Everton has named construction company Laing O’Rourke as the preferred contractor for its new 52,000-seat stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Everton and Laing O’Rourke will sign a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) for a design and build contract following what the club described as a competitive procurement process. Everton will now work with Laing O’Rourke to develop a detailed and robust design and delivery programme for the stadium.
Everton submitted a planning application for the stadium to Liverpool City Council in December. The council is expected to make a decision on the application this summer.
Everton hopes to begin work on the stadium later this year, subject to planning consent. Construction is expected to take three years and a final construction timeline will be revealed during the PCSA period.
Laing O’Rourke worked on the expansion of Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and the company has delivered a number of projects in Liverpool, including Liverpool ONE, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. Laing O’Rourke has also overseen a range of products across Europe, Canada, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australia.
Everton chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale said: “Appointing Laing O’Rourke is another important step towards delivering a new world-class waterfront stadium for Everton.
“We are partnering with an organisation who bring a wealth of experience and a track record of quality, sustainability and global delivery, including major investment projects right here in Liverpool.
“There is still a lot of work to do on this project. Working alongside colleagues at Laing O’Rourke we will develop our construction programme, while at the same time continuing to engage with our supporters on a number of matters as we await our planning application to be determined by Liverpool City Council.”
Laing O’Rourke director Paul McNerney added: “We are delighted that Everton has chosen our team to work alongside the club and local community to deliver The People’s Project. We recognise the transformative impact the project will bring to the Club, to the city and to the many people who will be part of this exciting journey.
“Laing O’Rourke has a long track record of delivering sport stadia, utilising our unique engineering and manufacturing capabilities, all of which will now underpin this scheme.
“Our local team, supply chain and consultant partners have worked with us across many major schemes in Liverpool including Liverpool ONE, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. The People’s Project will allow us to advance our commitment to training, skills and careers in the area – and to support Everton in the Community in their wonderful life-changing and life-saving work.”
Everton’s new stadium has been designed by MEIS architects and has been inspired by the nearby historic maritime and warehouse buildings. The brick base of the stadium will incorporate a nod to Goodison Park’s famous Archibald Leitch lattice work, while the roof will be made from steel and glass.
One of the main features of the stadium will be a large, steep home end which will house 13,000 Everton fans. It is estimated that the People’s Project – which comprises the new stadium and the delivery of a community-led legacy project at Goodison Park – will deliver nearly £800m (€956m/$1.03bn) of societal value over a 10-year period.
Last month, Everton announced that Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanove had agreed to pay £30m for an exclusive option on the naming rights to the stadium. USM Holdings, the holding company for Usmanov’s business interests, already holds naming rights to Everton’s Finch Farm training ground through a five-year deal signed in January 2017.
Image: Everton
