Redevelopment of SJP - a contrast with Northampton

[LOG]

Meanwhile, over in Portsmouth; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-23185247

 

[Grecian2K]

To hell with actual cash in hand when in recent years our own local authorities have gifted us the likes of Frowd and Chorlton.

Riches beyond the dreams of avarice, surely?!

 

[iscalad]

Meanwhile, over in Portsmouth; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-23185247

How much do you think Tesco will pay for a shed in Red Square?

 

[citydrinker]

Keith,

In fact the Northampton redevelopment scheme is not too dissimilar to ours.

Sorry for the serious edit Adrian.

I take on board your points & thank you for your considered points.

I hope you can push on and be listened to. Sadly I think that unlikely.

Whatever else happens, the ground of NTFC is not hemmed in, like SJP is.

 

[rightwing]

Sorry for the serious edit Adrian.

I take on board your points & thank you for your considered points.

I hope you can push on and be listened to. Sadly I think that unlikely.

Whatever else happens, the ground of NTFC is not hemmed in, like SJP is.

Keith,

I fully appreciate the difference in the surrounding topography – I only wish that we had the same amount of space available! The point I was making in saying that the Northampton scheme is not too dissimilar to ours is that both rely on enabling development.

No new stadium is constructed these days without help from the local council. This can manifest itself in many ways, from directly funding the project, to making a capital contribution towards the project, to so called ‘soft funding’ i.e. granting a long term lease or selling the freehold at reasonable cost, or to giving planning permission for associated enabling works.

The Northampton project appears to be backed by a housing enabled development on land which the council has granted them a 150 year lease. That is not a million miles away from what I am currently proposing for St. James’ Park. The one salient difference that I am insisting upon is that the Trust buys back the freehold of St. James’ Park. This will then give a far greater degree of credibility to the project and a far greater feeling of security to any contractor which, in turn, would result in a better enabling deal.

The City Council is apparently softening its previous hard line attitude towards us and could be amenable to selling the freehold back to us at a far lesser price than has previously been quoted (although I will not yet go into the detail as to how this can be achieved). This purchase however could be funded in a number of ways, although I have principally identified two for this purpose. The first is though a Community Share Issue, although personally I am not totally convinced that, because of ‘donor’ fatigue, this is the best way forward (yes I do appreciate that the monies are eventually returned!). Secondly I have identified another method which is a no cost option to the Club and which also has further major positive ramifications such as reducing our off field cost base (although again I will not go into detail at this stage).

I would hope that the freehold of St. James’ Park would be held by the Trust before Christmas.

 

[ralph]

"The City Council is apparently softening its previous hard line attitude towards us and could be amenable to selling the freehold back to us at a far lesser price than has previously been quoted (although I will not yet go into the detail as to how this can be achieved).... "

This seems to be a new development, and if so a very encouraging one.

"The first is though a Community Share Issue, although personally I am not totally convinced that, because of ‘donor’ fatigue, this is the best way forward (yes I do appreciate that the monies are eventually returned!)."

I, for one, would favour this, to the extent of participating, although this would depend on price and conditions.

"I would hope that the freehold of St. James’ Park would be held by the Trust before Christmas."

Can we read something between the lines here? Perhaps the powers-that-be at the club haven't been as idle as some on here have been suggesting.

 

[citydrinker]

Fingers firmly crossed for you Adrian. Good luck.

 

[rightwing]

Can we read something between the lines here? Perhaps the powers-that-be at the club haven't been as idle as some on here have been suggesting.

Ralph, this refers to what my group is trying to do.

 

[ralph]

It was the "before Christmas" that attracted my attention and should have highlighted. Although I noted the "I would hope" part.

 

[rightwing]

It was the "before Christmas" that attracted my attention and should have highlighted. Although I noted the "I would hope" part.

The difference between me and the current redevelopment group is that I get on with things whilst they have done sweet FA for the last six years.