Topic: Anfield Road Extension - Construction work resumed on 12th September 2023.

[quasimodo]

Well, I don't think it will happen in the near future, and even if it happens, it will most likely include adding 5,000 seats to the upper tier of the SKD stand (not a new tier) and a new roof identical to the ARE stand. In order to do that, you probably won't need to remove more than one row of houses ...

The interesting thing about the SKD stand is that it's now the oldest part of the ground, especially with the old Kemlyn part at the bottom designed for people no taller than 5 feet. It'll need some upgrades in the next 10 years though I don't see how the club can do anything larger with all the houses impacted.

[mikeb58]

The interesting thing about the SKD stand is that it's now the oldest part of the ground, especially with the old Kemlyn part at the bottom designed for people no taller than 5 feet. It'll need some upgrades in the next 10 years though I don't see how the club can do anything larger with all the houses impacted.

As ever it's all down to money, I went in the old Kemlyn Rd stand a few times many years ago, a knee crunching experience. They really should upgrade that stand now for the comfort of the fans (customers!) but the Club would  take a big loss in revenue in doing so, knowing an upgrade will mean less seats with the current regs.

 As long as Liverpool can fill the current version the Kemlyn Road, despite its obvious limitations, they will be happy enough.

I don't think it's fair to worry the residents in Skerries and Wylva Road that the club may be looking to expand over their homes in the future. Whatever happens to the SKD Stand in the future, I think it should be on its own current footprint.

[Samie]

We could always do RAWK's favourite thing when it comes to the stadium and that is to fill in the corners. 

[67CherryRed]

Who knows? At the moment, it doesn't look likely, but it is hardly impossible, if you remove that row of houses ...

They could literally pick up that entire street (both sides of it) and move it in to that bit of wasteland behind the Kop while everyone was out at work and they'd never need to know.

[rob1966]

They could literally pick up that entire street (both sides of it) and move it in to that bit of wasteland behind the Kop while everyone was out at work and they'd never need to know.

I think they might notice the house isn't where they left it

That bit of wasteland used to be houses, my Dad owned one of them back in the 80's, I think the area is earmarked for development.

[Peter McGurk]

Who knows? At the moment, it doesn't look likely, but it is hardly impossible, if you remove that row of houses ...

Bar floating the whole stadium on bags of gas and moving it down the road or on to the park (wait a minute...) there is really nothing that is impossible. Rebuild the SKD, knock down the kop, move the road, buy the houses, move the people... the how really doesn't matter (given limitless funds). The why is way more important. Why have an 80k seat stadium? To be the biggest no matter the cost? To have the best team? To be the best club that wins the most trophies? To be top of the heap 'bigger' than anyone else. Or is it 'just' to be able to get into the ground? Or is it all of those?

So which part of building bigger makes that happen? Or better (from a stadium point of view), what kind of stadium suits the club's goal to be the best in the world better? If it's about money or buying success, there's more clout in the ink on one commercial contract (or one investment deal) than any stadium of any size.

How much stadium would you have to build to get the money over how long a period to beat a billion investment for a minority shareholding today or tomorrow? Actually no, now that's impossible.

[meady1981]

They could literally pick up that entire street (both sides of it) and move it in to that bit of wasteland behind the Kop while everyone was out at work and they'd never need to know.

Literally more plausible than most of the comments in Mr Drones videos.

[Red Beret]

Let's remember that those houses have people in them. People have lives, and they don't like having their lives disrupted. I'm sure most of us here have moved house at least once and most will agree it's a pretty stressful experience, even when it goes smoothly. We shouldn't Anfield residents as inconvenient cattle, to be moved on to another field, like it's no trouble at all.

I think we're looking at 10 years minimum before further expansion is considered possible. I'd expect some upgrades and refurbs in the meantime, but whilst a stadium capable of holding 72k is possible (more if safe standing is deemed practical), it won't be anytime soon.

[Eeyore]

Well, I don't think it will happen in the near future, and even if it happens, it will most likely include adding 5,000 seats to the upper tier of the SKD stand (not a new tier) and a new roof identical to the ARE stand. In order to do that, you probably won't need to remove more than one row of houses ...

Because of right-to-light issues I would imagine you would be looking at a minimum of three rows of houses.

[meady1981]

Because of right-to-light issues I would imagine you would be looking at a minimum of three rows of houses.

I'm sure the residents on the South East side of Skerries road would be made up about the view from their front door going from Stan and Sheilas net curtains to a gargantuan stand with 20k people milling around every other Saturday.

[rob1966]

Let's remember that those houses have people in them. People have lives, and they don't like having their lives disrupted. I'm sure most of us here have moved house at least once and most will agree it's a pretty stressful experience, even when it goes smoothly. We shouldn't Anfield residents as inconvenient cattle, to be moved on to another field, like it's no trouble at all.

I think we're looking at 10 years minimum before further expansion is considered possible. I'd expect some upgrades and refurbs in the meantime, but whilst a stadium capable of holding 72k is possible (more if safe standing is deemed practical), it won't be anytime soon.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Even if there is an upgrade to the SKD stand in the future, I doubt it will go higher than the ARE stand. That is why I have suggested expanding the upper tier of the SKD stand, not adding another tier. And a new roof of course, identical to the ARE stand roof ...

