Prior the match on Saturday, Adam Partington asked fans outside Goodison Park their views on Bramley-Moore Dock.
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Last month, Everton revealed the proposed designs for its iconic new stadium which would be built on semi-derelict dockland in North Liverpool and deliver a £1bn boost to the city’s economy.
Images of the stadium were revealed by world-renowned architect Dan Meis at an event for the Club’s fans held in a former warehouse at the Titanic Hotel just yards from the proposed Bramley-Moore Dock site which is part of the wider Liverpool Waters development.
The concepts show a stunning brick, steel and glass design which takes its inspiration from the historic maritime and warehouse buildings nearby. The structure combines the historic and the modern, with the brick base of the stadium incorporating a subtle nod to Goodison Park’s famous Archibald Leitch lattice work while the dynamic roof structure made from steel and glass gives the stadium a modern finish.
The stadium is made up of four distinctive stands including a large steep home stand to the south that will house 13,000 Evertonians on matchdays. Supporters will be as close to the action as regulations permit as the Club seeks to capture and amplify the intensity and intimacy of Goodison Park in this modern arena.
The design of both North and South stand lower tiers will make it easy to adopt rail seating and, should legislation change in the future, they could also be converted into areas for safe standing offering supporters optionality and flexibility in the future.
The Club also used the event to reveal its plans for the redevelopment of Goodison Park to create a range of community assets such as homes, health, education and enterprise amenities as well as the introduction of public space which will include a lasting tribute to the Club’s current home of 127 years.
The event marked the start of a month-long public consultation into the Club’s plans – which have been badged as The People’s Project – with the results of the consultation informing further refinements to the proposals.
ABOUT THE STADIUM PLANS
Site layout
The Club’s proposals include extensive, high quality public spaces for use on both matchdays and non-matchdays, the creation of a waterway to connect the docks and a new multi-storey car park next to the river, with a footbridge linking it to the stadium. The car park would be low enough that it did not block views of the stadium from the river or views of the river from the stadium.
Orientation
The stadium would be built on a north-south orientation. This is the best approach in terms of the impact of sunshine and shadow on the fans’ experience and on the televising of matches. It is also the best approach with regards to prevailing winds, retention of heritage assets and provision of public space around the stadium.
Capacity
Everton is proposing a stadium capacity of 52,000 with the potential for that to rise to 62,000 in the future, subject to further planning permission. The stadium will also be future-proofed for any changes in regulations in relation to safe standing. The design of two of the stands (north and south) will allow for rail seating and in future, should the law change, a safe standing solution.
Construction materials
The designers are proposing to build the stadium and the car park using traditional brick, glass and steel. The dominance of the brick is designed to ensure the development looks at home in the dockland setting and takes its inspiration from the brick used in the nearby Stanley Dock complex. The current proposals show a nod to Goodison Park’s Archibald Leitch architecture with a subtle reference to the stadium’s famous lattice work in the brick.
Inside the stadium
Inside the stadium, fans would be as close as five metres to the action with all stands offering unobstructed sightlines. The overall design will also help amplify the noise within the stadium ensuring the best possible atmosphere. The home stand would be the South Stand and would consist of a single steep tier of seats, with a super-riser to factor in any future changes in legislation to accommodate safe standing.
The Fan Plaza
The Fan Plaza would be to the east of the stadium and would be about the same size as Liverpool’s Pier Head. It would be the focus for pre-and post-match entertainment and activity.
Within the Fan Plaza, the top of the original dock wall could be revealed within the paving, maintaining the outline of the former dock.