 In 1867 the Council purchased of land for the development of the park for £250,000 from the Earl of Sefton.Sefton Park is one of the largest of the "ribbon of Parks" originally envisioned in 1850s by the Liverpool Improvement Committee which eventually included Newsham and Stanley Parks.Even though it was recognised by politicians that clean, fresh open spaces were now regarded as necessity there was an outcry from the public that £250,000 was extravagant and wasteful.