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

[Boaty McBoatface]

Corners filled in quickly ORIGI!!!

[Graeme]

Is there any possibility at all that Anfield can be extended further (i.e updated Centenary and Kop stands)?

I know there are houses right up against the Centenary side, and the category of road behind the Kop makes it tougher to be closed off, but is there any potential at all for further upgrades?

Would be fantastic to have an 80k stadium complete with single tier kop (one can dream! )

There’s the 6-tier Dunkin Donuts stand that was mooted a while back.

[Terry de Niro]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/e4KqZFON2tQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/e4KqZFON2tQ</a>

[cdav]

Its really progressing at a quick rate now, I'm looking forward to Monday to see it and be able to watch the progress in person every few weeks at the home matches.

I know the plan is to lift the existing roof off during the world cup, presumably the new roof and top tier will be structurally complete by November then?

[paulrazor]

When you see how quick it goes up you wonder will it be even ready by the end of the season?

[kopite321]

From the back of the Kop today

https://twitter.com/kanwardlfc/status/1557787038891614209?s=21&t=36DTHitmlEiAkCatSV7Pzg

[Terry de Niro]

From the back of the Kop today

https://twitter.com/kanwardlfc/status/1557787038891614209?s=21&t=36DTHitmlEiAkCatSV7Pzg

How imposing is it all going to look when finished?

[Ghost Town]

Who'd ever have thought the Kop would be among the least imposing of our stands?

I've sat in the Annie often and never minded it - mostly because you don't therefore have to look at it . But the new one's gonna look proper bang.

[Red Beret]

When you see how quick it goes up you wonder will it be even ready by the end of the season?

They're probably looking to get as much of the structure up asap, but the internal work, modelling, fitting out etc, will take awhile.

[Redric1970]

Who'd ever have thought the Kop would be among the least imposing of our stands?

I've sat in the Annie often and never minded it - mostly because you don't therefore have to look at it . But the new one's gonna look proper bang.

Let’s be honest though and I’ve had a season ticket in the kop for over 30 years it was a fantastic terrace, but the current kop isn’t great and I think looks underwhelming and tired, and now compared
To the rest of the stadium even more so, I would love them to expand and redevelop the kop and I do understand the issues.

[Ghost Town]

What I think is great and impressive is that there has been no suggestion of remaining in thrall to the Kop's celebrity.

It may be the single most famous football stand of all, but as it would be very difficult and costly to expand and improve. the club happily turned their attentions to the stands that could be expanded and improved, even if their splendour now makes the Kop look less imposing.

[Terry de Niro]

Mr. Drone again with questions on whether we can re-develop The Kenny Dalglish Stand and the Kop in the future and put them in line with the main stand and the Anfield Road stand. I know it's been discussed on here many times, but still, find it fascinating on whether it would be somehow workable in the future.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/GUv5Mx8OmDc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/GUv5Mx8OmDc</a>

[reddazforever]

While buying the land, houses, church etc would be difficult it’s all possible and comes down to economics - offer a skerries homeowner double the value of their house and most would bite your hand off. The bigger challenge would in my opinion be the rerouting the A road behind the kop but again it’s possible if the council are onboard. Nothing is impossible but big bags of money would be needed and plenty of time

[meady1981]

FSG have made a lot of absolute blunders in the past, but I’d wager they won’t want to get into any territory resembling what happened to the Main stand side of the stadium. Which was pretty shameful from the club and set the community back by decades. Would be an acrimonious PR disaster. And if the planning stages from the Annie Road consultations were anything to go by, there is already an uneasy relationship between club and local residents. Just can’t see FSG touching the SKD stand with a barge pole. The best they can do is buy property as and when it comes up for any development waaay down the line when they’ll probably be long gone.

It always makes me uneasy when people are talking about demolishing those houses as if the people living in them are just objects to be shunted around. The line of ‘well if they don’t want to move the club can just CPO them’ is fucking vulgar in my eyes. These are families and elderly people that have lived there for generations in their family homes, many of them probably don’t have any interest in the club. If it was me I’d probably tell them to fuck off. I’d like to see how many people in YouTube comments or skyscraper city would actually just up sticks and leave their beloved house for a few extra grand.