[Terry de Niro]

Let's remember that those houses have people in them. People have lives, and they don't like having their lives disrupted. I'm sure most of us here have moved house at least once and most will agree it's a pretty stressful experience, even when it goes smoothly. We shouldn't Anfield residents as inconvenient cattle, to be moved on to another field, like it's no trouble at all.

I think we're looking at 10 years minimum before further expansion is considered possible. I'd expect some upgrades and refurbs in the meantime, but whilst a stadium capable of holding 72k is possible (more if safe standing is deemed practical), it won't be anytime soon.

Thank Christ for a bit of sense.

[andy07]

Hypothetically. How many houses are there on Skerries and Wylva and how much would it cost to rebuild them (or updated modern equivalents) on a footprint as close as possible to their current location?

[The Cobbler]

We need people to stop living in la-la land. There is going to be NO further development after the ARE build for the foreseeable future.

Anything beyond 62K is unlikely unless there is a massive upgrade in public transport to & from the Anfield area. It just won’t happen as LCC can’t spend on major infrastructure and national government has other priorities. Unless we get a new tram system or a reopening of the Bootle branch line, we won’t get planning permission.

You are talking serious money £100M plus to make the levels of public transport suitable to go beyond crowds of 62K. Never gonna happen!

And finally can some of you  please stop with the nonsense about moving people out of the houses on the streets behind the SKD stand. Who do you think you are? These are people’s homes/lives/families you are blandly discussing.

[andy07]

We need people to stop living in la-la land. There is going to be NO further development after the ARE build for the foreseeable future.

Anything beyond 62K is unlikely unless there is a massive upgrade in public transport to & from the Anfield area. It just won’t happen as LCC can’t spend on major infrastructure and national government has other priorities. Unless we get a new tram system or a reopening of the Bootle branch line, we won’t get planning permission.

You are talking serious money £100M plus to make the levels of public transport suitable to go beyond crowds of 62K. Never gonna happen!

And finally can some of you  please stop with the nonsense about moving people out of the houses on the streets behind the SKD stand. Who do you think you are? These are people’s homes/lives/families you are blandly discussing.

Cage well and truly rattled😩. No more silly comments about Anfield expansion. We have all been told.  Never going to happen.  Absolute cobblers.

[Red Beret]

Cage well and truly rattled😩. No more silly comments about Anfield expansion. We have all been told.  Never going to happen.  Absolute cobblers.

Absolutely correct. Comments about future expansion and casually shunting people out of homes IS silly. It's more than silly in fact; it's callous.

Bad enough when you want to move. Getting forced out of your house because you've become inconvenient would be even worse. People have jobs; their kids go to schools where they have mates. It's bloody awful disruption, yet people here talk about shunting residents around like they're Tetris bricks. It's disrespectful, and kind of goes against what our club is supposed to stand for - community solidarity.

LFC raised enough hackles when it came to the Main stand. I think it's wise to let the dust settle a bit.

[Too early for flapjacks?]

Maybe the owners of those houses would feel differently if the club offered twice the market value. I mean, the club have enough resources to make it worthwhile for the residents of those houses and help make the move an easy process. Or could slowly start buying up houses again when they come up for sale but this time don't let them fall into disrepair. Plenty of ways to go about it without being shitbags.

[meady1981]

I like the new Anfield Road Extension and I’m enjoying watching the construction - which is underway.

[paulrazor]

Absolutely correct. Comments about future expansion and casually shunting people out of homes IS silly. It's more than silly in fact; it's callous.

Bad enough when you want to move. Getting forced out of your house because you've become inconvenient would be even worse. People have jobs; their kids go to schools where they have mates. It's bloody awful disruption, yet people here talk about shunting residents around like they're Tetris bricks. It's disrespectful, and kind of goes against what our club is supposed to stand for - community solidarity.

LFC raised enough hackles when it came to the Main stand. I think it's wise to let the dust settle a bit.

amen

[Peter McGurk]

Absolutely correct. Comments about future expansion and casually shunting people out of homes IS silly. It's more than silly in fact; it's callous.

Bad enough when you want to move. Getting forced out of your house because you've become inconvenient would be even worse. People have jobs; their kids go to schools where they have mates. It's bloody awful disruption, yet people here talk about shunting residents around like they're Tetris bricks. It's disrespectful, and kind of goes against what our club is supposed to stand for - community solidarity.

LFC raised enough hackles when it came to the Main stand. I think it's wise to let the dust settle a bit.

I'm not sure where you're coming from with this. It'll be ok to move people round willy nilly if the club just waits a bit?

Whatever outsiders (like David Conn for example) think of it or locals (not unnaturally) say about it to get the best they can for themselves and maybe families if they have them, I do think people take sides on this issue on the basis of very broad assumptions (family homes all individually owned, permanent residents, people happy where they are, wouldn't want to be bought out, wouldn't want to live somewhere nicer...), where the facts of the matter can be very different (blocks of ownership, transient population, fed up with the area, crime or even, of having a football ground on their doorstep...).

