Everton has unveiled designs for a new £500 million stadium at Bramley Moore Dock in Liverpool, with a steeply pitched 13,000-capacity home end as its centrepiece. The 52,000-seat ground, which could be expanded to 62,000 if demand warrants, is expected to be ready for matches by 2023, subject to planning permission.
The stadium's brick and steel construction is intended to evoke the city's maritime heritage, appearing 'as though it has risen from the dock', according to the architects. Designed by Dan Meis, who has worked on stadiums in Rome, Cincinnati and Japan, the ground includes a subtle nod to the steel lattice trusses of Goodison Park, designed by Archibald Leitch.
The club has future-proofed the stadium by installing rail seating, which would allow a change in the law to accommodate safe standing. Standing in the top two divisions was outlawed after the Hillsborough disaster, but the government has indicated it remains under review. The southern stand is designed to retain the 'intensity and intimacy' of Goodison Park.
Everton expects to submit planning applications by the end of 2019 and hopes to begin a three-year building project in 2020. Funding options include private and public sector investment, as well as potential naming rights sales. A fan plaza to the east of the stadium will host pre-match activities for up to 14,000 people and could be used for concerts.
The plans were presented to 800 supporters on Thursday. Chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale said the ground would 'deliver transformative benefits' for Liverpool. The current Goodison Park site will be redeveloped for homes, health and education facilities, with proposals to retain the centre circle as a lasting tribute.
