Liverpool FC okays £50mn Kirkby redevelopment

Article posted by Coliseum, July 18^th, 2018

Image: KSS

England’s Liverpool Football Club have confirmed that they will proceed with the £50-million redevelopment of their KSS-designed academy site in Kirkby and the neighboring Eddie McArdle community playing fields.

The project will see the club’s first-team squad and academy sides share an “elite performance centre” and “state-of-the-art training facility” on the same site.

The new 9,200-squaremeter facilities in Kirkby will include two gyms, a full-size sports hall, pool, hydrotherapy complex and specialist sports rehabilitation suites. There will also be dedicated TV studios, press conference facilities and office accommodation.

Liverpool’s first-team squad currently train separately at Melwood, which is due to be redeveloped into housing after the move to Kirkby.

According to information posted on the club’s official website, Liverpool FC has appointed building and civil engineering contractors, McLaughlin & Harvey, to deliver the project, which also includes the redevelopment of Knowsley Council’s Eddie McArdle community fields.

Improvements include five upgraded football pitches, new changing rooms and associated facilities including car parking for 110 vehicles, a new pedestrian and cycle pathway, lighting and improved security.

The new changing facilities on site will include six separate team changing rooms, coaches’ changing room and a social room for team and community use. The community will also benefit from improved pitches, which will also be reconstructed with improved drainage.

Work is expected to start on the Eddie McArdle community playing fields at Simonswood Lane in late July, with construction starting on Kirkby Academy site in early October, a post on KSS’ official website said. The project is expected to be completed in the spring 2020, it added.

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