Everton's long-time dream to build a new stadium to replace Goodison Park is finally becoming a reality.
The Blues have confirmed they will begin work on their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock on July 26.
The stadium build is anticipated to be around three years and the Liverpool City Region team told central government last summer that once completed, it will provide a £1billion boost to the local economy, create 15,000 jobs, help attract 1.4m visitors and act as a catalyst for major change in the Liverpool Waters and Ten Streets parts of the city.
After a generation of failed projects including Peter Johnson’s dome at an unspecified location (Cronton was mooted); King’s Dock (now site of the arena); Destination Kirkby and the short-lived Walton Hall Park proposal, Everton’s Holy Grail to find a replacement for Goodison Park has been given the green light.
While all of those ultimately came to nought, the prospect of an iconic and unique new home on the banks of the Mersey that will become part of the city’s famous skyline is hugely exciting for fans and arguably when it comes to Evertonians’ emotional investment in this move, the club had long since gone past the point of no return.
Here’s a look back at Everton’s Bramley-Moore Dock timeline to date.
March 11, 2016
Having purchased his initial 49.9% controlling stake in Everton, Farhad Moshiri pledges to tackle the club’s stadium issue.
He tells the ECHO : “We will also be looking at the best options in relation to our stadium.
“Goodison Park has served the club extremely well but we need to make sure the club has a suitable stage to perform on for the future.
“We will review the best options and how to finance, especially as it is likely to cost a little more than the £3,000 it apparently did back in 1892.”
October 14, 2016
Club officials, including Mr Moshiri, Bill Kenwright, Denise Barrett-Baxendale, plus Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson and architect Dan Meis, visit proposed stadium sites at Stonebridge Cross in Croxteth, and the waterfront Bramley-Moore Dock in Vauxhall.
November 7, 2016
With supporters pushing for the Mersey riverside option, Mr Moshiri declares that the club has “taken soundings from fans” and “In our mind, we know where we want to go. We are committed.”
February 2, 2017
Mayor Anderson says Everton’s proposed Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium could play a part in the city’s bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2026.
March 23, 2017
Everton’s Land Purchase Agreement for Bramley-Moore Dock is sealed with club signing an initial “heads of terms” agreement to acquire the site from Liverpool Waters developer Peel for a fee believed to be £22.5million.
March 31, 2017
Liverpool council agrees a deal to help Everton build their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
The council’s cabinet agreed to act as an effective guarantor for the club’s plans by setting up a Special Purpose Vehicle to attract investment.
The announcement comes at the city of Liverpool – having previously planned to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games – attempts to be awarded the 2022 Games with the Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium the centrepiece to their bid.
September 7, 2017
Liverpool loses out to Birmingham in their bid to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, ensuring that Everton’s Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium will not need to incorporate a temporary athletics track.
November 23, 2017
Everton exchange contracts for the Bramley-Moore Dock site, signing an agreement to secure a 200-year lease on the proposed site of their new stadium.
January 24, 2018
Everton reveal 11 Key Principles that will shape their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock - and the future of Goodison Park.
They are - Our Fortress; A new home for Everton; A platform for growth; The People’s Club; An iconic landmark for Liverpool; Easy to get to, easy to get home; A legacy for Goodison Park; Respecting heritage; Harnessing the environment; Embracing technology; The right deal for Liverpool.
April 2, 2018
Speaking in a series of fans’ workshops with Evertonians at St Luke’s Church next to Goodison Park, stadium architect Dan Meis reveals the Blues plan to build a large home end based on Borussia Dortmund's 'Yellow Wall' at their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Emphasising Everton’s commitment to make the new stadium a “fortress” – retaining and amplifying Goodison Park’s intimacy and atmosphere, the American declares his desire to create the “greatest home ground in English football”.
June 7, 2018
Mayor Anderson suggests for the first time that Liverpool City Council may not lend Everton the money it needs to build a new stadium with the club potentially looking elsewhere for financial assistance.
August 13, 2018
Everton name Colin Chong as Stadium Development Director to spearhead the club's move to Bramley-Moore Dock.
Mr Chong is a construction industry specialist whose CV lists a number of major projects including redevelopment work at Old Trafford and the building of Wigan's DW Stadium, as part of 35 years in the trade.
