Liverpool Football Club (LFC) has submitted its planning application to redevelop Anfield stadium.

The submission of the application follows a major public consultation in which the overwhelming majority of local residents, businesses and fans backed the proposals.

The document submitted to Liverpool City Council applies for detailed planning consent to expand the Anfield Main Stand and outline consent for the expansion of its Anfield Road Stand.

The application is expected to be considered by the city's planning committee later this year.

If consent is granted, the proposals would see the capacity of a new Main Stand rise by 8,500 taking it to nearly 21,000 and overall Anfield capacity to around 54,000. The outline proposals for the Anfield Road Stand provide for an increase in its capacity of around 4,800 seats taking the total stadium capacity to 58,800.

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Incorporating the iconic Club Crest into the proposed Main Stand’s exterior elevation, the scheme would also include a two-storey podium and a carefully designed cloister which would become the new home for the Hillsborough Memorial.

The Main Stand would open onto a wide public space which has been designed to link the stadium and park while creating an area which is relevant and usable to the local community, particularly on non-match days.

As part of its proposed stadium expansion plans, the Club has also appointed Tom Doyle, an experienced project director who worked on the London 2012 Olympic programme and more recently the SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow, to manage the redevelopment should consent be granted.

If planning consent is granted, construction work on the proposed Main Stand could begin early next year and it could be complete in time for the 2016/17 season.

(CD/MH)