Everton's on-field misery was compounded this morning as the club confirmed that their plans for a new 50,000-seat stadium in Kirkby had been rejected by the government.
Branded 'Destination Kirkby', the £400 million project was set to include a new stadium and a large retail complex comprising a Tesco superstore and 40 other shops.
- New stadium blow for Toffees
- Hull 3 Everton 2 Match Report
But the development, which would have created more than 3,000 new jobs, was today officially refused by Communities and Local Government Secretary, John Denham, who raised concerns over the possible harmful effects on the 'vitality and viability' of local communities.
Denham decided the move would breach shopping policy which discourages major supermarket chains from taking business away from town and city centres.
The decision comes as a bitter blow to a club currently struggling towards the wrong end of the Premier League table.
Chairman Bill Kenwright had placed his hopes on the success of a public enquiry earlier this year, which the government had used to assess the arguments of both the club and the various groups who opposed the new development.
But the involvement of supermarket giant Tesco, who, ironically were contributing almost half of the £150m needed for the new ground, looks to have scuppered what former chief executive Keith Wyness described as 'the deal of the century'.
Under the terms of the deal, Everton were required to stump up just £78m for the new stadium, a bargain in comparison to the likes of Wembley, the Emirates and Tottenham's new home which is estimated at a cost of £400m.
However, despite successfully balloting their shareholders, season-ticket holders and members on whether or not to move out of the Liverpool city boundary to Kirkby (59.27 per cent voted in favour of the move), Everton have faced constant opposition to the scheme from fans, Kirkby residents and members of Liverpool City council.
News of the rejection will undoubtedly spark a mixed reaction on Merseyside.
Many traditionalists will be delighted to stay at Goodison Park despite its dilapidated condition and limited capacity. For them, moving out of Liverpool is unthinkable and they would rather stay put than move to a shiny new stadium outside the city limits.
But for others, primarily those who voted yes in the ballot, this is a huge opportunity to miss out on. Everton don't have the funds to build a new stadium on their own, as was seen with their failed Kings Dock project in 2000.
The chance to secure a much-needed new ground for just £78m seemed too good to be true and many fans were willing to sacrifice staying in Liverpool in order for the club to progress and expand.
With a large debt to contend with and many sites within Liverpool already ruled out due to their lack of financial viability, the Blues are back to square one in terms of relocating to a new world class stadium.
Kenwright has stated in the media that the club is for sale as he does not have the personal wealth to provide manager David Moyes with the transfer funds needed to break into the elusive top-four.
But the chances of securing investment from an Arab billionaire have taken a blow with the news that Everton will be kept at old-fashioned Goodison for the foreseeable future.
A new stadium would have made the club much more attractive to potential investors but without one, the Everton board must face up to the huge challenge which awaits them – finding a financially viable stadium project while staying competitive at the upper end of the Premier League.
Moyes' men might have suffered a miserable defeat to Hull City last night but the decision to reject 'Destination Kirkby' will have a much more impactful and possibly damaging long-term effect on Everton football club.
- Joe Strange
Source: DSG
