Everton FC has revamped designs for its Bramley-Moore Dock stadium in Liverpool.
The club has gone to consultation on the latest round of alterations included adding a river-facing stepped plaza to the West side of the striking 52,000 capacity stadium.
Club stadium development director Colin Chong also said he hoped preferred contractor Laing O’Rourke could now make a start on the £500m project early next year.
The latest refinements have also removed the large multi-storey car park beside the West Stand.
Chong said that this helped improve the symmetry of the stadium and brought back river views for supporters in the West Stand and from the top of the stepped plaza.
The overall height of the stadium has been reduced but the capacity remains unchanged
Solar panels originally proposed on the West Quay will now be relocated to the stadium roof, freeing up and decluttering the quay for non-matchday use and allowing for extra matchday parking.
Designed by MEIS architects, the stadium structure combines the historic and modern, with the brick base incorporating a subtle nod to Goodison Park’s famous Archibald Leitch lattice work.
The roof structure is made from steel and glass for a modern finish. The latest design covers some of the most exposed areas within the stands to better protect supporters from the elements.
Historic England and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a heritage body acting on behalf of UNESCO are expected to call on Government to review the designs because they are concerned over the impact Everton’s plans to infill the dock on what is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Conservation Area.
Updated designs will be formally submitted to the council in early September, with a specialist Liverpool City Council planning meeting hoped to make a decision before the end of the year.
