The football club’s plan for blanket warehousing on land behind Sixfields, with the largest warehouse set to be built up to the perimeter fence separating the parking area now dedicated to the completed East Stand, has not yet been listed for hearing by West Northamptonshire Council’s Strategic Planning committee.
The club has also not responded to the Supporters Trust’s questions about the planning application, in particular the future car parking arrangements for supporters on match days in future seasons should the application be approved.
It is our realistic assumption that the planning application will succeed once concerns around parking and other matters are resolved.
But it has yet to be established how the Edgar Mobbs Way car parks will operate should the Cobblers and Saints both be at home on the same day.
And whether or not matchday parking at Duston Mill and on the new warehouse sites will be permissible.
When planning permission has been granted, we believe - as matters stand - that the most likely outcome is that the development land will be sold by the football club and/or its subsidiary, County Developments Northampton Ltd (CDNL), to one or more industrial development specialists.
The proceeds of the sale will then be used to satisfy, in full or in part, the football club’s debt to its owners – presently thought to be in the region of £16 million.
It is considered likely that the majority shareholder, David Bower, will then sell on his controlling interest in Northampton Town Ventures Ltd (NTVL), the football club’s holding company, and so his controlling interest in the football club.
Jersey-based financier Nigel Le Quesne, who has a 25 per cent interest in Ventures, may then have the option to purchase a controlling interest in Ventures and NTFC.
