Where's There's a Will There's a Way

Blues CEO Bobby Boy has reiterated that the Blues plans for a New Stadium is not dead in the water after meeting with Council Chiefs and the part time fireman, developers and land owners to look at some ideas. Bobby Boy is familiar with all the sites on offer, which include one in Aintree (hopefully not our pub), Speke and Scotty Road. Also Bobby has commissioned an architect to look at the feasibility of re developing Goodison, which would be music to all Blue's fans, but as he points out, we have to contend with a school, church, boozer and peoples homes in sorting that one out.

Lets all not get too excited though, as the stumbling block will always be finance, but as me 'arl man always used to say, 'where there's a will there's a way.' Good luck Bobby Boy.

Bobby Boy says: "We've met with developers and land owners and we've also commissioned a fresh look at Goodison Park with a highly-recommended architect who had no involvement in Kirkby or our previous reviews of Goodison. He's currently looking at previous plans alongside developing his own ideas. Of course, the well-reported challenges remain: roads, shops, houses, a school, a church, a pub, a garage most of which will need to be addressed in one way or another for us to go forward in a way that makes commercial sense. In short, the challenges of working with a stadium footprint.

'There are many examples of council-led or partnered stadium developments in football over the course of the past decade. We hope, between us, we can create a scheme which, in the first instances passes our basic test of 'affordability' and, ultimately, becomes a reality. Several sites have been identified. All are familiar to us and all had been assessed previously but this doesn't mean we'll come to the same conclusions as circumstances change. The economy, in all respects, changes from day to day and we have to refresh our conclusions and look for new opportunities. I hope we are able to report progress in the near future." (04/02/10)

Redevelop Goodison??

Blues Hold Talks

Everton's hierarchy have held talks over a New Stadium for Everton with Liverpool City Council. The Council requested the meeting after kyboshing Everton's attempt to relocate to nearby Kirkby.

Local Fireman cum part time Council Leader Warren Bradley put the Councils cards on the table, and the Blues were represented at a high level. Both parties seemed to be positive about the meeting, and have scheduled future discussions. Mr. Bradley would not comment when Bluekipper asked them did they have a rich Sugar Daddy for us to help finance the Stadium. Sausage in fact was escorted from the venue for everyone's safety after his hair became a serious risk to public safety.

Both Parties said: "A positive meeting took place between Everton FC and Liverpool City Council about future stadium options within the city boundary, and more discussions have been scheduled for the near future." (12/01/10)

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Council Leader Warren Bradley

Honest I'm a Blue

Top Man Steps In To Save Destination Kirkby

The Blues plans over Destination Kirkby may not be over yet after The Prime Minister personally intervened to see if a compromise can yet be met. He has sent North West Minister Phil Woolas to meet high ranking Knowsley Officials and Tesco representatives to see if there is a Plan B.

Some Government Dude Phil Woolas says: "This issue is far from over and the needs of Everton Football Club are still real. The government is committed to the regeneration of both Kirby and Skelmersdale and we will be working behind the scenes with all parties to see if we can take forward a Plan B.

We are not going to leave this to the free market. I will be meeting with local civic leaders to use government power to intervene in this."

George Howarth Knowsely MP says: "There are high-level talks and it's very encouraging that Phil Woolas, with the blessing of the prime minister, is engaging with Knowsley Council, Tesco and others to see what can be done."

He Runs The Country - He Does Yer Know

It's a No From Gordon and His Gang

Everton's future plans were plunged into disarray this evening when the Government rejected their bid to build a new Stadium in Kirkby. The proposed development in conjunction with Tesco had split the Blues faithful for years now. A emotive public Inquiry was held nearly twelve months ago, and the decision was left to the Government to give it the thumbs up or the thumbs down.

Communities Secretary John Denham decided that the project would breach shopping policy and he believed the development would suck business away from surrounding towns and the City Centre.

The official decision and reasoning will be given on Thursday, but local MP George Howarth is less than impressed with the Governments decision. More information when we have it will follow....

George says: "I deeply regret this decision in a time of significant economic challenge to the whole of Merseyside during a recession." (25/11/09)

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Kirkby Now a Distant Dream

Naming Rights

CEO Bobby Elstone has confirmed that the Blues did have tentative talks with a Japanese Company over the Stadium naming rights for our proposed new Ground in Kirkby. The Company in question did back off when the development proposals went to a Public Inquiry, but the CEO is confident that those negotiations can be re-opened.

As is the current trend today, the Blues know they can make serious dough by giving up the name of their ground like The Arse (The Emirates), Bolton (The Reebok) and Coventry (Ricoh Arena) and a host of other clubs have already done.

Looking through a list of Japanese companies, I hope it is not the 'Baby, The Stars Shine Bright Company' or the hilariously named 'Bank of Fukuoka.'

The shite have denied rumours that they are looking for a new name for their plot of turf on Stanley Park. The 'We Have Not Got a Pot To Piss in, While Our Yankee Owners Take Us To The Cleaners Stadium' has not yet been ruled out however.

Blues CEO Bobby says: "Football is still high profile. Naming rights will be resolved." (10/09/09)

Commence Operation Vole

You just know when there is no footy news around when BK brings you an update on how our Kirkby Voles are getting on.

