Other opponents expressed anger at the cost of the project.

Kirkby resident Tony Barton, of the single issue political group 1st4Kirkby, said: "It’s a victory for common sense. But this isn’t time for triumphalism it’s a time to begin the process of finding out why this ever got as far as it has.

"Everyone said it would get called in and rejected, and now it has at a cost of millions to Knowsley people."

John Fleming, of Kirkby Residents Action Group, said: "This proposal would have badly damaged Kirkby and I’m relieved it has been rejected.

"We feel we were excluded from a process that was railroaded through the planning committee. But the issues raised in the public inquiry have been heard and that’s a victory for democracy."

Dave Kelly, of Keep Everton In Our City, perhaps the most vocal opposition group, was taking nothing for granted.

He said: "We feel a sense of anticipation of the official result.

"We’ve always said there’s only one decision that the secretary of state can make and we fully expect to be fully vindicated when we read what he has to say."

But David Dodd, who set up Kirkby Residents In Support of Progress, who gave evidence in support of the stadium bid, said: "I’m appalled and disgusted.

"The government has given the North West a kick in the teeth.

"This would have created thousands of jobs which have now effectively been lost. It’s a disaster."

The 500,000sq ft of retail space associated with the project would have repositioned Kirkby from 11th in the region's shopping hierarchy to possibly 4th.

A senior government source confirmed that both Everton FC and Tesco can apply for a judicial review, either separately or jointly.

But he believed that any such action would be unlikely to succeed.