Liverpool FC's Anfield expansion plans backed by city council

Anfield's current capacity is just over 53,000

Plans to increase the capacity of Liverpool FC's Anfield stadium to 61,000 have been backed by councillors.

Liverpool City Council's planning committee voted 6-2 to allow the club to add 7,000 seats to the Anfield Road Stand, which currently holds 8,819.

The replacement stand will extend across Anfield Road and near the edge of Stanley Park, drawing an angry response from green campaigners.

Liverpool FC promised to replace all 27 trees that would have to be felled.

Green councillor Anna Key and Labour's Dave Cummings voted against the plan.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the council's climate change committee chair, Lena Simic, accused the club of "misleading" the public by not revealing the number of trees until late in the day.

She said: "Why are we allowing our beloved historic public park to be changed to allow the expansion of a profit-driven private corporation?"

"Do we really want to sacrifice the mature, beautiful trees we have in Stanley Park to this profit-making machine?"

The new stand will take 18 months to build

Mr Cummings urged the club to "go back to the local people and negotiate with them to see if they are happy with the tree issue".

Both club representatives and planning officers said the tree felling was the result of negotiations between the club and the council that had only recently been completed.

Liverpool FC has also agreed to plant 25 new trees on its land and provide the council with enough money to pay for 45 new trees in Stanley Park.

The proposals follow the expansion of Anfield's Main Stand in 2016.

They include

• a covered "fan zone" within the stadium

• a renewed "public realm" outside the ground similar to 96 Avenue outside the Main Stand

• Anfield Road will be re-routed around the back of the new stand

Councillors also gave permission for Liverpool FC to host up to six "major events", such as concerts, per year for a period of five years.

Andy Hughes, the club's chief operating officer, told the planning committee there was "overwhelming" public support, with 84% of respondents from the local L4 postcode backing them.

The development work is expected to take about18 months to complete.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]