THE passion and civic pride that Everton FC as a top-flight club generates in Merseyside is a key planning issue, an inquiry heard yesterday.

John Barratt, Knowsley Council’s barrister, used St Helens RLFC and Tesco’s successful three way planning application last May to draw analogies with Everton’s application.

He said: “It is impossible to think that the club (St Helens RLFC) could prosper elsewhere, nor that the town would retain its identity, civic pride and self-respect if they were to move.

He referred to the Saints Community Development Foundation, which he said parallels Everton In The Community’s work in and around Walton.

He said: “There is an analogy to Everton FC’s programmes and their importance which are material considerations, aren’t they?”

He posed the question to Thomas Ferguson, development plans manager at St Helens Council.

Mr Ferguson’s evidence strongly opposes the Destination Kirkby bid although he admitted the parallels.

But he said that St Helens’ plans had been the right size for the town.

Kirkby will be too big and will impact on St Helens, damaging the vitality and viability of the town, he told the inquiry.