Spring start for Liverpool FC stadium - to be completed by 2011

Nov 7 2007 Larry Neild and Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Objectors' paean to Victorian splendours of Stanley Park fall on deaf ears

PLANNING committee members took four and a half hours to reach their decision after a site visit to Stanley Park yesterday.

The afternoon was spent hearing a stream of objections from more than 20 Anfield residents, who told of the impact of living in the shadow of one of the world’s biggest clubs.

Fears of match day chaos led councillors to recommend a minimum £100 parking fine for those who flout restrictions.

Among the objectors was Florence Gersten of the Save Our Cities campaign. She described the plan as “fundamentally wrong” for a prized Victorian park, saying the stadium would be catastrophic.

“I believe this is a lamentable attitude towards North Liverpool. It would be a different story if Liverpool FC wanted to build in Sefton Park,” she said.

Dr Alastair Walker, chairman of Stanley Park Preservation Society, said a third of the green space would be destroyed.

“This scheme does not enhance the park, it degrades it. It is hideous, gross barbaric vandalism which must be rejected,” he said.

George McLelland of the Friends group feared that once the stadium was built it would eventually mean to the loss of even more parkland in future years.

Mike Butler, secretary of Anfield Regeneration Action Committee said the real motive for the new application was because LFC wanted an even bigger stadium than before, accusing officials of obscuring the truth.

“This plan is totally unacceptable,” he said, adding that as there were acceptable brownfield sites, such as one in Speke/Garston, they should be considered.

Jean Hill said it was ironic that plans to build on the Garden Festival site were being examined by a current public inquiry, yet there was no suggestion that the Anfield plan should face such scrutiny. Local artist Frank Green, an Anfield resident for 45 years, told how elderly people had ben forced out of the area to meet the club’s expansion plans.

And Brian Woodbridge, who played football as a boy in Stanley Park, accused the council of handing the park to “Yankee speculators”.

“I would say to them “would you build a stadium in Central Park – of course you wouldn’t, you have more sense,” he said.

Objectors say they will bid to have the plans called in by the Government to force a public inquiry. Cllr Steve Radford, leader of the minority Liberal group on the council attacked the scheme. He said if Everton had wanted to build in Stanley Park the council would have said “No deal”, but officers acted like agents of Liverpool FC when they applied for permission.

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