Three day inquiry into Everton's building plans for Bellefield
A DATE has been set for the public inquiry into Everton FC's plan to redevelop their former training ground.
It will start on November 26 at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool city centre, and is scheduled to last three days.
The inquiry is being held after Everton formally appealed against the rejection by Liverpool councillors of a plan to build 74 large family homes on the club's former base at Bellefield, West Derby.
The profits from the scheme were to go towards the £400m plans to build a new 50,000-seat stadium in Kirkby town centre. A separate public inquiry into this scheme starts eight days earlier, on November 18.
The city council's planning committee said it objected to the Bellefield plans because they would lead to increased traffic movement and the development would be contrary to the council's housing policies.
However, Everton claimed the rejection was "politically motivated" because some Liverpool councillors wanted to frustrate the club's ambitions to move out of the city and into a new stadium in Kirkby.
The club is hoping to cover 10% of the cost by selling Bellefield to developers.
About 220 residents have objected to the plans. They are mainly concerned about increased traffic, extra pressure on schools, doctors and dentists, and loss of open space.
Since the application was rejected, Everton has added an extra 34 homes to its plans, bringing the total to 108.
Stephen Guy, chairman of the West Derby Society, which objected to the housing scheme , said: "The main point of contention is that this is a green field site, the other is access to what is a land-locked site.
"Everton is putting a lot of money into these plans, but as far as we're concerned it's not a viable proposal."
An Everton FC spokesman said: "We believe the application was right and proper and we look forward to re-stating our case.
"We remain confident it will succeed this time around."
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