ACV application for St James Park Withdrawn

[Hants_red]

Reasoning explained in the article

St James Park – An Asset of Community Value

I reported at the Trust AGM that we had applied to secure an Asset of Community Value (ACV) status against St James Park (SJP). A little later, we reported that we had withdrawn this application. I know that some members would like to understand more around this and so I’ve detailed the...

www.weownexetercityfc.co.uk

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

A bit long winded,but I think I get the gist of it

 

[Exehausted]

It sounds to me like you gain very little but you might irritate the Council, because it's almost as if you don't trust them. I would have hoped for at least a fifty year lease but 25 years means we are pretty secure. Perhaps it had been brought up at a time when there was a bit of tension between the two parties and it was seen as a back up, just in case negotiations stalled.

 

[i8cornwall]

I said this at the time and was told by people far more knowledgeable about these things then myself that 25 years is the standard term for these sort of leases or somthing to that effect.

If the ACV only gave us a 6 year time frame then it's not even worth doing so happy to see the trust and club using there precious time on other things.

 

[dontpassback]

looks like a common sense decision,we seem to have a good link with ECC. And long may it continue

 

[Avening Posse]

Without wishing to sound like a broken record, the Trust making a big effort to secure the freehold is the only outcome I would be completely happy with. Having a lease is all very well, but the Council at any point within the lease term can sell the Freehold to another party who would only have to honour the lease for the term. 25 years may seem like a long time, but a lot of things can change in that timescale, and the Council will have other bods in charge in the future, so it's still not completely in our hands. I guess the Council are not keen (or maybe the Trust are not) so I guess this is the best we can get ?

 

[SaintJames]

Without wishing to sound like a broken record, the Trust making a big effort to secure the freehold is the only outcome I would be completely happy with. Having a lease is all very well, but the Council at any point within the lease term can sell the Freehold to another party who would only have to honour the lease for the term. 25 years may seem like a long time, but a lot of things can change in that timescale, and the Council will have other bods in charge in the future, so it's still not completely in our hands. I guess the Council are not keen (or maybe the Trust are not) so I guess this is the best we can get ?

AP, yes securing the lease would be the ultimate way us as fans through our Trust can show our long term support in securing our ground for future generations. As you say the future is unknown and the future intentions of politicians cannot be wholly relied upon. The Trust has/had the thick end of £800k in its pocket Im sure that could have gone some way toward at least a negotiation?

 

[rightwing]

Without wishing to sound like a broken record, the Trust making a big effort to secure the freehold is the only outcome I would be completely happy with. Having a lease is all very well, but the Council at any point within the lease term can sell the Freehold to another party who would only have to honour the lease for the term. 25 years may seem like a long time, but a lot of things can change in that timescale, and the Council will have other bods in charge in the future, so it's still not completely in our hands. I guess the Council are not keen (or maybe the Trust are not) so I guess this is the best we can get ?

AP, whilst I’m in total agreement with your sentiments about securing the freehold, there is one protection against selling the freehold to another party. If the Council did that with the likely intention of forcing us to leave SJP they would then have to provide another facility for us within ECC boundaries. When I last checked ECC’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment there were no sites remaining suitable for a stadium development so that in itself prevents the Council selling SJP to another party.

Over the years the Council has stated that it is not keen to sell the freehold to the Club. This, in my opinion is very short sighted for the following reasons:-

• In recent years the Government has encouraged councils to sell assets that they do not need or cannot directly have an alternative use for (as in the case of SJP). Funds derived would provide much needed revenue for councils in a climate where central grant funding has reached an all time low.
• If the Club secured the freehold and then moved to a new stadium outside ECC boundaries (the Club’s only option) then this would free up much needed additional housing land within ECC boundaries. ECC would then make substantial gains from additional Council Tax revenue and from government grants for adding additional housing stock.

 

[i8cornwall]

Redwing is there a way that ECC could use land in another councils area such as east Devon?

Is there a way that a deal could be done for all parties involved?

I'm not suggesting that's what should happen im just wondering that's all.

 

[SaintJames]

Redwing is there a way that ECC could use land in another councils area such as east Devon?

Is there a way that a deal could be done for all parties involved?

I'm not suggesting that's what should happen im just wondering that's all.

In case Rightwing doesn't respond i8 the answer to q1 is not without the agreement of either Teignbridge (if any land were available toward Exminster) or East Devon. I cant see any benefit to either council in doing so frankly even if they were mildly amenable to it happening. I also cant see our fans being complicit in allowing our city centre location and history to be sold down the river for a few sheckles