Editing Anfield (section)

====Phase two (2021–24): Anfield Road End redevelopment====

[[File:Anfield Road Stand in May 2024.jpg|thumb|The redeveloped Anfield Road End nearing completion in May 2024]]

The second phase of Anfield's redevelopment was to redevelop the Anfield Road stand. The club received initial outline planning permission in 2014 for the redevelopment, with seating to be increased by 4,825, giving Anfield a total capacity of 58,000.<ref>{{cite web |title=Liverpool's Anfield stadium expansion: Construction to begin on Monday |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-30327242 |website=BBC News Online |publisher=British Broadcasting Company |access-date=22 August 2019 |date=4 December 2014}}</ref> However, in August 2019, Liverpool allowed the planning permission associated with the original 2014 designs to lapse, confirming their intention to submit "ambitious new plans" for the Anfield Road End redevelopment which are believed to increase the capacity further to take the overall capacity of Anfield to comfortably above 60,000.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Doyle |first1=Ian |title=Liverpool announce new Anfield Road end plan with stadium development set for next step |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-announce-new-anfield-road-16798153 |access-date=22 August 2019 |work=Liverpool Echo |date=22 August 2019}}</ref> The redevelopment focused on the upper tier of the stand, with the lower tier remaining unchanged. Construction work was completed behind the existing stand and then connected to the lower tier, which was expected to be in the 2022 off-season. Therefore, Anfield's capacity was not expected to be affected throughout the duration of the works.<ref>[https://theathletic.co.uk/1592389/2020/02/12/anfield-liverpool-stadium-redevelopment-2022/ “Liverpool unveil new plans for £60m Anfield redevelopment to boost capacity to 61,000 in 2022”]. ''The Athletic''. Retrieved 14 February 2020</ref>

The club spent the second half of 2019 finalising plans and consulting local residents, planning officials and other stakeholders with a view to submitting the new plans for approval in early 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reds reaffirm Anfield Road commitment |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/announcements/361704-liverpool-fc-statement-anfield-road-stand-redevelopment |website=Liverpool F.C.|date=22 August 2019 |access-date=22 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Residents invited to consult on proposed Anfield Road expansion |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/announcements/373905-residents-invited-to-consultation-on-proposed-anfield-road-expansion |website=Liverpool F.C |date=21 November 2019 |access-date=21 November 2019}}</ref> However, in March 2020, Liverpool delayed submitting a planning application for the project, in light of financial uncertainty caused by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Media|first=P. A.|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/feb/12/liverpool-aim-to-start-60m-anfield-road-redevelopment-this-year-completion-summer-2022|title=Liverpool aim to start £60m Anfield Road redevelopment this year|date=2020-02-12|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-02-12|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2020-11-30|title=Liverpool push on with plans for £60m Anfield Road expansion|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool/anfield-stadium-expansion-latest-b1763967.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool/anfield-stadium-expansion-latest-b1763967.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=2020-11-30|website=The Independent|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In December 2020, Liverpool announced that they would be moving forward with the project by submitting final planning application for the redevelopment, with the delay pushing back the initial completion date for Phase Two redevelopment from summer 2022 to summer 2023 at the earliest.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Doyle|first=Ian|date=2020-11-30|title=Liverpool give major update on £60m Anfield expansion plans|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-give-major-update-60m-19371279|access-date=2020-11-30|website=Liverpool Echo|language=en}}</ref> The plans were approved by the [[Liverpool City Council]] in June 2021. The expansion was expected to cost £60&nbsp;million and allowed Anfield Road stand to seat 7,000 more people, giving the stadium a total capacity of 61,000.<ref>{{cite news |title=Liverpool given green light to increase Anfield capacity to 61,000 |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11669/12333093/liverpool-given-green-light-to-increase-anfield-capacity-to-61-000 |access-date=22 September 2021 |work=Sky Sports |date=16 June 2021}}</ref>

Work by contractor [[Buckingham Group]] officially commenced on 30 September 2021, with [[Groundbreaking|the first sod]] being turned by manager [[Jürgen Klopp]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/announcements/445207-lfc-holds-ground-breaking-ceremony-for-anfield-road-stand-expansion |title=LFC holds ground-breaking ceremony for Anfield Road Stand expansion |publisher=Liverpool FC |date=30 September 2021 |access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref> The stand was expected to be completed during the [[2023–24 Premier League|2023–24 season]] and would also see the relocation of the Family Park to a covered position.<ref name="expansion">{{cite news |date=27 October 2021 |title=LFC holds ground-breaking ceremony for Anfield Road Stand expansion |work=Liverpool FC |url=https://legacy.liverpoolfc.com/news/announcements/445207-lfc-holds-ground-breaking-ceremony-for-anfield-road-stand-expansion}}</ref> However, on 17 August 2023, Buckingham announced it would be filing for administration, jeopardising timely completion of the new £80 million stand.<ref name="Hunter-17Aug2023">{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Andy |title=Firm building Liverpool's Anfield Road stand files for administration |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/aug/17/liverpool-anfield-road-stand-administration-buckingham |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=Guardian |date=17 August 2023}}</ref><ref name="BBC-17Aug2023">{{cite news |title=Buckingham Group construction company on brink of collapse |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-66532733 |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=BBC News |date=17 August 2023}}</ref> On 7 September 2023, the club took control of the project, appointing Rayner Rowen Construction to complete the stand using as many of the original subcontractors as possible.<ref name="Prior-08Sep2023">{{cite news |last1=Prior |first1=Grant |title=Liverpool bring on sub for Buckingham on Anfield stand |url=https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2023/09/07/liverpool-bring-on-sub-for-buckingham-on-anfield-stand/ |access-date=8 September 2023 |work=Construction Enquirer |date=8 September 2023}}</ref> In October 2023, Liverpool announced that the upper part of the new developed stand would not be open to the public "until the end of 2023".<ref>{{cite news |title=Billy Hogan provides update for fans on Anfield Road Stand project |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/billy-hogan-provides-update-fans-anfield-road-stand-project |access-date=22 October 2023 |publisher=Liverpool FC}}</ref> On 23 November, the club anticipated half of the new upper tier would be available for a Premier League match against Manchester United on 17 December 2023.<ref name="BBC-23Nov2023">{{cite news |title=Liverpool plan partial opening of new Anfield Road stand upper tier for Manchester United game in December |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67509317 |access-date=24 November 2023 |work=BBC Sport |date=23 November 2023}}</ref> Much of the stand opened for Liverpool's home Premier League game against [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]] on 10 February 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/vincent-kompany-not-put-off-as-anfield-set-for-record-crowd-with-new-stand/a1091444523.html|title=Vincent Kompany not put off as Anfield set for record crowd with new stand|date=10 February 2024|website=[[Independent.ie]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>