Construction giant is Everton’s preferred contractor to build the 52,000-seat arena in Liverpool’s docklands in time for the 2023/24 Premier League season. Tony McDonough reports
Everton Football Club has appointed construction giant Laing O’Rourke as its preferred contractor to deliver its £500m new stadium in Liverpool’s docklands.
Laing O’Rourke was the main contractor on a number of major projects including Liverpool ONE and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. A pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) for a design and build contract is due to be signed after a competitive tender process.
Both parties will now work in partnership to develop a detailed design and delivery programme. It will fully utilise Laing O’Rourke’s digital engineering expertise and industry-leading knowledge of modern methods of construction to bring Everton’s 52,000-seater stadium vision to life.
In December 2019, Everton revealed its final stadium designs ahead of the submission of a detailed planning application, which is expected to be decided on by Liverpool City Council in the summer of 2020.
Work on the new stadium is expected to start later this year, subject to planning consent, and is expected to take three years and is planned to open in time for the 2023/24 Premier League season. A final construction timeline will be shared during the PCSA period.
At the heart of Everton’s proposals is a brick, steel and glass stadium design which takes its inspiration from the historic maritime and warehouse buildings nearby.
Designed by MEIS architects, the stadium structure combines the historic and modern, with the brick base incorporating a subtle nod to Goodison Park’s famous Archibald Leitch lattice work, while the dynamic roof structure is made from steel and glass giving the stadium a modern finish.
The proposed waterfront stadium, at Bramley Moore Dock within the wider £5bn Liverpool Waters scheme, comprises of four distinctive stands, including a large, steep ‘home end’ which will house 13,000 passionate Evertonians.
It is estimated that The People’s Project – the combination of Everton’s planned new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and the delivery of a community-led legacy at Goodison Park – will deliver nearly £800m of societal value over a 10-year period.
This will be supported by Everton, the Club’s official charity Everton in the Community and Laing O’Rourke working in partnership to make sure the people and businesses of Merseyside benefit via employment, apprenticeship, training and supply chain opportunities.
Everton Chief Executive Professor Denise Barrett-Baxendale said: “Appointing Laing O’Rourke is another important step towards delivering a new world-class waterfront stadium for Everton.
“We are partnering with an organisation who bring a wealth of experience and a track-record of quality, sustainability and global delivery, including major investment projects right here in Liverpool.
“There is still a lot of work to do on this project. Working alongside colleagues at Laing O’Rourke we will develop our construction programme, while at the same time continuing to engage with our supporters on a number of matters as we await our planning application to be determined by Liverpool City Council.”
Laing O’Rourke director, Paul McNerney, added: “We are delighted that Everton has chosen our team to work alongside the Club and local community to deliver The People’s Project. We recognise the transformative impact the project will bring to the Club, to the city and to the many people who will be part of this exciting journey.”