news, is it possible that Bill is at last getting the hang of football club ownership? (ducks for cover).

Great news. There has been vast amount of work put into this proposal by the club and the engagement politically and publicly has been excellent and highly professional. I'm very impressed – and very excited.

Let's get this approved and get hoarding up.

Agree, but credit goes to Mr Moshiri as Christy rightly calls out.

I promised him I would take him there as soon as it's finished (my 8-year-old granddaughter has already been to Goodison).

He jumped off my knee and went running off shouting 'I am so excited, Grandpa!' Brought a tear to my eye. I just hope we have a team he will enjoy watching!

Like others, I am very fond of Goodison with loads of fantastic memories (good and bad) and will miss the old lady dearly. But, time to move the club forward and into a new blue era.

Can’t wait to see the blue Phoenix rise from the dock and cheer on the best club in the world at the best stadium in the world with the best supporters in the world

COYB!

Ps I see there are reports on social media that Mr Moshiri will back Carlo to the hilt in the summer transfer window. If true, things just get better and better

Sorry but after the Kings Dock fiasco set us back 20+ yrs and then Destination Kirby, I'll only be a believer when the first spade goes in the ground.

A big challenger for next season's top 4 in my opinion. The good times are just around the corner.

News about the stadium obviously a factor and yes, I agree about the top 4 target for next year.

I wonder if Carlo can convince Richarlison to stay another season?

I and many thousand others Blues share the same sentiment. 15 October marked 26 years since my first visit to the hallowed turf and while I don't go frequently, I will miss the place and the history there. Glad to see the legacy project is really looking to build on our well-grounded legacy in the community.

Depending on when the stadium gets completed, my son should be old enough to make his first (and possibly only) pilgrimage to Goodison in our final season (and I'm sure his grandfather would love to accompany us and make it three generations. Right, Phil Kelsall Roberts?). Hopefully to see us parade the league trophy!! ;-)

I don't think there will be many players looking to leave off their own back, mate. New stadium, world-class manager, decent basis for a very good squad. Exciting times...

When I say 'exciting times', I meant for all Evertonians. I presumed the TW site would be in meltdown.

Is anyone not happy with this news?

Although I am not sure whether he is a good fit for us, I also wonder how Moise Kean will react at the end of his loan?

My father (Gordon Lee ) worked at EFC from 1977 to 1981... every year since 1981 the club have invited dad to the Xmas party, sent him a Xmas card. 35 years after he left my mother passed away and EFC sent two wreaths one from the current players and one from the board. Goodison/EFC will always be special to our family I just hope my father is well enough to visit the new stadium...
God bless EFC

Daniel @85, I'm a cynical old bugger, and even I'm excited now. It's gonna happen. (At last!)

I think I'm developing a bit of a man-crush on George.

Best manager since Kendall the first time.

My main take from the fly over video was, "Oh neat! They have electric generating windmills on the water front."

Still can't figure out why the entire USA isn't lined with those electric generating windmills about ½ a mile out off the entire east-coast shoreline.

Anyway, fantastic news! Club's really moving forward.

Can we pat Moshiri on the back now?

It will be a pleasure.

Jamie #105, the weight will be no problem. We'll just buy smaller players and go full Barcelona. No more big units like Keane and Mina.

Great idea on the East Coast windmills. Make a fortune selling electricity to Texas, eh?

The comment of having a 2-metre barriers to stop fans falling in the dock, that may be the end for the away fans and could get lowered.

Congratulations to the CEO and Chong for their presentation and to Mr. Moshiri and the rest of the board for continuing in the progress of Everton FC and their fans.

Never trust any Government, no matter what party they represent, but I can't see anything but a positive quick response and allow construction that will help the whole of Liverpool employment industry.

If this gets called for a public inquiry (think that's the term?) then England is seriously ass-backwards. No offense, I don't mean to be crass or rude or brazen. I just can't figure out how in the world, in the economic climate we find ourselves in, you could reject this project?

It would be utter insanity.

It's happening. It's going to be beautiful. The entire world will see it and raise the Everton profile to heights unseen.

