Everton's new stadium has reached a remarkable milestone, with one of the final pieces of the puzzle now in place. Thousands of m³ of sand have been removed from the western dock, allowing it to be refilled with water and creating a new landmark around the club’s waterfront headquarters.

A spectacular panorama emerges

Everton Stadium now boasts a stunning feature that will become part of the landscape surrounding the new venue. Nearly half a million m³ of sand were used to fill part of the dock complex surrounding the pitch—a process that allowed engineers to access key parts of the site and work on the wider infrastructure. Over 17,000 m³ of this sand has already been excavated to restore the channel connecting the dock network and to create a water reservoir on the western dock, adding another spectacular element to the panorama of the area.

© Mister Drone UK

One of the final pieces of the puzzle

This means that the neighboring Sandon Half Tide Dock in the north will be reconnected with Nelson Dock in the south, allowing the docks to be re-linked with the nearby Leeds-Liverpool Canal. Chris Spragg, project leader at Laing O'Rourke, said: We're obviously in the advanced stages of the stadium’s construction and we’re almost there. This is one of the final pieces of the puzzle. The retention of sand in the channel during construction provided us with valuable logistical space suited to our build sequence. Now, with the stadium nearing completion, it’s time for the channel to transform into a water basin. This project has also given engineers the chance to closely examine the original dock walls, which Steve Farden, chief engineer at Laing O'Rourke, considered a true honor.

© Mister Drone UK