Week 8 Update

That Was The Week That Was

* Week Eight got underway, and this week thank God, it wasn’t all about the Multi Nationals and the people they pay to voice their ‘professional opinions’ regarding retail outlets, floor space and Controlled Parking Zones, it was about Mr and Mrs Joe Public voicing the concerns over Everton Football Club relocating to Kirkby. The Ramblers Association even got their twenty minutes on the stand expressing their concerns on the ‘very pleasant and green paths in the area’. They thought the pleasant nature of the environment would be destroyed and people would have to walk past a football stadium or through a shopping development to access footpaths to other areas, and they were not best pleased with the idea.

* Before Joe Public got their say, Monday was took up with an interesting exchange from Chris Hubbard, who is a Chartered Surveyor of Edmund Kirby. It was interesting as it’s the first time for a few weeks that the issue of money was raised, and how Everton planned to finance their share of the development. He stated that Club had offered no precise figures about how it would fund the project, only that it would rely on streams ‘such as the naming rights for the stadium’. Chris was now twisting the knife stating that he had been unable to identify the source of Everton Football Club’s £78m contribution towards the cost of the stadium and questioned the impact of a potential sale of the club to wealthy suitors. The selling of Bellefield (Old Training Ground) was now on hold, and unless alternative arrangements could be made, Chris believed that Everton would have to find extra funding to meet their commitments.

* Now it was the Peoples turn to have a go at The Peoples Club. Stephen Harrison, Rona Hazelhurst and Lisa Barton, who are all local residents all spoke to the Inquiry over their objections to the Development. Their views ranged from affecting the way of life in the Town, the old chestnut of the scale of the development, the transport infrastructure not coping on match days, and to the loss of green space in the area. Rona believed that the Council did not fully consult with the local people, but did concede that Kirkby needed redeveloping but with in appropriate way.

* Ian McDonald of The Independent Blues also expressed his concerns over the citing of the Stadium. He stated that his Group had 145 members and they had voted opposing the move to Kirkby by 85%. Mr. McDonald claimed that the local press had painted an unfair picture of the Blues state of health and the need for the move to survive. He added that leaving the City of Liverpool and especially Goodison Park, the Blues would be leaving behind their roots, values and tradition.

* Wednesday was took up exclusively by the Group campaigning as their title says to ‘Keep Everton In Our City’ (KEIOC). KEIOC claimed that they had identified 35 potential alternative sites, of which four had viable claims to an alternative to Kirkby.

• Redeveloping Goodison Park
• Bestway Scotland Road Scheme
• Everton Park
• Kirkdale Bank Hall

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* KEIOC did concede that it was not the role of this Inquiry to keep Everton within the boundaries of Liverpool, but added that the LCC Council Leader Warren Bradley and opposition leader Joe Anderson had expressed support for sites in the City. Trevor Skempton, who has no affiliation to KEIOC claimed that the Bestway site was feasible and a ‘sensible and economic site’. Patrick Clarkson QC (Tesco) said it was an absolutely hopeless idea’ and that stadium expert David Keirle (an earlier witness) certainly didn’t rate it. Trevor added the the project would cost in the region of £200 - £250m, but he couldn’t supply any written evidence of how this figure was obtained. On Goodison Trevor disagreed with Patrick, that in order to redevelop Goodison Park, the existing footprint would have to be ‘vastly expanded’.

* Dave Kelly from KEIOC was put to the sword by Patrick the QC. Dave gave a small resume on the history of KEIOC stating that it had no membership system in place, but it had in the region of 10,000 supporters. Dave went on to say they viewed themselves as a campaign group, and had support from business as well as Council Members. Dave added that their aims and objectives were clear on their website. Patrick got right under Dave’s skin when he claimed that KEIOC was not representative of the Blues community. Dave firmly put the highly paid QC right in his place when told him ‘what you say is irrelevant’, and they must be representative as Blue Bill had invited them to meetings in the past.

* To end the week, Caroline Pethard Grange Residents Association (GRA), tabled her objections to the Development which was to be right on the doorstep of the residents her Group represented. Their main objections were that she believed the applicants had glossed over the impact of the proposed development, and she felt that the consultation that took place, had been done to the minimum legal standard. Noise, dirt, traffic problems, Anti Social Behaviour, loss of green space and the detrimental effect on their property price were the Groups main objections. The GRA wanted to make it clear that they were not against regeneration of the area. Caroline said they were willing to work with developers to come up with a plan that was acceptable to local people.

So that was what. Its not long now till the Inquiry finishes and it is over to the Powers that be to declare the fate one way or another. Tune in next week for another chapter in the ongoing saga of Destination Kirkby.
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