Liverpool will this week submit a planning application for their proposed £60 million ($80m) expansion of Anfield.
The Reds intend to increase the capacity of their famous stadium to over 61,000 by adding around 7,000 seats in its Anfield Road Stand, and are also seeking permanent permission to hold concerts and major events.
The submission of the planning application was paused in spring this year due to the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, but the club feels it is now in a position to take the next step. The application will be submitted to Liverpool City Council this week, with a decision expected in spring 2021.
Liverpool had initially hoped to begin work on the project by the end of this year, with the development completed in time for the start of the 2022-23 season. That, of course, was prevented by the coronavirus crisis, with the club as yet unwilling to commit to a new timeframe.
The Anfield Road plans have been the subject of two stages of public consultation with local residents, businesses, fans and stakeholders. The club says more than 700 responses were received, with the “vast majority” of respondents supportive of the plans.
Andy Hughes, Liverpool’s managing director, said: “We have been clear from the start that the expansion would be based on three things: financial viability and sustainability, the successful navigation of the complex planning landscape and with the co-operation of local residents and the community.
“We’d like to thank everyone who has offered a contribution to that consultation process. We feel that we now have a proposal that has been informed by our neighbours, will support the wider economy and provide an opportunity for more of our fans to come to Anfield to support our great team.
“The last nine months without fans in our stadium has driven home our commitment to making Anfield accessible to more fans than ever before and while a high level of uncertainty remains around Covid-19, we would like to be in a position to move ahead with the proposed redevelopment as soon as the time is right which is why we’ve decided to move forward with submitting the planning application.”
Liverpool will welcome supporters back into Anfield for the first time since March this weekend, with 2,000 fans set to attend Sunday's Premier League clash with Wolves.
