Milestone makeover gets green light

Fans and officials at the EVO-STIK League Premier Division club's Marine Travel Arena are celebrating on Thursday after receiving formal planning approval from Sefton Council to start work on major improvements to the main stand at the College Road of their stadium in the summer of 2019.

Submitted at the start of the week by Crosby-based architects Tony Diaz Associates, the scheme will see a complete re-modelling of the facilities behind the stand following the demolition of an old timber building built in 1929.

The upgrades planned to coincide with the club's foundation in 1894 by South Road traders at a meeting in the former Marine Hotel, now the stadium's Champs Bar, include a matchday snack bar, stewards control room, spectator first aid treatment room, club shop, matchday office, kit store and a new spectator hospitality suite.

Marine chairman Paul Leary told fans he was delighted to get the go-ahead after the club put the makeover on hold until the summer of 2019 last month following a review of requirements and timings to apply for grant funding towards the cost of the project.

The Mariners chairman, pictured, said: “We are delighted to receive formal planning approval from Sefton Council for this very important project to improve our stadium and would like to thank Tony Diaz Associates for acting on our behalf with council officials.

"Club officials worked very hard in communicating our stadium plans with local residents and shopkeepers in the last few months including the issue of a news release, a letter drop to 375 homes and holding an open meeting in the clubrooms. Council officials have told us that there were no objections to the scheme and we are all absolutely really pleased to hear of this.

“Our next steps are to invite tenders for the work to local building contractors and to continue to raise funds towards our share of the project cost that will not be covered by a grant. I intend to submit our application for grant support from the Football Foundation in July.

"As announced last month, the building work now coincides with our 125th anniversary and this adds further interest in the project and gives us more time to raise the £20-£25k balance of funds needed. So far we have raised £18k towards our portion of the scheme cost of about £40k."

He added: "I appeal therefore to the many friends and supporters of Marine to help us with this important project that will transform the front of our stadium. As a football club we work really hard with our community partners and I appeal to as many people as possible to help us make this scheme happen.

"If anyone would like to make a donation to the appeal then cheques should be made payable to “Marine FC Ground Appeal” and should be sent to club secretary Richard Cross at 74 Elvington Road, Hightown, Liverpool L38 9AN. Alternatively, donations can be made securely on line by accessing www.groundappeal.co.uk and clicking on donate.”

Images courtesy of @MarineAFC/Twitter

Follow us: @evostikleague on Twitter | Facebook www.facebook.com/evostikleague