Fenway plans for a new/redeveloped Anfield stadium?

Demolitions begin for £260m Anfield regeneration scheme (VIDEO)

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/demolitions-begin-260m-anfield-regeneration-5070660?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

This is probably just another FSG ploy do divert attention away from net spend.

The Specials - Ghost Town

I guess bulldozers are much cheaper than strikers,

Residents back plan for £260m Anfield regeneration

More than 80% of people living and working in the Anfield area of Liverpool are backing plans for a £260m regeneration, according to a survey.

About 1,700 people were asked for their opinions on proposals which were unveiled in June.

They involved new housing, a business hub and expansion of Liverpool FC's stadium, creating up to 700 jobs.

Mayor Joe Anderson previously said it was "shameful" there had been years of delays to improving the area.

'Improve lives'
The plans, drawn up by a consortium made up of Liverpool City Council, housing providers and Liverpool FC, would also see the creation of a wide avenue through Stanley Park ending in a new public square.

About 250 new homes would be built, with 296 removed to make way, and a 100-bed hotel constructed.

Feedback from residents during a six-week community engagement project will now be considered as more detailed plans are drawn up.

They will be subject to consultation before planning applications are submitted next year.

Mr Anderson said: "People have given us invaluable information about the entire range of regeneration ideas and concepts which we unveiled.

"In the coming weeks we will use this information to refine our proposals and to undertake another listening and consultation exercise.

"We believe the plans are exciting and will deliver a massive improvement in quality of life for many thousands of people and be of major benefit to the city, not just Anfield."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-23966321

Latest update, tick tock, tick tock....

I wish someone would just do something constructive, and not just talk about it.

Really hope the club push this forward now with the council and come out with a statement or plan of when the Ground expansion will take place as thats the most we care about all the other stuff around it can happen as and when tbh.

Really hope we get some sort of "we will be knocking down the main stand, centernary stand and building a new version. there was talks of this happening as that would gain us 10k extra seating then all we would need to do then is knock anny road down and build a replica of the KOP but with a segreagation of around 2000-3000 for away fans

In the coming weeks we will use this information to refine our proposals and to undertake another listening and consultation exercise.

The idea of appointing a mayor for Liverpool was to get things like the redevelopment of Anfield driven through without having to deal with the slow bureaucracy required by the normal council process.

Looks like Joe Anderson hasn't got the hang of this at all.

The idea of appointing a mayor for Liverpool was to get things like the redevelopment of Anfield driven through without having to deal with the slow bureaucracy required by the normal council process.

Looks like Joe Anderson hasn't got the hang of this at all.

If there's nothing of any substance on the table all we can expect is empty noises and baseless promises.

If there's nothing of any substance on the table all we can expect is empty noises and baseless promises.

Ever heard of a bit of patience?
This F***ing debacle has been going on for years, but you expect the new owners to sort out the massive mess in just three?
F**k me, we've not long written off the 50 million quid debt that h&g lumbered us with for a few F***ing drawings.

Patience.
It'll come.
Not as soon as any of us would like, but it'll come.

Ever heard of a bit of patience?
This F***ing debacle has been going on for years, but you expect the new owners to sort out the massive mess in just three?
F**k me, we've not long written off the 50 million quid debt that h&g lumbered us with for a few F***ing drawings.

Patience.
It'll come.
Not as soon as any of us would like, but it'll come.

 

I'm 50 this month, over 20% of my life I've been waiting for things to start. I am not holding my breath at all.

I'm 50 this month, over 20% of my life I've been waiting for things to start. I am not holding my breath at all.

Same here, but a few years older again.

I just don't see how people can expect them to do in 3 years what's already taken well over a decade.
I might be wrong, but I think it's closer to 20 years than to 10.
Depressing.

Same here, but a few years older again.

I just don't see how people can expect them to do in 3 years what's already taken well over a decade.
In fact I might be wrong, but I think it's closer to 20 years than to 10.
Depressing.

Longer than that mate.  I can remember in my late teens or early 20's talk of the Club buying up properties around the ground ready for expansion.  I'm in my 50's now.

Seems like we're edging closer to getting plans submitted.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/10300084/Liverpool-ready-to-move-ahead-with-redevelopment-of-Anfield-after-John-W-Henry-reveals-finances-are-in-place.html

Seems like a lot of cock measuring in that interview.

Interesting.

But where's the fishing? 

Longer than that mate.  I can remember in my late teens or early 20's talk of the Club buying up properties around the ground ready for expansion.  I'm in my 50's now.

That long?
F***ing hell.
I remember a few rumours, but I didn't pay much attention at the time, I'm sorry to say, so it's even worse than I thought.

Thanks for the info mate
It still begs the question of why people expect FSG to solve in three years, a problem that has been going on for 30.
That's another discussion though, and maybe it's a personal failing that I'm too optimistic and patient when it comes to this.

