New Ground Feasibility Study

[DB9]

The Club and Trust to undertake a study in to moving

📝 Club and Trust boards agree to stadium feasibility study

The Club and Trust boards of Exeter City Football Club have agreed to a feasibility study which will examine the benefits and disadvantages of moving to a different ground.

www.exetercityfc.co.uk

After reading the article it does seem quite sensible to look long term, Nothing might even come of it but would be wrong not to explore it. I do hope it doesn't cost the amount that was talked of last time some so of report/study was done.

 

[iscalad]

But won’t we have more pressing things to worry about for the next year or so with the side effects of C19? It’s good to have ambitions , but just surviving now should be our main priority.

The plan is about the next 20-30 years and is for all of Exeter. Sensible for us to be involved from the beginning. I still expect us to be at SJP in 30 years though.

 

[iscalad]

After reading the article it does seem quite sensible to look long term, Nothing might even come of it but would be wrong not to explore it. I do hope it doesn't cost the amount that was talked of last time some so of report/study was done.

We aren't paying for it. The put upon taxpayers of Exeter are.

 

[i8cornwall]

Better to be involved with the discussions then be on the end of some bad news in the distant future.

probably shows how highly thought of the trust and club is by the powers that be in Exeter to even be asked to be involved.

be gutted to see us leave SJP but sadly that day will come one day in the distant future.

 

[Alistair20000]

The decision was taken to proceed with this before Covid-19 struck.

It's a long term strategic thing linked to the council's planning strategy. It is a consultation only and both club and trust considered it better to be involved in the process than to be on the outside, looking in, with no say whatsoever.

No decisions have been made, nor will be, in the foreseeable future and, in any event, with the Trust being the club's majority shareholder, no decision on the future of the ground can be taken without the approval of the membership.

This seems to me to be an eminently sensible way for the Trust and Club to deal with this matter.

 

[Pete Martin (CTID)]

Again? Was the new lease we've just been given agreed with the caveat that we'd bugger off at some point.

No.

 

[Grecian Max]

That new stand can be dismantled and moved, fits perfectly behind a goal.

Obvious we're gonna need to look elsewhere, if anything Covid has shown up our lack of other money making options with limited corporate facilities etc.

 

[Boyo]

Understanding the possibilities and any options is always a good place to be.

Personally, I love SJP. I've been going there regularly for 35 years. It's my church and in my heart. However, my head says that a purpose built stadium that generates significant non-match day income is necessary, if we want to establish ourselves in a higher league. A feasibility study is a rational and logical move.

 

[Rosencrantz]

I see also within the article that we have applied to make SJP an asset of community value. I might have missed it if it's been announced before.

As others have said, it seems entirely sensible to go ahead with a feasibility study in conjunction with the new City Plan.

 

[rightwing]

This is a City Council initiative and I question the motive behind it. When I last looked at Exeter City’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment several years ago it was apparent to me that there are now no sites remaining within the City Council boundaries that could be large enough or suitable enough to enable a new stadium to be built. Similarly (as per the main purpose of SHLAA) there is a great shortage of land for future housing projects. Could it be that the Council have now recognised this shortage and would now be willing to buy us out of St. James’ Park in order to provide for future housing capacity? When I was a Steering Group member of the Drivers Jonas Report back in 2007, the City Council would give us no assurance that the potential sale proceeds of SJP would be passed over to the Club to effect a new stadium build or a buy into the Rugby Club. Are they now having a change of heart?
The granting of a new 25 year lease is a major asset for the Club (it would have been a bigger asset if the Trust had acquired the freehold!!). However the lease is still a major asset which is saleable back to the Council within that 25 year period. The proceeds of the sale of the land to a developer for housing use could ensure that the Council would give us a fair price towards a new stadium build. The Council itself would gain from grants given for new housing build, so I would expect the full proceeds of a sale to be passed over to us.
It is imperative that the Trust/Club acquires the freehold of the St. James’ Centre so that the whole package of the land from the Fountains Centre car park (which the Club effectively owns) is available to sell to a developer at the same time that the Council sells the rest of SJP.
I have always maintained that it would be cost effective for a new stadium to be built opposite the training ground. With the shortage of land within the City Council boundaries, could a Boundary Extension be feasible in the near future? It would certainly be helpful if said extension extended as far as the training ground!