Everton FC loses inquiry to build homes on Bellefield training ground

A source close to the club hit out and said: "It does now seem as if certain individuals and the council are determined to ruin Everton Football Club."

Council leader Warren Bradley called on the club to meet the council to work out a way forward for developing Bellefield.

Last year, Everton moved to its new training ground at Finch Farm in Halewood, freeing up the 8.9-acre Bellefield site in West Derby for housing.

A source close to the club said: "We have spent the past three to four years trying desperately hard to work with Liverpool City Council, but it does now seem as if certain individuals and the council are determined to ruin Everton Football Club.

"There's absolutely no doubt at all that this has been Liverpool City Council's way of punishing the club for having the audacity to attempt to safeguard its long term future by way of moving to a new home in Kirkby outside the Liverpool city boundary.

"The club has constantly stated that in an ideal world it would definitely prefer to remain inside Liverpool, sadly the city council has done nothing at all to facilitate that.

"It sometimes seems that certain key people inside the city council have not attempted to help the football club.

"It appears to many people at Goodison Park that as they can't or were not willing to help us remain in Liverpool they decided to make it as difficult as possible for us to leave.

"The application was sensible and quite clearly the planned development would have nicely complemented the area.

"There's no doubting at all that this was a political decision.

"The Bellefield site is an asset which the club as a business will have to realise, it would be ridiculous for the club to just leave it."

In June last year Liverpool City Council rejected plans by the club to build 74 large family homes on the club's former base.

Council planners had originally recommended the scheme be approved, but the planning committee rejected the plans over fears of increased traffic, extra pressure on local schools, doctors and dentists, and loss of open space.

About 220 residents objected to the plans, in which Bellefield's buildings would be demolished.

Everton appealed against the decision, and a public inquiry followed in November last year.

Yesterday planning inspector Karen Ridge dismissed Everton's appeal.

In her decision report she wrote: "I conclude that there is nothing to suggest that the proposal would have a detrimental effect on the living conditions of surrounding residents by virtue of the increased traffic movements."

But she also looked into the principle of residential development having regard to loss of green space, housing and land supply matters, and its effect on the Housing Market Renewal Initiative.

"I conclude that the principle of residential development on the appeal site is unacceptable," she found.

Cllr Bradley said: "The city council planning committee made the decision to refuse the application.

"I know the officers of the council were confident that they reached the right decision and that has been vindicated by the inspector.

"I would call on Everton Football Club to come to the table in a collaborative way and let's talk through all the issues and let's resolve the issues around Bellefield and how they want to develop it taking the views of the residents on board."

Ian Ross, EFC director of communications, said: "We are bitterly disappointed, we will now closely study the decision before deciding our next move."