 PROPOSALS for the new 60,000-seater stadium at Anfield have evoked strong feelings from a range of key bodies and individuals, a 100-page report released last night indicates. Although a number of major bodies such as the Victorian Society are not objecting, strong reservations and opposition have been raised. Among them is the Liverpool district branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), who say that the stadium development will have "a negative effect on the character of the registered historic park and visual amenity." Chairman Pamela Leadbeater goes on to list a number of objections by the group, including significant environmental effects such as noise and light pollution, the loss of green open space, and concern that views from Stanley Park will be "immeasurably compromised" by the stadium development. The Liverpool district group is part of the Lancashire branch of CPRE, which is also objecting to the scheme. Branch planning officer Gemma Heaton said: "A large stadium of the size proposed will significantly detract from the present appearance of the park and overshadow the area. "CPRE also feel that an increase of 15,000 extra fans will create severe traffic congestion, parking and road safety problems in an area already problematic with football related traffic. "CPRE do not feel that the narrow residential streets surrounding the site will be able to cope with the large volumes of traffic." The Garden History Society, which works for the protection of historic gardens, has also objected to "the principle" of the development in Stanley Park. Kathryn Gibson, the group's conservation officer, said: "The huge scale, both in footprint and height, of the proposed stadium would result in it dominating a large area of the park, seriously harming its historic and visual character." However, the Victorian Society has said it will not be objecting in principle to the plans, although it regrets the loss of open space in the listed park. Its Northern and Welsh architectural adviser, Dale Dishon, said: "We concede that the long-term benefits to Liverpool and the Anfield area are likely to outweigh the loss, and approve of the efforts to design the new stadium in a manner which will impact as little as possible on the surrounding views." Despite some reservations, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and Sport England, are also supporting the redevelopment in principle. In addition, there have been a total of 285 individual objections from addresses around Stanley Park, and four from outside Merseyside. Only 45 have written in support. alanweston@dailypost.co.uk | 
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