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With clear reference to Everton’s Destination Kirkby chairman Bill Kenwright admitted to assembled shareholders at their annual forum that they have learnt from their past mistakes and CEO Robert Elstone went on to reveal plans for a £9m standalone structure on the Spellow Lane corner of the Park End car park which will house commercial, retail and museum facilities, open up the opportunity to extend and improve the corporate facilities within the stadium and will be self funding due to the cooperation of Everton’s commercial partners Kitbag and Sodexo.
Everton’s association with Kitbag has already seen the redevelopment and rebranding of the megastore and the establishment of a shop within Liverpool 1. Sodexo, having managed all catering operations at the stadium in recent years, have won awards for delivering some of the best corporate hospitality in the premier league at Goodison.
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On May the 14th of this year KEIOC reported that Knowsley council, after taking expert advice, had taken the decision not to reveal the contents of an email under a freedom of information [FOI] act request as to do so would identify a person attached to the Destination Kirkby project whose involvement hadn't previously been acknowledged.
This decision has been challenged and the Governments Information Commissioner has now decided to investigate the decision.
The specific reason offered by KMBC for not revealing the contents of the email is that identification of this person or organisation would be prejudicial to the council’s future dealings with “matters which are sensitive and complicated and would prejudice the conduct of public affairs.”
On Tuesday 3rd August reclusive Billionaire Albert Gubay's Derwent Holdings will have their plans approved for the first phase of their proposed complete redevelopment of the commercial section of Edge Lane. The outline planning approval for this initial phase concentrates on the eastern boundary of the site, land bounded by Edge Lane, Edge Lane Drive, Mill Lane, Binns Road and Borax Street. Precise details of this initial application can be read here. This phase of the application is essentially a concession attached to the whole development which will see an extension to Mersey Care’s mental health Rathbone Hospital.
Apart from Everton's current home, Edge Lane represents one of only three sites that could meet the future needs of the club and of these is by far the only suitable alternative to the re-development of Goodison. Offering the potential for securing a lucrative stadium naming rights deal and the possibility of selling Goodison to the right developer for £15m [Keith Wyness, 2007] Edge Lane clearly would tick many of the boxes on Everton's shopping list.
Supermarket giant Tesco have had an appeal against a Government Inspectors decision to uphold Liverpool City Council’s refusal to award planning permission, for a massive supermarket, thrown out of a Manchester High Court.
The long awaited Project Jennifer regeneration scheme for North Liverpool has been severely delayed by the legal action taken by Tesco who had, following developers St Modwen’s robust challenge to Tesco’s Destination Kirkby project, been replaced by Sainsbury’s as the anchor supermarket for the scheme. Tesco’s position was that the inspectors’ ruling was wrong on a point of law; the judge did not agree.
Everton are looking at an agreement with Bellway Homes over a proposed future development on their former training ground at Bellefield, West Derby.
Quite understandably Everton are anxious to realise the value locked up in the land that has stood vacant since their departure to the highly acclaimed Finch Farm training facility and obviously all Evertonians will want to see the maximum value obtained from the sale so that it can be utilised on either a redeveloped Goodison or a new stadium in Speke, Fairfield or Croxteth; yet perhaps lessons from the past should be observed; this will be their fourth attempt at securing planning permission on the Bellefield site.
It will be remembered that in March 2008 Everton’s attempt to obtain planning permission for 74 family homes was thwarted when it generated substantial local opposition leading to local Lib Dem councillor Dave Irving speaking out against the application as did the then Labour opposition spokesperson on the planning committee Cllr Steve Munby. Whilst the city’s officers report was favourable to the clubs application, the planning committee, made up of elected officials, refused the application because, even though Everton had reduced the original amount of housing in response to residents concerns over fears it would increase traffic, they indicated it would not provide regeneration benefits.
For the thinking matchgoing Evertonian there’s now nowhere better than the School of Science 1878 stadium forum where the decades of hope, of dreams, of desperation and of awakenment of Evertonians wanting nothing but the best gets discussed and debated with the mixture of honesty, decisiveness and good humour that those attending Goodison are renowned for.
