Everton Stadium wins unanimous planning consent
Everton Football Club holds an important place in sporting history. Football officially became a professional sport in 1885, and the first ever Football League was founded in 1888 by just 12 clubs, one of which was Everton.
We at Buro Happold understand how important the club is to the city of Liverpool, its legions of fans, both near and far, and just how much anticipation there is for the new home of this historic club.
Liverpool City Council’s Planning Committee has unanimously approved the full planning application for Everton Football Club’s new 52,888 capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
For the Buro Happold team, which is made up of 16 engineering and specialist technical disciplines, this is a significant milestone in our journey with the club, which began over four years ago. Many of our team have been working side by side with the club right from the very early concept stage of this project.
The council’s decision has delighted everyone involved for bringing Everton’s vision for their new home on the banks of the Mersey one step closer. This truly will be a stadium not only for football fans, but a community asset, bringing social and economic benefits to a disused and disadvantaged area of Liverpool.
Our team has been infected by the club’s enthusiasm for the project, their commitment to the local community and their dedication to their fanbase. This was evident in the Planning Committee meeting and perfectly captured by Councillor Joe Hanson commenting, “I think it is clear that Everton is The People’s Club – and I am a red.”
The work of our team has been underpinned by the 11 key principles produced by the club to ensure the project provides the right deal for the fans and wider community of the city of Liverpool. The project encompasses the construction of an iconic landmark whilst harnessing the surrounding environment and respecting the heritage of the area.
The stadium has been designed to relocate the character, tradition and atmosphere of Goodison Park and take those important elements to Bramley-Moore Dock. This will be delivered in line with sustainable design principles, making sure it is operationally efficient while preserving the integrity and heritage assets of the surrounding area for future generations. It was this approach and dedication to these principles of the development that lead to a unanimous approval for the plans by the councillors this week.
All at Buro Happold are delighted for Everton Football Club and supporters with the recent full planning approval from Liverpool City Council, a major milestone for the new stadium at Bramley Dock. This is a fitting outcome of all the hard work, expertise and careful development of the new stadium that recognises the historic nature of the site. The works will give new life and regeneration to this important part of Liverpool – whilst providing the club with an amazing new landmark facility that sets the clear ambition for the club, supporters and the city.
Simon Wainwright, Partner, Buro Happold
The plans have now been referred to the UK Government’s Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government. This is standard practice for a development of this size and scale. The government will have an initial 21 days to review the application before reaching a decision.