When the hordes of fans come, please remember I'm not bandwagon jumping. 😜

You may be surprised with the answer.

I know this has been raised before, but if someone can take some time to answer I'd appreciate it.

All roads T into the river. Is this not going to be an absolute traffic nightmare on game days? It looks like it's a quagmire waiting to happen?

If I lived there, I'd not even try to drive in. Public transit all day long to get to the stadium surely? It looks like it could produce New York / DC levels of congestion.

Been having a similar discussion on a parallel thread. There is a reasonable chance the application will be called in for a public inquiry.

That doesn't mean it will ultimately be rejected but, given the World Heritage Status and the influence of those objecting, the government will be under pressure to take it to the final scrutiny.

Secondly, being close to the city centre, the stadium is close to several main arterial routes into the city. Off-street parking is fairly limited currently, but I imagine local businesses, schools etc will open up their premises for parking, much as currently happens at Goodison.

I'll look for that other thread later this evening, Graham.

I think there was in access of over 2 million Evertonians, who attended the Bayern Munich game, or at least said they were there.

Sadly It was one of only 4 games I missed that season, not through choice but hardship for that week, with lack of funds.

Am I bitter? Too right I am.

Nimbyism is an issue in well-heeled Tory constituencies but not in this part of Liverpool. Exactly the opposite in fact, people are desperate for the investment and the jobs which will follow it.

I was one of the lucky 50,000 to go to the Bayern game, I feel for you - tough reason to miss it.

I hope it's a spectacular construction and not some cheap, prefabricated, plastic lego over an ugly concrete car park style cost-cutting job.

A lot of modern stadiums look good from afar, but are far from good.

This could be a great place to go anytime, with decent family restaurants, pubs, walking and cycling paths linking it to the city and other public places.

There's enough room and scope to think about public outdoor events, markets, arts and other fun sports events etc.

Heritage is worth preserving if it has something to say but not simply because it happens to be old.

But the next job is to take out Soton, and Mr Ed's sidekick, Ralph H, whose on par worse than Mr Ed in terms of excuses and blowing smoke up his own arse.

UTFT!

A massive month ahead, but the next game counts most.

I now have to deal with an image of a hapless Ned Beatty being mercilessly buggered by a rampant Hill"Bill"y focussed only on his own gratification and to hell with the real world!

What could possibly go wrong? Cheers pal!

I just hope I live long enough to see the Stadium built and the Blues back where they belong – top of the League.

With Unesco involved, there are also international implications, so this decision will need to be very carefully considered. Hopefully lots of MPs are bending Jenrick's ear to make the right decision.

You have looked up the trustees of English Heritage, the organisation that is responsible for the maintenance of historic buildings such as Stonehenge and Dover Castle.

The commissioners of Historic England appear to be drawn from a wide range of people from business and academia; the chairman is the only member of both organisations.

It does not alter the fact that Historic England has completely misread the value of turning a derelict site with no hope of restoration into a massive asset for the region. I have no doubt that Robert Jenrick will ignore their views and approve the stadium.

Surely even the dogs in the street know this is a derelict site of no intrinsic value, historic or otherwise. No, not in this country, with so many snouts in the trough.

The smell has to have been taken into consideration alongside the ammo for back page headlines and stick from that lot when results don’t go our way.

Surely there will be a plan in place to eliminate or reduce odur’s in the air around the ground?

Anyway, the rs fans will be at Bramley-Moore Dock at times – that'll mask any smell from the waste disposal works.

We have played across the parks length away from a sewer for over 100 years.

There is for once a very good step-by-step stage guide in the echo, with images, starting from Stage 1 filling in the dock, right up to final stage of laying the pitch, each with an image and what they are using to construct.

Can anyone either add the link here, or even better, if the very techno people, could copy the images and the wording for a fresh article, I am sure posters would really enjoy and understand the step-by-step guide.

Have to say one of the best articles and information I have seen for a very long time.

There you go Brian

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/new-images-show-how-everton-19907321

I was a fleet-footed winger.
Rapid

That is actually true, when Liverpool's Spion Kop was being converted from all standing to all seating, it was reported in The Liverpool Echo that the Kop was built over a main sewer. A mate of mine said it must have been the only sewer in the world where the rats were on top of it instead of in it!!

