Everton say plans for stadium will not be affected by Liverpool not winning right to bid for Commonwealth Games

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Everton say their plans for a new stadium will not be affected by Liverpool's failure to win the right to bid for the Commonwealth Games.

The Toffees hope to move to a new home at Bramley Moore Dock, north of the city centre, which would have been the centrepiece of the 2022 event.

However, Birmingham and not Liverpool was on Thursday chosen by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as the city which would bid on behalf of England.

Everton say their plans for a new stadium will not be affected by Commonwealth Games news

That move may well have caused some concern on Merseyside, but the Premier League club and city mayor Joe Anderson, who is heavily involved in the scheme, say Liverpool's failure will not result in the collapse of the stadium proposals.

Anderson took to social media to say that it was 'absolutely correct' that Everton's hoped-for new home would not be impacted by the city's bid defeat while the club itself released a statement in which it said it was proud to have been part of the bid. 

It added: 'Our plans for Bramley Moore Dock continue, plans which will support the regeneration of north Liverpool and the city region.' 

Everton have agreed a redevelopment project at Bramley-Moore dock in Merseyside

Paul Blanchard, Chief Executive of Commonwealth Games England, told Sportsmail that the fact Birmingham already had '95 per cent of venues' built was one of a number of issues which swung things in its favour. 

He added that the lack of risk associated with the bid was also a factor but denied there were concerns over whether Liverpool's stadium would be built.

That said, there are still a number of issues to be ironed out before Everton can progress. An agreement with the council, which will see the local authority act as a guarantor to any finance deal, is yet-to-be signed off despite the passing of a three-month deadline. No date has been set for this to happen and club officials are monitoring the situation.

Everton will be looking to build a 60,000-plus stadium on the site and leave Goodison Park

Also, Mayor Anderson's chief executive Ged Fitzgerald is currently on bail, connected with an ongoing fraud investigation – something which may complicate matters further.

Fitzgerald has currently stepped away from his role while the probe continues and is set to discover whether he will keep his job in the near future. Should that not be the case, it is likely that a new chief executive would need to be won over.

Everton hope to be given planning permission, for land which they paid £22m for, next year. 

Everton have been situated at Goodison Park for 125 years but leave in the name of progress