Everton suffer setback in bid for new stadium
The Toffees are hoping to move out of Goodison Park
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Wednesday, 06, Aug 2008 10:12
Everton's plans to move to a new stadium on the outskirts of Liverpool have suffered a setback after it was called in for a public enquiry.
The Toffees had hoped to move to a site in Kirkby and were joining forces with supermarket giant Tescos as part of the proposed £400 million scheme.
Everton said they were disappointed the government had chosen to launch an enquiry and feared the delay could severely hinder the project due to the current economic environment.
A statement from the club said: "We are disappointed by the decision. Having spent more than two years working diligently on a project which would not only provide Everton football club with a new home but also regenerate Kirkby, we had hoped to avoid a government call-in."
Everton still have allies from the local council, who are determined to redevelop the area.
The Leader of Knowsley Council, Councillor Ron Round, said: "We have searched long and hard for years to attract the right investor to Kirkby and this scheme cannot be equalled.
"We will do all we can to keep the scheme alive and make sure the future of Kirkby is not put at risk."
The Toffees also repeated their commitment to the project, claiming it remains the club's best option for a new stadium.
The club statement added: "It is important to stress that this decision does not spell the end of the destination Kirkby project – but it will, self-evidently, precipitate a period of reflection, assessment and re-evaluation."
The proposed stadium in Kirkby would hold around 50,000 fans, 10,000 more than the club's current home Goodison Park.