[mikeb58]

We are extremely lucky we have got this far in terms of expansion in my opinion. I thought we would be forever stuck on around the 44k mark, so to get Anfield up to a capacity of 61k is is quite an achievement.

We've changed the entire face of Anfield Road and the Main Stand area to get to this point, and pissed off a lot of people along the way. So in that regard, I think we should be grateful and settle for what've got.

If we somehow get permission to extend The Kop, then great (if it only means rerouting WBR) but I think it's an absolutely non starter to even think about extending the SKD stand, if it means buying up houses on Skerries Road.

[rojo para la vida]

We are extremely lucky we have got this far in terms of expansion in my opinion. I thought we would be forever stuck on around the 44k mark, so to get Anfield up to a capacity of 61k is is quite an achievement.

It's a massive achievement and there were many times I thought that none of it would happen. I'm left thinking where would we be if we hadn't expanded? Would we have got left behind?
I'm very happy with what we've got to be honest, it would be tasteless to try and force the issues on the SKD side but I live in hope that something imaginative might happen re The Kop in the future.
It's going to be interesting to watch Chelsea over the next decade. They'll be stuck in a 42k stadium without a sugar daddy. Could of been us.

[18 yard line]

It's a massive achievement and there were many times I thought that none of it would happen. I'm left thinking where would we be if we hadn't expanded? Would we have got left behind?
I'm very happy with what we've got to be honest, it would be tasteless to try and force the issues on the SKD side but I live in hope that something imaginative might happen re The Kop in the future.
It's going to be interesting to watch Chelsea over the next decade. They'll be stuck in a 42k stadium without a sugar daddy. Could of been us.

Yes, and I think if FSG hadn’t known they could rebuild both the Main and Anny Road, they wouldn’t have done either and would instead have opted for a new build, probably in Stanley Park.

[Ghost Town]

Doubt we'd have been left behind. The proportion of income from match tickets is going down all the time. It's not a primary source of income any more.

It's more about having a stadium fit for the standing that the team enjoys and the level we are playing at and to serve as many fans as possible. I've never believed in that old lie the 'statement signing' but the look and size and quality of your stadium does make a kind of statement.

But the most important thing is that it's still Anfield. The Anfield of long and glorious memory

[Ghost Town]

Yes, and I think if FSG hadn’t known they could rebuild both the Main and Anny Road, they wouldn’t have done either and would instead have opted for a new build, probably in Stanley Park.

Honestly I doubt they would have. They grokked the situation pretty sharpish. Retaining the original Anfield is worth more than extra seats, esp as matchday income is s shrinking proportion of revenue

[meady1981]

I’ve somehow got my YouTube algorithm to suggest me at least four different drone videos per day. I was happy at one a week.

[Onward Liverpudlian]

While buying the land, houses, church etc would be difficult it’s all possible and comes down to economics - offer a skerries homeowner double the value of their house and most would bite your hand off. The bigger challenge would in my opinion be the rerouting the A road behind the kop but again it’s possible if the council are onboard. Nothing is impossible but big bags of money would be needed and plenty of time

If they wanted to expand the Sir Kenny stand to something meaningful like the Main stand surely they would need to remove three layers of housing, the two sides of Skerries and one side of Wylva - the road leading to Utting Avenue and the one with the Ray Clemence mural. Just imagine the cost and hassle of trying to persuade all them households to leave although financially it would be peanuts for the club. I'm old enough to remember the Mason sisters of Kemlyn Road. I don't see it happening also the thing nowadays is that they like the frontages of housing facing the stadium not backyards.

[BobPaisley3]

We are extremely lucky we have got this far in terms of expansion in my opinion. I thought we would be forever stuck on around the 44k mark, so to get Anfield up to a capacity of 61k is is quite an achievement.

We've changed the entire face of Anfield Road and the Main Stand area to get to this point, and pissed off a lot of people along the way. So in that regard, I think we should be grateful and settle for what've got.

If we somehow get permission to extend The Kop, then great (if it only means rerouting WBR) but I think it's an absolutely non starter to even think about extending the SKD stand, if it means buying up houses on Skerries Road.

Don’t want to hijack the thread but what would be the issue with the SKD being extended? Recently took my lad on the stadium tour and he asked where they would extend next. The only possible part I could see would be a third tier on the Kenny. Not feasible I presume?

