Council reject redevelopment plan, again

Senior officials at Marine are meeting to consider the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League club's response to the decision of Sefton Council's town planners to dismiss their appeal to redevelop the Arriva Stadium.

The Mariners had hoped to redevelop the front of the stadium behind the College Road end stand and terraces with the building of a new 4,000 sq ft convenience store funding the project before the planning application was rejected last April.

Marine chairman Paul Leary expressed his disappointment in a statement released by officials confirming the news that the local planning inspectorate had dismissed the appeal by their Chester-based developers against the decision of Sefton Council's planning committee.

Ahead of taking a valuable point on the pitch in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Grantham Town, he said: "I am disappointed at the decision published by the Planning Inspectorate today to reject the appeal submitted by our developers Cityheart Ltd in November.

"The committee and senior members of our football club will meet in the near future to discuss the strategic implications of this decision. No further statements will be made by Marine Football Club until the outcome of that meeting is known and is communicated in the first instance to our members."

Marine's original plan to develop the Arriva Stadium included knocking down two old wooden buildings to make way for improvements including two new turnstile blocks, a snack kiosk, a groundsman’s store, a souvenir shop, multi-purpose room, perimeter fencing, emergency exit gates and new car parking spaces.

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