It still begs the question of why people expect FSG to solve in three years, a problem that has been going on for 30.

I suppose it's all down to promises: H & G made the promise and never saw it through so maybe people are wary.

Personally speaking I've never held the slow progress of the stadium issue against FSG: as soon as I realised that they were going to opt for the cheaper refurb rather build a new stadium I knew it would take time (Greenfield Vs Brownfield).

I suppose it's all down to promises: H & G made the promise and never saw it through so maybe people are wary.

Personally speaking I've never held the slow progress of the stadium issue against FSG: as soon as I realised that they were going to opt for the cheaper refurb rather build a new stadium I knew it would take time (Greenfield Vs Brownfield).

That's fair enough.
h&g fu**ed us over in so many ways, not least of which is the lack of trust we now have, and I include myself in that to an extent.

The acquisition of properties was always going to be the stumbling block with re-development.

That being said, it does seem like progress is being made, admittedly slow progress though.

What's the timescale for completion?.

Liverpool's principal owner John W Henry has pledged that finance for the club's proposed £150m stadium expansion will be in place when the final logistical hurdles to the development are overcome.
 

The roots of the Anfield club's struggle to compete with Manchester United and Arsenal, who have vastly superior matchday income, lie in the failure of Henry's predecessors – Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jnr – to raise the required capital, having famously claimed it would take only 60 days after their takeover in 2007 to begin work on a new stadium.

For Henry's Fenway Sports Group, lucrative naming rights are a non-starter for a stadium to be expanded from 45,000 to 60,000. But Henry said that the money would be found and that the mistakes of the previous era, when planning went ahead without the cash in place, would not be repeated. "They [Hicks and Gillett] were talking about going out and borrowing an enormous amount of money for an enormous facility," Henry said. "One of their problems is they weren't able to get financing. That's not what we are doing here. When [the planning permission goes in], that won't be the problem."

Liverpool have cleared virtually all the obstacles to the expansion, with the city council having bought all but eight of the 30 privately-owned houses needed to undertake a wholesale demolition and clear the way for the enlarged stadium, which the club has said is its preferred way of expanding capacity. The eight remaining properties – five of which are derelict – are in the ownership of four private landlords, who are holding out for the best price available. The council will compulsorily purchase them if necessary ahead of a planning application going in – possibly by February.

This article was in the Independent today.

Looks like things are moving at last.

FSG Make Pledge On Cash For Anfield

           Henry waiting on plans

FSG will have the cash to redevelop Anfield once property acquisitions, planning processes and other issues are resolved.
That is the pledge from John Henry to anyone doubting the Reds owners will put their money where their mouth is on ambitious £150m stadium redevelopment plans.
The club has endured a decade of of failed stadium plans and broken promises under previous regimes.

Henry said ''we are making good progress, there are a lot of different groups working well together and that's the key to a big project like this happening, when everybody is on the same page.
When everybody is on the same page we move forward.''
He added ''I think we were clear at on point that what makes financial sense was going in this direction - and this is the direction that makes financial sense for the club in the long term, obstacles are being overcome.''
Henry would not speculate as to when a planning application might be able to be put forward saying ''We have always said that you have to have certainty with regard to the properties because of the height of the stand and all the issues regarding that. That has been the biggest issue. We need certainty on that but we are making progress.''
He went on ''it is actually a positive, that's why we are doing it.''
''The previous regime (H&G) were talking about borrowing an enormous amount of money to build an enormous facility, that's not what we're doing.''
''One of their problems was that they were unable to get the financing . When this does happen financing won't be the problem.''
''Again we need certainty with regard to these properties and the number of properties in question does keep getting reduced, the city council is doing everything they can and that's all you can ask. Not just the city council but Your Housing  and the regeneration, everyone associated with this we are all on the same page.''

From the Liverpool Echo.

Stirring words from JWH and certainly food for thought although the referencing of the different bodies involved in the process following the stirring words does detract from the positive comment.
             

This is one issue that I think FSG have been unfairly targeted on. You just don't either build or refurbish a stadium of this size overnight, and when you add in the planning and housing issues associated with the Anfield redevelopment, it was always going to be a tough process. It seems like things should pick up, I would fully expect that once the final houses are acquired, things should start getting underway.

Seen it over here in the states all the time, even building a new stadium when you have full support of the local community and funding takes a long time. Refurb should be a bit quicker, but still a duanting proposition. Can understand why folks are skeptical, but I personally think the skepticism is over reaching in this situation. Of course as with all things, time will tell.

Anyone who's worked for or had dealings with the parties involved in this will know that party A has to formalise things with party B who has to liaise with party C whilst party D, E F et al have to tickle A,B & C's belly until they chuckle.

2015 start for me but I hope for an end of season 2014 start so we can cram in them Champions League crowds.