 LIVERPOOL'S departing regeneration leader last night urged the North West Development Agency to hand over the millions to make the planned new Anfield stadium a reality. Charlie Parker, in his last day as the city's regeneration director, urged the NWDA to quickly approve the financial support he believes will trigger the start of work on Liverpool FC's proposed new 60,000-seat stadium on Stanley Park. Mr Parker's call came as the impasse over the new stadium continued to give rise to speculation that the club is struggling to finance the deal. Rising steel and other costs are thought to have seen the final bill rise from the original £80m to well over £150m. Some estimates have put it as high as £200m. Liverpool FC's AGM has still not been scheduled for this year with some observers believing club chief executive Rick Parry is under pressure to bring positive news on the stadium or investment fronts to the meeting. The club's bid for around £21m of financial support for infrastructure work in and around the new stadium is still being considered by officials at the Warrington-based NWDA. Mr Parker, who is taking up a new corporate role with business and services group Enterprise, said: "I fervently hope the Liverpool stadium will come about because I think it would be a fantastic spur to the overall regeneration in the north of the city, particularly in Anfield and Breckfield. "I've always said it's not critical because we've got to tackle the issues there come what may but it will act as a major incentive to making it happen. "I'm also very confident that, if the RDA comes up trumps, Liverpool FC will do this deal and I believe that will be about its long-term strength. "As its renaissance as a football club is beginning to show, it needs to be able as a commercial club to compete. "It has to become a football experience, a visitor attraction, get the numbers in which it can certainly support and be seen as something which contributes to the community and the wider regeneration - that enhances the brand. | 
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