November 15, 2018
Everton embark on what they describe as “one of the most important processes” in their 140-year history with the start of the formal public consultation on their proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
December 20, 2018
Everton reveal they are proposing a capacity of 52,000 for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock but the projected figure could increase to 62,000 in the future.
February 12, 2019
Everton's proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is given “more than a vote of confidence” with key results revealed from the first public consultation process.
Over 20,000 people took part in the club's first stage of public consultation with 94% of respondents agreeing that the waterfront site is an appropriate place for Everton to build a new ground.
Of the 20,168 people who responded nearly 2,000 were non-Everton supporters yet the bulk of those fans were still in agreement over the club’s move to Bramley-Moore Dock.
July 25, 2019
Everton unveil Dan Meis’ stunning designs for their proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Meis Architects propose to use “traditional” brick, glass and steel with the use of brick on the outside ensuring the ground looks at home in the dockland setting.
July 26, 2019
Just a day after the renderings were revealed, the club’s second stage of public consultation begins.
In an exclusive interview with the ECHO, architect Meis declares: “There has always been that mentality that we're not building a Bentley, we're building a Ferrari. It's going to be new and have amenities but it's a performance building, it's a proper football ground.”
November 13, 2019
Everton's plans for a new stadium receive major public backing as part of a ground breaking second consultation process with results revealed.
The Blues received over 43,000 responses to their summer survey about the People's Project (both the move to Bramley-Moore Dock and the legacy for Goodison Park).
Some 96% of people who took part want the project to continue, 98% of all respondents support the design of the 52,000 seater stadium with 99% of Everton fans backing Meis’ July renderings.
The second stage consultation reached 2,726 non-Everton fans - 24% of who have on interest in football - and included a 19-day touring exhibition that visited 12 locations across all six Liverpool City Region boroughs.
December 23, 2019
Everton reveal their stunning final designs for their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock as they submit their planning application to Liverpool City Council.
January 14, 2020
Everton reveal they have enlisted the help of two major international banks to secure the majority of funding required to build their new stadium.
The club confirm they have been working with JP Morgan and MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group) over the past 12 months to assist in finding the private institutions that could lend the club the bulk of the expected £500million construction costs.
It is also announced that Everton have struck a £30million deal with Alisher Usmanov’s holding company USM over naming rights on the club's proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
February 19, 2020
Everton appoint Laing O'Rourke as the contractor for the club's proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
June 24, 2020
Architect Dan Meis confirms he is "not currently engaged" in Everton's Bramley-Moore Dock stadium plans and claims that stepping away was one of the greatest disappointments in his career.
He adds: "Let me be clear. I am fully confident that Bramley-Moore will be built. It is both right for the club and the city."
July 24, 2020
Everton are “expected to be awarded” planning approval for their new stadium in October, a major document reveals as the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority release their post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.
December 16, 2020
The ECHO reports that Everton are not expected to hear the outcome of their planning application to build a new stadium until early next year.
The Blues had been hoping to receive an official answer from Liverpool City Council in December but the local authority being left stretched by the demands of the pandemic means the detailed proposal submitted by the club has yet to be fully worked through.
February 15, 2021
Liverpool City Council release a planning report recommending that Everton's proposed Bramley-Moore Dock stadium be approved.
February 23, 2021
Everton's planning application for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore dock is approved by Liverpool City Council.
The local authority held a special planning committee comprised of 11 councillors to unanimously come to their determination on the proposals.
Everton's legacy project for Goodison Park is also unanimously approved.
March 26, 2021
Everton confirm that work at the new stadium can finally begin as Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who has been reviewing the planning permission for the last month, decided not to call the project in further.
June 14, 2021
Everton start preliminary works for their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Specialist firm Boskalis Maritime send a boat out onto the Mersey to carry out various checks on the Dock, including looking for any unexploded devices as well as looking at the state of the Dock wall plus a survey of micro-biological organisms that may be attached to the Dock or living in the water.
July 1, 2021
Everton confirm they will begin work on their new stadium on July 26.
Chairman Bill Kenwright said: “We are thrilled to be able to confirm that construction work will commence on our new stadium later this month."
Meanwhile, it's revealed that the enabling works, to prepare the land before the stadium construction begins, are to be paid for by money from majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri.
The second phase, with which the money the club are looking to secure from the private sector to pay for, will be used for the physical construction of the 52,888 stadium, but may not begin until the end of this year or the start of 2022.