The guys behind the site are a mixture of professionals and university students that all have one thing in common; a passion for Everton Football Club that all supporters, down the years, of the aims and aspirations of KEIOC will recognise.
To join in the debate, learn from the past, discuss the future and just spend an enjoyable hour or so if you’re feeling really blue about the closed season please visit the forum here.
KEIOC are asked many questions by Evertonians concerned over the apparent inability to address the stadium issue. Supporters make enquiries due to bewilderment, disappointment or misunderstandings and here at KEIOC we’re sympathetic to the fans as, after many a false dawn, it still appears as dark as ever over Goodison.
Many of the questions tend to cover similar issues, from a wish to understand what KEIOC are all about to why we campaign and how we see the future.
Here are a few examples of the typical questions we’re asked, we’ve taken this opportunity to explain our stance and our belief in a bright achievable future for Everton, one that can offer real support to our managers quest for trophies and success.
- Kirkby represented the only opportunity Everton had for a new stadium ; why did you ruin it?
- Goodison is old and outdated, it prevents us from competing, why didn’t you agree with the club that Kirkby represented an opportunity for us to once again compete financially with other clubs?
- Your attitude is holding Everton back; don’t you understand building Kirkby would have attracted a new owner?
- If we can’t stay at Goodison, where else can we go?
- Where are your plans for a new stadium?
- Kirkby was affordable, how can we afford what you propose?
- Why are KEIOC anti Tesco?
- Why are KEIOC anti Bill Kenwright and his advisors?
- You’re funded by businesses in Walton, aren’t you?
You can read KEIOC’s answers by clicking below:
Liverpool Council leader Joe Anderson is to fly to the Isle of Man to meet Edge Lane Retail Park owner Albert Gubay, seen here on the left. Joe has paved the way to make the redevelopment of a vital gateway into the city a reality through averting the threat of legal action and counter action between LCC and Gubay’s company, Derwent Holdings
Derwent had wanted to add almost 570,000 sq ft of retail to their existing 430,000 sq ft at their Edge Lane retail park, but it is understood architects have now drawn up plans which include replacement shops, a more appropriate 170,000 sq ft of additional retail space, an extension to the Rathbone Hospital and a replacement for Rathbone Park.
This modest addition of 170,000 sq ft represents a much more appropriate proposal than the 500,000 sq ft of completely new retail proposed by Tesco for their initial Kirkby application which they descibed, at the time, as the minimum required to provide a 40% cross-subsidy for Everton's stadium; like this one here!
Today the owners of Liverpool’s St John’s shopping centre scrapped plans for a £100m redevelopment due to “over supply of retail” in the city.
A Land Securities spokesperson explained, “There is a local oversupply of retail and it would not be prudent of us to bring forward further space. “
Since their surprise at having their last retail based enabling association blocked, due to massive departures from agreed planning policy, Everton have continued to pursue this type of funding model with their CEO recently stating “to bring a stadium to life is a Kirkby type funding model with substantial private sector support facilitated by a supportive and progressive City Council.”
KEIOC’s has made its position clear; firstly, despite a change in council no sizable retail based enabling development will happen particularly at their favoured central location. Secondly, it’s now accepted that the type of stadium that this model would deliver is grossly inappropriate for a club with ambition, as even with near capacity crowds and non-existent events a mere £6m would be generated for the club. Finally, it is now apparent that this "at all costs" move from Goodison is for the benefit of another company.
Having now received expert advice on the recent decision by KMBC to withhold a vital email that identifies an individual whose involvement in the Kirkby Regeneration Scheme was never made public or ever publicly acknowledged, KEIOC have announced it is their supporter’s intention to challenge the ruling.
KEIOC supporters will remember that in November 2009 KMBC were issued with a decision notice from the Information Commissioner’s Office [ICO] threatening them with a contempt of court charge for failing to comply with a Freedom of Information request within the statutory 20 days. Having, at that point, taken 221 days to deliver all their CEO’s emails containing the word Everton, the council were issued with the notice.