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/nostalgia/kop-collapse-meant-liverpool-started-11864286

I'm sure the hot dogs and fried onions will mask anything from next door so we've nothing to worry about.

It would have spoiled the view from the river (and for George McKane 😉).

My initial thought was, when King George and Queen Mary visited in 1913, but I've checked it out and the crowd is given as 69,000, more than 9,000 less than the 78,299 attendance for the 1948 derby game. It's obviously a trick question but one I've never heard of, I'd interested to learn the answer.

I’ll refer to this project as “Salvation,”Everton’s, promised land, by the Mersey.

Imagine match night the sky will be Blue for miles around, light up the Liver Building and Light up BMD, and eradicate the nesmesis of our old ground, for good.

It will be sad to leave, G P, but this is the next step in the evolution and transformation of EFC, as a football club and business.

Well that’s what I hope, and for a return to better times for EFC.

Great times to be an Evertonian, and it’s great for the young Evertonians, and hopefully genuine hope for all of us, to be involved in this next stag3 of Everton’s move.

But now to beat Soton.

I do not regret that week, I did not have the funds, the one week my parents simply did not have the money either, but I would never have it any other way, or ever throw a strop.

I was lucky enough to have a roof over my head and food on the table, and not a day goes by where I do not think of sacrifices my parents made for their children. If I knew then the significance of that game, and could have it again, but leaving my parents short, I would happily miss the game again.

I'd advise any Blue to take a look into this greaseball's track record and history and wince. That our future ground's fate lies in such a dodgy Tory is a concern.

Anyone know if his former boss & crook Esther McVey is a Blue or not? Failing that, Moshiri & Usmanov need to adopt some iffy Russian cash tactics here.

Can you explain why you believe that Robert Jenrick is bent and Esther McVey is a crook?

Just for starters, here you go:

Housing secretary should have resigned after approving Tory donor's ‘contentious' property scheme, anti-corruption expert suggests

Robert Jenrick admits Israeli billionaire he had meeting with is family friend

Lo and behold... her father was the co-writer for Z-Cars series.

Biggest crowd I ever encountered, I think, was 56,000 plus v Bolton in the League Cup semi-final 2nd leg. Street end was packed that night as tight as I had ever seen it.

That Burnley home game, I was also in the Paddock that day, Street End, I remember all the kids being passed over our heads, so they could sit on the running track and watch the match and be looked after by the St. John’s Ambulance guys where necessary. Loads of them ringing the pitch.

I remember standing there at the end of the game, miffed, and looking at the goal frame at the Park End with three big muddy marks, where we’d hit the woodwork in the second half.

I also reckon both matches were played December 1960, not 61. We’d not long moved from Walton to Orrell Park, and instead of a 5 minute walk home it took a fair while, but I felt better after it.

It wasn’t until the news headlines on the telly later that night we knew how huge that crowd was. But it didn’t help my disappointment. We probably had cold turkey and ham for tea with cheese and pickles. With mince pies for afters.

You’re preaching to the converted. I’m only 73 so I quite understand. Senior moments tend to start joining up a bit don’t they?

I was at that Nottingham Forest game, and another miserable experience. Ian Moore hat trick, the last goal when the referee had the whistle in his lips, like a pinball of the goal frame about three times.

I remember the look of disgust on Ray Wilson’s face at the end as he booted the ball into the Trent.

I know that Andy Rankin came in for some stick, but I've recently seen some footage and I don't think it was fully deserved. I suppose that like Jordan Pickford the goalie is easy to blame; in the main, he has nobody to come to his rescue. A team can lose 1-0 and his mistake is highlighted; it seems that no-one takes into account the number of chances that the strikers squander.

I was at Ayios Nikaloas.

I played football for the Army and Combined Service's (Cyprus) teams down that end of the Island at Episkopi and Akrotiri. Not quite Bramley-Moore Dock or Goodison, but nice pitches nonetheless, if somewhat rock hard!!

Also a staging post en-route to further eastern climes in my later career.

The pandemic hopefully has a silver lining for us Blues.