[Redric1970]

If you look at the kenny dalglish stand the actual stand footprint is tiny the 3 block towers come
Out a hell of a lot further than the actual stand surely the extra space could be used in a better way enabling a third tier, even if the brought the stand out to the entrance tower that would make the stand big enough to add a third tier. I know That would make the stand taller and affect the light to
The houses but I’m pretty sure if the club approached the home owners and offered them a nice compensation most people wouldn’t turn that down and that’s a hell of a lot better option the buying streets.  but I'm no expert in any way if Peter can tell me if that’s even possible. if someone can put an external photo on here you will see what I mean, I tried but it said the file was to big and I’m useless at the stuff

[Jonny5]

The corners are probably the easiest in terms of getting planning, but by no means easily done, The SKD stand top tier could be extended left side and right.

Just not sure if it can go further back and higher.

[Alan_X]

It’s been discussed many times on here but doing the corners and extending the SKD sideways are restricted by the roof supports. That would mean a new roof and the cost may just not make sense.

The Main Stand added GA (general admission) seats plus hospitality seats and facilities that generate revenue. The Anfield Road extension adds mostly GA seats but brings hospitality lounges on site that justify the cost.

I can’t see the figures stacking up for a new roof to add a few thousand GA seats. The example of Dortmund filling the corners was to add hospitality and from memory, it was subsidised as part of a World Cup bid.

[Redric1970]

It’s been discussed many times on here but doing the corners and extending the SKD sideways are restricted by the roof supports. That would mean a new roof and the cost may just not make sense.

The Main Stand added GA (general admission) seats plus hospitality seats and facilities that generate revenue. The Anfield Road extension adds mostly GA seats but brings hospitality lounges on site that justify the cost.

I can’t see the figures stacking up for a new roof to add a few thousand GA seats. The example of Dortmund filling the corners was to add hospitality and from memory, it was subsidised as part of a World Cup bid.

Nothing is cheap but looking at the kenny dalglish stand it looks possible to bring the stand out as far as the brick centre entrance and add a third tier without buying up
Streets of houses, and if this was done a new roof would be needed anyway to bring the height of the stand up, if this was done the second tier could also be widened, both ends of that stand have always been a mess. we all know it wouldn’t be cheap nothing is, but it definitely looks possible looking at it, and we aren’t talking 100s of millions to do it.

[Alan_X]

I’ll post some sketches later but it’s not that straightforward.

A third tier would need a concourse and escape stairs. It might be possible to physically go up and back to the line of the stair towers but the impact on daylight and sky views for the houses would  it be acceptable from a planning point of view. I think the SKD must be at the limit in terms of right to light as it is.

Extending sideways would need a new roof with a truss half again as long as the current truss. It’s possible but the cost would be enormous for the added seats, which would be some of the worst views in the ground.

[meady1981]

We're going to have the 3rd biggest stadium in the Premier league.
The 2nd (only a few hundred seats bigger ) cost a billion pounds.
The 1st is falling to pieces.

If we can't go any bigger, we're already doing really well. And staying at Anfield.

[terry_macss_perm]

I’ll post some sketches later but it’s not that straightforward.

A third tier would need a concourse and escape stairs. It might be possible to physically go up and back to the line of the stair towers but the impact on daylight and sky views for the houses would  it be acceptable from a planning point of view. I think the SKD must be at the limit in terms of right to light as it is.

Extending sideways would need a new roof with a truss half again as long as the current truss. It’s possible but the cost would be enormous for the added seats, which would be some of the worst views in the ground.

Given that the ground is on the NW side of Skerries, would that have a bearing on the light issue? If the outer skin of the stand was predominantly glass and/or light coloured cladding, wouldn’t that result in plenty of light directed back towards the north (ground)-facing sides of the property?

I was also wondering if buying and demolishing only the nearest side of Skerries would give enough extra room for a stand extension.

[PaulD]

talk of buying up houses is a mis-step - don't be doing it

[meady1981]

talk of buying up houses is a mis-step - don't be doing it

After one of the deluge of Anfield expansion Youtubers suggested that the club was buying up all the houses, there was a tweet from a Skerries Road resident a few months ago saying neither him or his neighbours have any knowledge of such undertakings or indeed any desire to ever sell up and leave their homes. It's just not happening.

