A COLONY of water voles could threaten Everton FC and Tesco’s £400m move to Kirkby.

Knowsley Council has already approved planning permission that would allow Tesco to move Kirkby Brook to make way for Everton’s 50,000-seater stadium.

However, the waterway is home to a group of protected water voles.

Planners heard that work on realigning the brook, and relocating the voles, would have to be carried out by September, as it is illegal to disturb a hibernating vole.

But the diversion work will now not take place until the Secretary of State has made a decision on Everton’s plans.

Kate McLean, senior planning consultant at Development Planning Partnership, who are managing the project on behalf of Tesco, said: “We’re waiting for the wider Secretary of State’s decision to tie in with the larger scheme.

“It’s to do with making cost savings.

“We’re going to encourage the voles to move downstream, rather than moving their habitat.”

Now the developers face a race against time to get the animals to move home before they begin going to hibernation.

This would allow work on the project to start immediately if approved by the inquiry.