If you remember, a family of voles could have delayed any potential building of the Blues new ground if the go ahead is given this Autumn, as they are a protected species. The contractors who are on site though, have this week started to remove the Voles from their breeding grounds, which lies on the 18 yard box of our potential new Stadium.

The Voles though have not been taking it lying down, and have formed an Action Committee to stop their removal. Head Vole a Mr. S. Little is admanant they are not being moved, but a 28 ton JCB digger soon put a stop to his protest.

Some Knowsley Council Dude says: "As landowners, we have granted a licence for our land to be accessed in order for ecological works to be undertaken. These works will ensure the safe translocation of a protected water vole habitat in Kirkby Brook. The work will include the erection of safety hoardings, systematic clearing of overgrown vegetation and vole assessment." (09/09/09)

The Voles Prepare For Battle

Get Of My Laaaaand

Everton's proposed move to Kirkby could be delayed yet again by the humble Water Vole. Yep a distant relative of a soddin' rat inhabits the land were the development (if granted by The Secretary of State) will be built. A brook were the Voles live runs right through the land of the proposed build, and some issues have arisen around this.

The authorities are not prepared to spend cash out on moving the voles on via work to the brook, as the decision by the Secretary of State may go against the Development. The decision is expected on the new Ground in November, but by then the Voles cannot be moved as they will be hibernating for the Winter.

Kate McLean Some Planner says: "We’re waiting for the wider Secretary of State’s decision to tie in with the larger scheme. It’s to do with making cost savings. We’re now going to encourage them (the voles) to move downstream, rather than moving their habitat. Now the developers face a race against time to get each one of the Water Rats to move home before they begin hibernating.

A Vole says: "We love Kirkby and our brook, your treating us like dirty rats. We will protest so be warned." (19/07/09)

You Mess With My Home, You Mess With Me

Council Preempt Decision

Knowsley Borough Council are preempting any decision by the Secretary of State in regards to the decision on Destination Kirkby. To get the ball rolling they are putting a motion forward in Chambers next Wednesday to put a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on the whole of Kirkby Town Centre. The CPO's will only come into play if the Secretary of State gives the green light to the project, and Tesco's are said to be underwriting the whole process to iron out any delays if the project is given the go ahead. The CPO's will only be used if any landowners play hard ball and don't sell voluntarily. A decision by the Secretary of State is due later in the year.

Kirkby Residents are obviously up in arms over the Councils arrogance in preempting the Secretary of States decision and they are annoyed that their Council will let a situation happen that Tesco will own the Land in and around Kirkby to do with as they please regardless of the Secretary of States decision.

Some Bloke Called Nick Kavanagh, Executive Director of Regeneration, says: “Due to the lengthy timescales that would be involved in any CPO process, this report is being considered now, at the highest decision-making level we have, in order that, if a positive planning decision is reached, land can be assembled to allow for the Destination Kirkby regeneration project to be delivered as quickly as possible."

Tony Barton, of Kirkby Residents Action Group (KRAG) says: "The nightmare scenario for Kirkby residents is for Tesco to own the land both north and south of Cherryfield Drive to do with it as they wish, or not do anything with it, as the case may be. And this is clearly what our council is hell-bent on achieving for Tesco, regardless of the residents' and traders' objections." (03/07/09)

Will It, Won't It

Something To Cheer You Up

Yep Beef Chow Mein and Chips Please, Can You Deliver, Nice One Mate.

Decision Delay

The Blues hope for an Summer decision in the Kirkby Public Inquiry took a severe knock today when it emerged the The Secretary for State Hazel Blears will not rule on the Planning decision till November 2009 at the earliest.

Even if the Planning Application is approved it will mean the the Blues will play on a season longer at Goodison than planned, meaning that they will be at The Shrine till the end of the 2011 season at the earliest. A Government spokesman explained that the process is more detailed than they originally anticipated. As we all know the wheels of bureaucracy and the people who are paid to run it, run very slowly. Sorry, I am only a tax payer !!

A Government Chap says: "This is a complex proposal in which strong views have been expressed and Ministers need to give it careful consideration. We recognise that there is a lot of interest in this case and we will look to issue the decision as quickly as possible."

Blues Ian Ross says: "In an ideal world we would have welcomed an earlier decision but we understand that processes like these take a lot of time and effort. The wheels of Government don’t move as quickly as we would like. All through this we’ve let it be known there’s a sense of urgency and that it is time sensitive. We remain totally focused and optimistic that it will go ahead." (14/03/09)

The Right Hon. Hazel Blears

Our Future Is In Hazel's Hands - Doh

Credit Crunch Has Effect On Finance Of New Stadium

Everton's C.E.O. has admitted it will be harder to raise finance for 'Destination Kirkby' due to the credit crunch.

Bobby says: ''The current market will make it harder than we expected to raise finance. 'However, we have a mix of financing options, including stadium naming rights, and we remain optimistic on that particular project of securing a substantial contribution to our overall funding requirement.

Elstone To Address Public Inquiry

Even though the Tesco/Everton bid has had a rough ride so far at the public inquiry, acting chief executive, Robert Elstone is confident that the plans will be given approval. Robert Elstone is due to address the public inquiry this week.

Elstone says: "If we get planning approval through the inquiry, we are ready to start work. And if we start work, we are pretty confident we will get in for 2011. We are not racing anybody. All we are interested in is Everton Football Club." (01/12/08)