Stanley Park Stadium

Stanley Park Stadium was a planned football stadium in Stanley Park, Liverpool. It would have replaced Liverpool Football Club’s Anfield stadium. The club first asked for a 55,000-seat design in 2003. Later plans reached 60,000 seats, with one version expandable to 73,000. Two designs gained planning permission: one by AFL Architects and another by HKS. Small ground works began in 2008 but stopped when funds were not secured. The stadium was worth the journey because it would have been Liverpool’s new home. The AFL design cost £290 million and included two Wembley-style arches. The HKS design cost £400 million and featured an 18,500-seat single-tier kop. Both plans were abandoned when new owners Fenway Sports Group chose to expand Anfield instead. The decision saved Stanley Park from development. Visitors would have found a modern stadium rising above the park’s trees. The AFL plan had a sleek bowl shape with two giant arches. The HKS design was futuristic, with a sweeping roof and tiered stands. Paths through Stanley Park would have led to the main entrance. The site remains open green space today, still used for walks and recreation.