Hillsborough Inquests to be held in Birchwood, Warrington

15 October 2013, 17:22

New inquests in to the deaths of 96 Liverpool Fans will be held in an office block just outside Warrington.

Lord Justice Goldring has confirmed the inquiry will take place from next march in a building on the Birchwood Business Park in Warrington, Cheshire. 

A spokesman for the coroner said: "Lord Justice Goldring has today confirmed that the venue for the hearings for the new Hillsborough inquests will be 305 Bridgewater Place, Birchwood Park, Warrington, Cheshire.''

There had been a clash between relatives who were split between having the inquests held in the North West or London.

Lord Justice Goldring said in the summer that they would take place in Warrington, something which most families told Heart they were pleased with; a jury from outside of Liverpool, but close enough for them to travel every day then go home to be with their families afterwards.

The inquests will get underway on the 31st March 2014, with them expected to take 6 to 9 months to complete.

The disaster took place at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on 15 April 1989 when fans were crushed to death at the match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. 

The original inquest verdicts of accidental death were quashed in December 2013 after an the Hillsborough Independent Panel released their report which found a massive cover up with hundreds of statements changed to shift plan off the police and on to fans.

Two other inquiries are also taking place. Operation Resolve, led by former Durham Chief Constable Jon Stoddart, is investigating whether the fans were unlawfully killed, and the IPCC is investigating the conduct of police in the aftermath of the disaster.