The Hotel End
March 28, 2024, 13:53:18 pm
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
News:
 
  Home Help Search Arcade Downloads Gallery Links Staff List Calendar Login Register Chat  

Redevelopment Closer Than Ever?

Pages: 1 ... 1722 1723 1724 1725 1726 1727 1728 [1729] 1730 1731 1732 1733 1734 1735 1736 ... 2180   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: Redevelopment Closer Than Ever?  (Read 1819723 times)
BedsCobb, WestHaddonCobbler, E-Cobbler and 20 Guests are viewing this topic.
Terryfenwickatemyhamster
Administrator
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5105


View Profile
Badges: (View All)
5000 Posts Level 6 Windows User
« Reply #34560 on: July 27, 2022, 14:29:30 pm »

I need to digest this before commenting but wow just wow on so many (not good) levels

Northampton Town Supporters Trust has been forced to withdraw the development plan it was seeking to bring forward for the old athletics track land behind the East Stand at Sixfields.

The Trust's joint venture partner, Northampton-based Goodwill Solutions CIC, had devised a robust and fully-costed business plan for the 3.61 acres site (an Asset of Community Value) which would have delivered investment in the infrastructure of the football club in the short to medium term.

This plan was presented to West Northamptonshire Council's leadership team at a meeting on 27 June 2022.

But it seems that shortly after the meeting information was leaked and Goodwill came under intense pressure from several quarters to withdraw from its involvement in the plan.

Among those applying the pressure, via a telephone call to Goodwill, was Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas.

According to Goodwill's projections, the plan would have yielded profit for the Trust of up to £250,000 a year from a commercial Boxpark development and a lorry park, which would have flexed as a fanzone on matchdays. The plan also included car parking directly behind the East Stand of the stadium.

This development profit would have been placed by the Trust in an infrastructure fund and the money would have been ring fenced to build the club's asset base and improve facilities at the stadium, thereby enhancing the matchday experience for Cobblers fans. There has been little or no investment in the stadium since 2015 other than the installation of seats in the unfinished East Stand.

We would question why any football club chairman would go out of his way to stop supporters from embarking on a scheme that would provide his club with ongoing funds - especially when they have shown no interest in this piece of land previously, it being adjacent to the stadium and subject to a long lease.

The owners also failed to sit down with a developer looking to deliver a fan-led New Hotel End project at Sixfields.

Andy Roberts, chair of Northampton Town Supporters Trust, said: "We have always said that this land at Sixfields should be ring fenced for club and community benefit.

"We believed our partnership with Goodwill would have delivered a viable and imaginative plan for the land which ticked so many boxes for both the football club, its supporters, visiting supporters and the town of Northampton.

"But it now appears that significant pressure was placed on Goodwill to withdraw.

"The intervention from the club chairman came as no great surprise, indeed we warned Goodwill that it was likely.

"It is the latest in a series of actions by the club's owners and executive, over many years, designed to undermine and discredit the Trust.

"The intervention is even more disappointing, given that the deal the owners have on the table with the council in no way guarantees the East Stand being completed, nor does it provide for any ongoing investment benefit for our football club.

"We question, as all supporters should, as to why  there is no longer any guarantee of the stand's completion in the plan of the club owners?

"It should be the foundation stone of any deal under consideration and the fact that it isn't is entirely unacceptable.

"After all, the owners have been at the club for almost seven years. They promised to finish the stand in 2015 and were given the green light to do so three years later.

"They have done nothing and there is no certainty that anything will be done.

"The Trust will now continue to explore other options for the old athletics track land in the time available to us."

The Supporters Trust has until 3 September to make a bid to buy the land behind the East Stand - the old athletics track land, comprising 3.61 acres. There is no obligation on the freehold owners, West Northamptonshire Council, to accept the bid.




My initial impression has to be one of complete astonishment. I mean….. Who on earth uses that many paragraphs to convey a message. 😱😱
Report Spam   Logged
Pages: 1 ... 1722 1723 1724 1725 1726 1727 1728 [1729] 1730 1731 1732 1733 1734 1735 1736 ... 2180   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by EzPortal
Parental guidance is urged as this messageboard may not be suitable for all persons especially those under the age of 16 as the forums may contain words, phrases and expressions not considered appropriate for a younger audience so please express caution. If any posts in the forums offend you, please let us know and we will look at them and if we agree with your complaint, we will remove them. You are personally responsible and potentially liable for the contents of your posting and may be sued should your posting contain content of a defamatory or other illegal nature. Every message posted leaves a traceable IP number. We check the forums at various times of the day and remove offending posts. Other supporters are welcome but abusive or silly posts will be removed and the offenders potentially barred from future access to the site. We advise that you never reveal any personal information about yourself or anyone else (for example: telephone number, home address or email address), and please do not include postal addresses of any kind. This messageboard is not endorsed or in any way affiliated with Northampton Town FC. All postings on this board become copyright of The Hotel End & may not be reproduced without the permission of the board administrator. By signing up to this message board you agree to this. The Hotel End cannot be held liable for the actions or postings of its members. The Hotel End reserve the right to edit, delete, move or close any thread for any reason. The Hotel End may disclose user information to government authorities at their discretion or when required by law. The Hotel End may also disclose user information when The Hotel End has reason to believe that someone is causing injury to or interference with its rights or property, other The Hotel End users, or anyone else that could be harmed by such activities. By registering for The Hotel End, you agree to indemnify The Hotel End its representatives, and agents, and hold them harmless from any and all claims (including claims for legal fees) which may arise from your participation on the The Hotel End. You also agree that The Hotel End is not responsible for the materials posted by users of The Hotel End. In addition, you grant The Hotel End and its affiliates, worldwide, royalty-free perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display any message or content posted on The Hotel End and/or e-mail sent by you to The Hotel End (in whole or in part). The Hotel End reserves the right to make the rules up as it goes along. Thank you - The Hotel End I love Quidco
Bookmark this site!
Powered by SMF | SMF © 2016, Simple Machines
Privacy Policy