Liverpool have proposed an estimated £60 million blueprint to redevelop Anfield, increasing the stadium’s capacity to 61,000, which enters phase one of its public consultation exercise.

The club allowed their original outline from 2014, which would have added under 5000 seats to the Anfield Road end, to lapse in September as they believed the design wasn’t viable and a more ambitious plan could be drafted.

Under the upgraded proposal, Liverpool will have room for 7000 more people through the turnstiles, with the majority being through general admission tickets.

The Anfield Road end would balloon to 16,000 capacity, dwarfing the Kop. A sports bar or lounge concept has also been drawn into the submission.

There needs to be certainty on three core factors for work to proceed.

Anfield redevelopment Show all 6 1 /6 Anfield redevelopment Anfield redevelopment Anfield Liverpool have proposed an estimated £60 million blueprint to redevelop Anfield Anfield redevelopment Anfield Part of the expansion plan includes closing a short section of Anfield Road Anfield redevelopment Anfield Under the upgraded proposal, Liverpool will have room for 7,000 more fans Liverpool FC Anfield redevelopment Anfield A key element on whether the redevelopment will proceed hinges on Liverpool being able to successfully navigate the complex planning landscape Anfield redevelopment Anfield Under the banner ‘Anfield, not just home to LFC,’ the club have embarked on a number of other initiatives to enhance their relationship with the local community like the ‘Respect our Neighbours’ campaign Anfield redevelopment Anfield The Anfield Road end would balloon to 16,000 capacity, dwarfing the Kop Photograph Â© Adrian Lambert

First, the six-time champions of Europe will need to reach agreement with local residents, businesses and community groups.

Part of the expansion plan includes closing a short section of Anfield Road between 96 Avenue and Skerries Road.

The first stage of public consultation will welcome feedback until midnight on Friday 13 December, with a second phase pencilled in for February 2020 when the detailed plans will be available.

Liverpool would also need the “right financial and economic model in place to deliver a long term sustainable Anfield,” according to chief operating officer Andy Hughes.

While the Main Stand, opened in 2016, was funded by a £100m loan from owners Fenway Sports Group, this project would be financed locally through the club’s revolving credit facility.

Anfield could be set to expand beyond 60,000 (Getty)

“We have had incredible support from our ownership group and that support has been around taking good football and business decisions for the club,” Hughes said. “We will be borrowing money to finance this stand.

“Our plan is to use our existing banking facilities – our revolving credit facility. We are in the process of finalising that at the moment, but it will be financed locally.

“The club financially is in significantly stronger shape. We have seen consistently strong revenue growth since FSG took over. We have gone from some heavy losses through to a break-even period, through to a profitable period.

“We have seen improvement throughout the club, on and off the pitch, in all aspects of our operations and commercial activity.

“So yes we are in a much stronger place and the fact we can finance this locally within our revolving credit facility demonstrates that.”

Although it is too early in the process to be definitive on factors like selling naming rights to the Anfield Road end, Liverpool would consider it. The Main Stand, however, fulfilled targets without it, through the sponsorship of individual suites and lounges.

The third key element on whether the redevelopment will proceed hinges on Liverpool being able to successfully navigate the complex planning landscape. Further studies are being carried out on a transport strategy, while the football parking zone scheme has received positive feedback.

Anfield could be set for redevelopment (Adrian Lambert) (Photograph Â© Adrian Lambert)

Liverpool will explore the opportunity for permanent permission to hold concerts and other major events at Anfield as part of the expansion, with the club’s current license only valid for two years.

Hughes admitted Liverpool “didn’t perhaps perform a consultation for the concerts as well as we could have done and we are always looking to improve” so they hired a resident liaison officer early this year.

Under the banner ‘Anfield, not just home to LFC,’ the club have embarked on a number of other initiatives to enhance their relationship with the local community like the ‘Respect our Neighbours’ campaign.

“We have always been looking at a long-term development plan for Anfield and we have been looking specifically at Anfield Road as the next step post the Main Stand,” Hughes explained.

“So of the big steps we chose to do the Main Stand first, the training ground [new base in Kirkby] second and Anfield Road third.

“We have deliberately phased these investments as they are big projects in their own right. They require funding.