[Alan_X]

Extending Upper Tier sideways and/or filling in the corners would need a new roof truss with the same span as the Main Stand:



Extending SKD upwards would require buyiong up Skerries Road. The rule of thumb for Right of Light takes a line 25 degrees form the top of the ground floor windows. The SKD stand already fails that and any extension back or up would be unlikely to get approval.

Third Tier on the SKD makes no sense at all as far as I can see. There's no back of house infrastructure at that level to connect into. To get a small extra tier (which may fail anyway on steepness) you would have to create a new concourse at high level and extend the stair towers, possibly build new?.



What might make sense would be extending the Upper SKD backwards with a new roof and extended concourse. I can't see how it could be built without losing the Upper Tier for part of the season. 

[Alan_X]

Given that the ground is on the NW side of Skerries, would that have a bearing on the light issue? If the outer skin of the stand was predominantly glass and/or light coloured cladding, wouldn’t that result in plenty of light directed back towards the north (ground)-facing sides of the property?

I was also wondering if buying and demolishing only the nearest side of Skerries would give enough extra room for a stand extension.

Makes no difference. It's about being able to see the sky.

[CraigDS]

Upper concourse would need extending quite a bit, it's just about big enough for the capacity as it is.

[Alan_X]

Upper concourse would need extending quite a bit, it's just about big enough for the capacity as it is.

That's true.

[Redric1970]

Extending Upper Tier sideways and/or filling in the corners would need a new roof truss with the same span as the Main Stand:



Extending SKD upwards would require buyiong up Skerries Road. The rule of thumb for Right of Light takes a line 25 degrees form the top of the ground floor windows. The SKD stand already fails that and any extension back or up would be unlikely to get approval.

Third Tier on the SKD makes no sense at all as far as I can see. There's no back of house infrastructure at that level to connect into. To get a small extra tier (which may fail anyway on steepness) you would have to create a new concourse at high level and extend the stair towers, possibly build new?.



What might make sense would be extending the Upper SKD backwards with a new roof and extended concourse. I can't see how it could be built without losing the Upper Tier for part of the season. 

Let’s be honest if the upper tier could be extended and a new roof fitted
To match the 2 new stands it would be worth every penny, especially if it meant not having to buy homes
But working on the current footprint. And with regard right to light, if the club offered each home a
Decent sum for the right to light 99% of the homeowners would be open to that.

[Ghost Town]

I have no construction knowledge but as I've mentioned before last season I sat, for the first time, at the very back of the Upper Kenny. And it was horrible. I won't do it again and so I wouldn't advocate the Upper Kenny going back even further than it does now

[Ghost Town]

Having said that, I wouldn't be surprised if some sort of increase to the Kenny and the Kop does happen one day. At the moment it's a non-starter because the costs and difficulties are deemed to be too much to consider tacklng.

But one day in the future if extra capacity is needed (not just desired, but needed) and there's literally nothing else that can be done except try and increase capacity in those two stands then suddenly the context changes. When your options are strictly circumscribed it tends to focus your attention on whatever is left that's theoretically possible, even if extremely difficult. 

[BobPaisley3]

Extending Upper Tier sideways and/or filling in the corners would need a new roof truss with the same span as the Main Stand:



Extending SKD upwards would require buyiong up Skerries Road. The rule of thumb for Right of Light takes a line 25 degrees form the top of the ground floor windows. The SKD stand already fails that and any extension back or up would be unlikely to get approval.

Third Tier on the SKD makes no sense at all as far as I can see. There's no back of house infrastructure at that level to connect into. To get a small extra tier (which may fail anyway on steepness) you would have to create a new concourse at high level and extend the stair towers, possibly build new?.



What might make sense would be extending the Upper SKD backwards with a new roof and extended concourse. I can't see how it could be built without losing the Upper Tier for part of the season. 

Nice one, cheers

[The Lord Admiral]

Great stuff Alan, thanks for doing those. Hadn't realised it already failed the right to light, that's interesting.

Purely as an eyeball, how many seats do you think that might add? It looks like another 30% or so, which might just wash its face.