Liverpool optimistic Anfield Road expansion will be complete in time for 2022-23 season

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David Lynch12 February 2020

Liverpool are cautiously optimistic that the planned redevelopment of the Anfield Road end of the club’s home ground could be completed in time for the start of the 2022-23 season.

The second stage of the public consultation process relating to the proposed expansion begins ton Wednesday, and will run until Monday, February 24.

The first stage received over 800 responses and highlighted plans to permanently close Anfield Road to traffic as the main sticking point among local residents.

However, revised designs revealed today show the road instead being diverted around the expanded stand’s footprint, and also provide clarity on the make-up of the stadium’s increased capacity.

Should these plans be endorsed by residents, Liverpool hope to submit a planning application with the local council by March.

The redevelopment will add 7,000 seats to Anfield's capacity
Liverpool FC

Success on that front would then pave the way for construction to begin in late 2020.

The project would see a brand new top tier built over a refurbished lower tier in a way that would solve the oft-reported visibility issues in areas of the latter section.

Of the 7,000 seats the redevelopment will add to Anfield’s capacity, 1,800 will be reserved for lounge hospitality seats, while the remaining 5,200 will be classified as general admission.

This represents a significant increase on initial plans - for which planning permission was allowed to expire last August - that would have seen just 4,500 general admission seats added to the ground and no increase in the hospitality offering.

The contentious issue of Anfield’s poor rail links was another prominent feature of feedback during the first stage of the consultation process.

The nearest train station to the ground, Sandhills, is located 1.3 miles away, but talk of opening a passenger rail link servicing Anfield via the defunct Bootle Branch line has yet to come to fruition.

Asked about that possibility, chief operating officer Andy Hughes said: “A train station in the area is important for the area and obviously the club supports that and it would be helpful.

“But fundamentally I don’t think it solves the matchday transport issue, and we believe that can be done through public transport and coaches.

Liverpool remain optimistic they will open the new stand in time for the 2022-23 season
Liverpool FC

“We are re-looking at that in detail with the transport authorities, all the agencies involved, and we’re in the process of coming up with a revised transport strategy.”

Manchester United’s application to run a safe-standing trial at Old Trafford later this season has put rail seating back on the agenda for top clubs.

Liverpool are acutely aware of the sensitivities surrounding that issue when it comes to their own supporters, but insist there is scope to react to any changes in legislation.

As for their target of a summer 2022 opening date, Hughes added: “There are still some really big steps to get through.

“This consultation is a really important process and I think we’ve demonstrated that through the first round; there have been some concerns raised and we’ve relooked at the design and we need to go through that process again through this second round.

The Anfield Road stand is opposite Liverpool's famous Kop end and houses away supporters 
Liverpool FC

“Planning is a really big hurdle for us and we’ll be working really heavily on that through the next four/five/six months.

“And ultimately, the finances need to make sense in terms of the build cost when we finally understand that and the schedule.

“I think it’s a bit early to say it’s definitely summer 2022 but, assuming everything goes to plan and there are no major hurdles on the way, then that is our target date.

“The whole team have gained a huge amount of experience working on the Main Stand. A lot of the advisors we’re using and our internal team all worked on the Main Stand project.

“I’m hoping this will be a little simpler but it does help.”

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