Decision time looms for Everton FC and its proposed move to Kirkby
It's set to be another big week in Merseyside politics.
Everton FC will find out on or before Friday whether the Secretary State for Communities and Local Government John Denham will grant the club permission to build a new stadium in Kirkby.
The planned ground forms part of a ã400m development with Tesco, which includes 50 shops.
The 500,000sq ft of retail space would reposition Kirkby from 11th in the region's shopping hierarchy to possibly 4th.
It was the sheer size of the retail element in 'Destination Kirkby' that saw it get called in for a public inquiry back in August 2008.
There are a number of options, with combinations thereof, that could pan out:
A straight approval.
Approval with conditions: Mr Denham could opt to approve the scheme, but put conditions on how much retail is allowed. The shops are crucial to the funding package for the project. If the shopping element were reduced too much Tesco could walk away and the project would be dead. This option would effectively allow the Government to kill off the scheme, while at the same time being seen to have given approval.
Or rejection.
One thing is for sure that whatever happens there will be a fairly large fallout from the decision - the whole project has divided councils across Merseyside. It is likely that, what ever the decision, there will be an application for a judicial review (effectively an appeal). The time limit is six weeks.
And what will Everton FC do, if they eventually lose?
So while we will learn the Government decision this week, the matter of a new stadium for Everton is still likely to be a long way from being settled.
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David Bartlett
City editor of the Post and Echo covering politics, regeneration, and urban affairs.
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David
I've blogged about the impact this will have on Skelmersdale, and my letter to the Prime Minister on the subject, here:
http://davidsudworth.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/skelmersdale-vision-a-last-ditch-plea-to-the-pm/
I think it will be the second option - approval with conditions, I also believe that it will still go ahead in that circumstance, there is no way Sir Terry Leahy etc will let go of the prize of approval for the sake of a drop of retail from say 50,000 sqm to 30-40,000 sqm (If that is what happens). Tesco are so big they can absorb any funding shortfall. Approval at any cost was always the real prize in my opinion.
I'm an Everton supporter and I don't want it to go ahead. I hope John Denham declares an outright rejection.
Presumably anything short of outright rejection brings the wretched tram scheme back into play. How else to shift 35,000 people back and forth every week? This entire dog's breakfast still has plenty of mess left in it. Oh - and don't forget the political calculations. Work out which solution protects the greatest number of vulnerable Labour seats.
I can help you with that Ronnie... only 114 coaches will be needed for the home fans if the club intend to sell out. The capacity of Merseytram is not that great anyway and will make little difference - especially on a Saturday afternoon.
Home Fans
This is copied from: Knowsley Council, page 35.
Away Fans
I cant see an outright rejection not in the current climate. So that leaves a go ahead or go ahead with conditions, I believe in either case that means it will go ahead, as an earlier contibutor noted its unlikely Tesco, Everton and Knowsley would walk away if some retail had to be curtailed and/or the stadium capacity had to be capped for a short time until transport improvements are completed.