Everton stadium move rejected

Published on Thursday 26 November 2009 11:35

A £400 million plan to relocate a Premier League football club has been rejected, the Government confirmed today.

Everton FC wanted to move away from Goodison Park into the Knowsley town of Kirkby.

The move was drawn up in conjunction with supermarket chain Tesco, which planned to open a major superstore on the new site – including a large retail park – with the creation of up to 7,000 jobs.

A public inquiry lasting nine weeks earlier this year heard evidence the new stadium could draw money away from neighbouring areas, and attracted strong opposition from their local authorities.

Today, the Government issued a statement saying: "Having weighed up all considerations, the Communities Secretary John Denham has decided to agree with the planning inspector's recommendation to refuse permission for large scale retail development and a new football stadium in Kirkby.

"Regeneration is one of the Government's key priorities and although there are benefits that would arise from the development, it would also be likely to have a harmful effect on the vitality and viability of Kirkby, Bootle, Skelmersdale and St Helens.

"Proposals also conflicted with the published development plan and national policy guidance on retail provision and transport.

"Other factors against the proposal include no guarantee of regeneration for the existing town centre and the negative impact of the stadium on the town's residents.

"There is also no evidence that an alternative scheme, which makes use of the town centre sites, could not be delivered with its own socio-economic benefits and without the identified significant conflict with national and development plan policy.

"We recognise that there have been strong views expressed about this complex proposal. Ministers thought long and hard about the case and decided that the negative impacts outweigh the benefits."