Joint LFC and EFC stadium back on table
Joint LFC and EFC stadium back on table
A SHARED stadium for the city’s two football clubs is back on the drawing board today.
Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has not ruled out a joint home for Liverpool and Everton, despite the Reds killing off the idea more than a year ago.
His comments will raise fresh concerns among supporters of the Blues’ move to Kirkby that the government will “call in” the £400m for a public inquiry next week.
That would potentially delay the scheme by a year and add millions of pounds to the cost.
Culture secretary Andy Burnham MP, a Blues season-ticket holder, believes a joint home for Liverpool and Everton is “highly attractive”.
His ministerial team is even considering what to call it, given the sensitivities of both sets of fans – and their preferred option is “the Merseyside Stadium”.
Mr Sutcliffe today told the ECHO: “It is important all options are carefully considered. Nothing is ruled in and nothing is ruled out.
“Liverpool is a city which can sustain two world-class clubs. There are many examples of joint stadiums elsewhere in Europe, such as Milan.”
An Everton spokesman said: “We are concentrating our efforts on the Kirkby project as we have been doing for the past two years.
“Although we have never categorically ruled out the possibility of a joint stadium, Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett have made it clear they have no interest in a shared stadium.”
Everton’s Kirkby scheme, which includes a Tesco superstore, is recommended for approval when it goes before planning officers on Monday.
But it faced an important 24 hours today , with three separate meetings about it taking place in Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton.
In a private meeting this afternoon, Knowsley council was expected to agree to sell the stadium and supermarket site, south of Cherryfield Drive, to Tesco.
Councillors in Liverpool and Sefton were also due to give their official responses to the project.
If Knowsley councillors approve it, it will be sent to the Department for Communities and Local Government, where a decision will be made whether to call it in.
Ministers will assess whether the final verdict, in terms of its impact on Kirkby, is too important to leave to the council.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...0252-21021587/
A SHARED stadium for the city’s two football clubs is back on the drawing board today.
Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe has not ruled out a joint home for Liverpool and Everton, despite the Reds killing off the idea more than a year ago.
His comments will raise fresh concerns among supporters of the Blues’ move to Kirkby that the government will “call in” the £400m for a public inquiry next week.
That would potentially delay the scheme by a year and add millions of pounds to the cost.
Culture secretary Andy Burnham MP, a Blues season-ticket holder, believes a joint home for Liverpool and Everton is “highly attractive”.
His ministerial team is even considering what to call it, given the sensitivities of both sets of fans – and their preferred option is “the Merseyside Stadium”.
Mr Sutcliffe today told the ECHO: “It is important all options are carefully considered. Nothing is ruled in and nothing is ruled out.
“Liverpool is a city which can sustain two world-class clubs. There are many examples of joint stadiums elsewhere in Europe, such as Milan.”
An Everton spokesman said: “We are concentrating our efforts on the Kirkby project as we have been doing for the past two years.
“Although we have never categorically ruled out the possibility of a joint stadium, Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett have made it clear they have no interest in a shared stadium.”
Everton’s Kirkby scheme, which includes a Tesco superstore, is recommended for approval when it goes before planning officers on Monday.
But it faced an important 24 hours today , with three separate meetings about it taking place in Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton.
In a private meeting this afternoon, Knowsley council was expected to agree to sell the stadium and supermarket site, south of Cherryfield Drive, to Tesco.
Councillors in Liverpool and Sefton were also due to give their official responses to the project.
If Knowsley councillors approve it, it will be sent to the Department for Communities and Local Government, where a decision will be made whether to call it in.
Ministers will assess whether the final verdict, in terms of its impact on Kirkby, is too important to leave to the council.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...0252-21021587/
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