Latest News

Trust confirms £3 million bid for land at Sixfields

5th Oct 2022

We are now in a position to confirm that the Supporters Trust has submitted an offer to West Northamptonshire Council to buy the development land available for sale at Sixfields for £3 million.

The bid was submitted on 2 September but we have not been able to say anything publicly until a legal framework was in place for the bid. This is now the case.

The bid is in line with our long-stated commitment to protect the land behind the stadium's East Stand - a club and community asset - which has been the subject of an Asset of Community Value (ACV) registered by the Trust since 2019.

And it has been made as a result of no binding written guarantee to date, from either the football club's owners or the council, that the agreed enabling land deal being sought by County Developments Northampton Ltd (CDNL), owned by David Bower and Kelvin Thomas, will actually see the East Stand completed by CDNL.

At an open forum on 22 September, Kelvin Thomas told supporters that the football club (NTFC) would complete the stand as part of the deal.

But the proposed deal with the council is with CDNL. NTFC and CDNL are not one and the same. There is nothing to prevent the owners selling CDNL, settling the internal debt of the club and claiming that this is all in the best interests of the club. But where does that leave the club in terms of investment benefit going forward?

The stand should be completed by CDNL, as it is they who are seeking the deal with the council.

An assurance that the stand will be completed by NTFC within the next five years - likely heaping debt on the club once more - is unacceptable.

A successful bid would protect the asset and bring forward a plan for development which would generate revenue for an infrastructure fund looking at improving the stadium and club facilities.

We will be able to release further information in the event of the council accepting the Trust's offer.

Trust logo30.jpg

Share on Social Media

Next Post >