Everton FC have hailed another successful year for the construction of their stadium at Bramley Moore Dock. Progress on the new 52,888 seater stadium has continued well throughout 2023, and remains on schedule for completion by the end of 2024. It is hoped that the first competitive match will kick off in August 2025.
The ambitious stadium on the banks of the River Mersey is described as “one of the most sustainable and environmentally-friendly football stadia ever built”.
The team behind the construction report that a ‘mini pitch’ complete with fake grass and markings has been installed on the central spot, as a fun feature to celebrate the progress made so far.
Project Director Gareth Jaques said: “It’s nice to mark where the centre spot is and now that we don’t have cranes and heavy traffic it’s less of a problem, logistically, so we thought we’d refresh the area by making a little pitch as a bit of fun. It also gives the drone flyers something to look at!”
He added: “The project has become a benchmark for delivering stadiums efficiently using modern methods of construction, and to be on schedule after two-and-a-half years of technical, logistical and global influencing problems is a fantastic achievement.”
“The successes of the project will, however, forever go hand-in-hand with consideration of the devastating loss of our colleague Michael Jones earlier this year. Everything we achieve as a team is done for Michael, his family and the Club and all we can do is our best to make them proud.”
As well as being technically impressive, the design and construction team are emphasising the social and economic value of the stadium. Dozens of educational and community visits have taken place since construction began in 2021, and it is predicted that once complete, the stadium will add a value of £208m per year to the local economy.
Over 100 local apprentices are involved in the construction project, with 69% of the workforce drawn from local areas. The search for a site for a new stadium has been going on since 1996, as even then the current Goodison Park ground was showing its age, having been the home of Everton FC since 1892.
Solid plans for a new stadium were put on the table in 2000, when new investor Bill Kenwright proposed a move to King’s Dock, now the site of the M&S Bank Arena. The plans included the construction of new homes, a cinema complex, a health spa, and a hotel, shops, bars, and offices.
However, Everton FC could not raise enough capital and the plans were abandoned in 2003. A controversial new proposal was then put forward to build a stadium in Kirkby, well outside of the city centre. However, the plans were rejected by the government on the grounds that it would draw trade away from the city centre.
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