Liverpool announce new Anfield Road end plan with stadium development set for next step

Liverpool have scrapped existing plans to develop Anfield – and will instead submit a new application to increase capacity in excess of 60,000.

The club have reaffirmed their intention to redevelop the Anfield Road End stand as part of their long-term vision to upgrade the stadium.

Existing outline planning permission, which allows for the addition of around 4,000 seats to the stand, is due to expire next month.

And Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group will allow that to lapse and instead concentrate on alternative options with a view to submitting what the club regard an "ambitious new" planning application for a larger scheme in due course.

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FSG have already spent £110million on the Main Stand that opened in September 2016 and provided an extra 9,000 seats.

But it soon became apparent the demand for tickets at Anfield far outstrips the current capacity of just over 54,074, with the club having undertaken several feasibility studies in recent years to determine the economic viability of a larger stadium.

While the plans for the redevelopment are yet to be finalised, it is believed the new scheme is a significant upgrade on the current submission and will see the Anfield capacity extended beyond 60,000.

Liverpool will now engage with the local community and other key stakeholders as they determine the detail of the new approach.

Liverpool FC Chief Operating Officer Andy Hughes said: “The progress that has been made during ongoing feasibility studies has resulted in us being in a position to allow the outline planning permission to lapse.

“We are committed to working with local residents, planning officials and others as we now focus on the detail behind any proposed redevelopment for Anfield Road.

“Throughout this process we have been clear that our objective is to find the best possible solution for Anfield Road and that remains the case.”

Since opening the new Main Stand, Liverpool have subsequently seen Tottenham Hotspur move into a new 60,000-plus capacity stadium, while Premier League rivals Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City can also boast larger stadiums.

Speaking in July, chairman Tom Werner said: “We are still analysing the opportunity to build on Anfield Road. We are trying to figure it out.

“When we went forward with the Main Stand expansion, which I'm very proud about, we obviously wanted to do it right so we were quiet about it. In a perfect world we will be able to figure this out.”