Liverpool get stadium go ahead

[Duncan21]

Liverpool have been given the go-ahead to build their new stadium after the city council rubber-stamped a 999-year lease of Stanley Park.

The Reds are keen to relocate from their current Anfield home to a new state-of-the-art stadium in the nearby Stanley Park area.

They are now one step closer to making the move after being granted a lease of the area.

However, the club must still provide evidence that they can fund the build, which will also see a regeneration of the north Liverpool area.

The Reds are set to receive around £15 million of government funding for the development but must first prove they have the private capital to complete the project at a cost of around £150 million.

If all goes to plan, building could begin on the new stadium as soon as January, with the club expected to relocate to their new home for the 2009/2010 season.

"This is the last piece of the jigsaw as far as the city council is concerned, and it leaves the door open now for the football club to move forward with their stadium proposals," Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley said.

"The council have signed over the land on a lease to the club, and a joint venture agreement with them.

"We would then expect the club to go on site probably in January to start building the new stadium with the expectation that by September 2009 we will see them in a new stadium which is good news for Liverpool and good news for the Anfield community and good news for the city.

"Liverpool Football Club is one of the best known and most successful in the world yet it stands in one of the poorest areas, not only in the city, but in the country.

"We can now provide a new home for the football club fitting for their status as one of the world's best, and at the same time use their success to spark a dramatic revival of the Anfield and Breckfield areas.

"For the past five years we have worked with the Anfield-Breckfield Partnership Forum on the strategy to regenerate the area and every consultation with the local community has shown overwhelming support for this scheme.

"This is a golden opportunity for north Liverpool to be transformed."

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is delighted with the latest steps towards a new stadium.

"It is important for us to have a good stadium with a lot of possibilities for our supporters," Benitez told Sky Sports News.

"In terms of money it is very good news, but we will see, it can help.

"And we will have more people which for me is another positive thing, to have the Kop is great but if you have 60,000 plus it would be better."

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?...adium+go+ahead

heres what it will look like - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBAKhOcU3Qs

can't wait to go see Liverpool play in this stadium although it will be sad to leave Anfield but i can't wait

[darrenbatty]

Let's hope they can come up with the funding plans by next week..
YNWA