A top Everton FC official has spoken out after recent criticisms from heritage bodies were directed at the club over its Bramley-Moore Dock stadium plans.
Both the Victorian Society and Historic England have in recent days spoken out over the Premier League side's , with the former saying it will cause "incontrovertible harm", and the latter requesting that it be "called in" by the Government.
On Friday, Richard Kenyon, CEO of Everton in the Community, the club's official charity, said the club had gone to great lengths to not only protect the area's heritage - but to "enhance it, celebrate it and showcase it" with plans for the 52,000-seat venue.
Speaking at the Westminster Business Form's online event looking at the future of infrastructure in the Liverpool City Region, he said the club has in fact had "very little criticism or challenge".
But he said: "With any big scheme like this it's crucial that you take your time to set out the position and to give information and detail, and we've been very careful to do that over the last two years."
"We are looking at redeveloping a site that is part of the city's history but currently derelict. We wanted to put that front and centre of our position and explain why we were going to that site, the benefits of that not just to us, but the whole of the city region and most importantly, what we were doing to not impact heritage - but to enhance it, celebrate it and showcase it - to make it available to people.
"I think by putting all of that out there - very honestly and very much supported by the facts - we let people make their own decisions."
Friday's event was held online, and examined the next steps for the city region's local industrial strategy - covering aspects such as supporting business, research and development, and infrastructure investment.
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Mr Kenyon touched on the club's that closed earlier this year and saw over 60,000 people respond, adding: "We went to every length to get across all the boroughs of the city region over an extensive period to capture what those opinions were."
Mr Kenyon said: "Some criticism we have had has actually been from our own supporters early on in the process to ask us 'why is this taking so long', 'why are you consulting so extensively', 'why are you continuing to go out and ask us and the community things - just get on with the stadium'.
"While we wanted to do that, we knew that it was absolutely critical to the success of the project that we got the information out clearly so people could make an informed decision.
"We've been absolutely blown away by the level of support we've had, not just in that consultation but by people right across the spectrum."
Last week, Historic England said it had asked for Everton's application for the new stadium to be "called in" by the Secretary of State, adding that the proposal to infill the dock would mean "substantial harm to the significance" of the site. It said the planning application should be refused - "unless the decision-maker concludes that the public benefits would outweigh the damage".
That's despite Colin Chong, Everton's stadium development director, last month writing a letter to fans saying his team had worked "extensively and collaboratively" with Historic England "over many months".
His statement said: "We know they are aware of and appreciate the significant benefits the stadium will bring to both the club and the city region. They also appreciate the changes we have made to our designs to further enhance and showcase the heritage of the site."
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The Victorian Society has also objected to the plans this week, calling them "unacceptable", saying they will cause "incontrovertible harm" to the 1844 grade II-listed dock.
This week, a major new plan - the North Shore Vision - to shape a multi-billion pound, heritage-led development throughout the entire docklands, as the city fights to retain its famous UNESCO World Heritage Status.
The regeneration of the north docks is seen as vital to the prosperity of some of the poorest areas of the city - with Bramley-Moore Dock and the Ten Streets Project amongst the plans hoped to take the city forward.
It's the first development document in the 海角视频 to adopt guidelines set out by the United Nations on Sustainable Development and UNESCO’s own model for developing Historic Urban Landscapes, and Everton informally used it to help shape their own proposals for the new stadium.
On Thursday, Everton for the stadium to Liverpool Council following queries from statutory consultees.
The main visual amendments will be on the West Stand area, with the introduction of a new stepped plaza and the removal of the multi-storey car park facing the River Mersey, while the West Quay will now become the car park with spaces for disabled supporters.
Concluding his comments at Friday's event, Mr Kenyon said the impact the stadium will have on the area will be "phenomenal", adding: "From an economic perspective, this level of investment into an infrastructure project would be great at any time - never more so than now."
A council decision on the plans is expected in December - with work then set to begin early next year.
Also at the event was Northern Powerhouse Partnership director, Henri Murison, who said delaying the project would be a "huge mistake".
Speaking after the event, he told BusinessLive: "Unnecessarily delaying a £1 billion mega-project such as this - which will support constructions sectors and related trades in the coming years and will create 15,000 jobs - would be a huge mistake at a time when we’re facing rising unemployment, with this a material economic intervention in the city region.
"Heritage England's reading of the requirements of the World Heritage Status - which has already served its purpose in establishing its visitor brand – shows the time may have come when its disadvantages for the city outweigh any residual benefits it brings.
"In reality, the power of such a scheme can prove transformative in unlocking the true economic potential of Liverpool and the North in both the short- and long-term. Projects like this represent a critical example of the role forward thinking organisations like Everton and their wider partners can play in investing in local communities and building back better, one step at a time closing the North – South divide."