England: Anfield expansion officially completed – Anfield Road Stand with safety certificate

source: StadiumDB.com; author: Paulina Skóra

England: Anfield expansion officially completed – Anfield Road Stand with safety certificate Liverpool FC has completed a major stage in the expansion of Anfield stadium. Work to enlarge the Anfield Road Stand by an additional 7,000 seats began in 2021. However, the project faced a serious setback in 2023 when the main contractor, Buckingham Group, went into administration, delaying the reopening of the stand to supporters.

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Final major step of the investment completed

Work resumed in September 2023 under a new contractor, Raynor Rowen, and was completed later in the 2023/24 season. With construction finished, Anfield’s total capacity has now increased to 61,000 seats. The upgraded stadium has just passed its final critical milestone. Liverpool City Council announced that the City’s Stadium Safety Advisory Group has issued a full general safety certificate for the new stand. Issuing the full certificate marks the final step in the modernisation of the club’s new Anfield Road Stand, Liverpool officials stated.

Anfield© Mister Drone UK

Liverpool FC continues to improve the stadium surroundings

Following the completion of the stand expansion, the club is also reviewing the future of the area immediately surrounding Anfield. Last year, Liverpool FC began consultations with local residents about the possibility of permanently closing a section of Anfield Road to vehicle traffic—a road that connects Stanley Park with Walton Breck Road via 97th Avenue.

Now, the club is conducting more in-depth consultations with those most directly affected by the proposed change. In a letter to residents, club executive Andy Hughes wrote:

In September 2024, we consulted with the local community and key stakeholders regarding the proposal to permanently close the section of Anfield Road (near the stadium) to vehicular traffic and turn it into a pedestrian and cyclist-friendly public space. We want to emphasise that this survey is not a repeat of the previous consultations. Those yielded valuable feedback, but before taking further steps, we want to understand how this stretch of road was used previously, how it’s used now, and—most importantly—what residents think about its permanent closure. Once responses are collected, the club will review all feedback to determine the next steps and will continue to update the local community as the process develops.

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