And property is an asset and every asset has its price, to be balanced against moving or not moving. There's even the notion of the 'greater public good', enshrined in our planning laws. It's not a black and white situation and sometimes not even a community-driven set of decisions or based on emotive outlooks.

[meady1981]

But Peter, the ground looks wonky. C’mon.

[Peter McGurk]

But Peter, the ground looks wonky. C’mon.

interesting point of view... let's spend a few hundred million. Why? Because it looks wonky.

[Ray K]

interesting point of view... let's spend a few hundred million. Why? Because it looks wonky.

That sounds like my missus when I put shelves up in the kitchen. 

[meady1981]

interesting point of view... let's spend a few hundred million. Why? Because it looks wonky.

That’s more like it!

[rob1966]

Maybe the owners of those houses would feel differently if the club offered twice the market value. I mean, the club have enough resources to make it worthwhile for the residents of those houses and help make the move an easy process. Or could slowly start buying up houses again when they come up for sale but this time don't let them fall into disrepair. Plenty of ways to go about it without being shitbags.

If they are happy living there and get on with the neighbours, then most people won't want to move. The houses are worth about £100k each. I think there is about 30 to 40 houses on the street, so to get everyone to move out would involve the club being shitbags.

If the club offered to build a new street opposite the kop and house everyone in a brand new house and make them all mortgage free, the residents might go for something like that and that is the only thing I would be happy with the club doing now.

[gazzalfc]

It's not just homeowners. You could make a pretty good assumption that the majority of those houses will be private landlord owned houses or housing association houses. A landlord making £500-600 a month and making twice their home value over a long period wont want to sell. Also all those people who are being housed under the housing association (council house) model may not want to move. It could be outside a school catchment area etc. The shortage of affordable housing and houses for those that need it are great.

Then there is a whole other story of land ownership. Freehold land options can be very lucrative

[Son of Spion]

If there was a serious will to redevelop the Sir Kenneth then it's probably not beyond the club to purchase the land currently for sale where the hotel was going to be, then build housing there and offer them to the residents behind the current stand in a similar way to what you (Rob) describe. The land is there, and it's for sale.

[rob1966]

If there was a serious will to redevelop the Sir Kenneth then it's probably not beyond the club to purchase the land currently for sale where the hotel was going to be, then build housing there and offer them to the residents behind the current stand in a similar way to what you describe. The land is there, and it's for sale.

If the residents were happy with that and 100% in agreement, then this is the way the club should go IF they want to redevelop. As someone else said though, the residents in Wylva Road also need to be considered, those backing onto Skerries currently see the yards of the houses and a bit of the stand, do they want to lose the relative privacy they have now to be overlooked by the stand?

[CraigDS]

That sounds like my missus when I put shelves up in the kitchen.

I wondered where you were going with that at first 

[meady1981]

Where the hell have you been Craig

[CraigDS]

Where the hell have you been Craig

Dubai / Maldives.

Gotta spend that extra money John is giving me from the transfer budget on something.

[meady1981]

Dubai / Maldives.

Gotta spend that extra money John is giving me from the transfer budget on something.

Don’t you dare bring Al in here. This is a safe space.

[paulrazor]

Dubai / Maldives.

Gotta spend that extra money John is giving me from the transfer budget on something.

how did you spend the 125k he paid you to move out of anfield area in case they need the land to build another main stand tier in 2045

[CraigDS]

how did you spend the 125k he paid you to move out of anfield area in case they need the land to build another main stand tier in 2045

I've donated that to the WBR Kop wormhole portal fund.

[cdav]

https://youtu.be/csbcx60IFmI

New Paul Frost video, some nice detail as ever

[stueya]

I think one point being missed in the discussion around how any further expansion could be achieved is the issue of the area travel infrastructure, if I remember rightly back in the heady days of H&G and the 70K monstrosity they proposed was that any proposal beyond 65K would mean major investment by the club and local authority into how they would managed the movement of people into and out of the area- I’m certain without it then it would never have gained planning permission
I’m sure the potential proposal involved the rebuilding and reopening of the old Bootle line with a couple of new stations built(one was proposed to be on Utting Ave)- the issue then even in the noughties was the cost could be anything up to £200m which totally rules out an expansion given it would push total costs to in excess of £400m just for an extra 6-7k seats- a number that would take years and years to recover costs

[LOHAG]

What is the official line from the club on the opening of the new ARE?
Opening for the 23/24 season is what i remember? The key words missing from that is the 'start of'.
So have they given themselves flexibility for it to be opened at some point within the season?
Obviously we don't get a good look inside, other than Drone's footage from a week or so ago, but fitting out a building of that size is going to take a long time. Plus all the facades to make it water tight. Add to that the removal of the old and tieing in.
An early shout for me is that i cannot see the stand ready for August 12th, but perhaps that was never the plan.

[Crosby Nick]

The Main Stand opened in September when we played Leicester didn’t it? We swapped that home game with Burnley to away so played the first 3 (I think?) away from home that season. Could we do something similar assuming it’ll be easy close to the start of the season?

[cdav]

Being open and fully completed are two different things I guess, all the club will care about is being able to put bums on seats for the game