BBC Article - takeover completion still seems 2 months away

[Holy Joe]

Excellent, well found!

I posted along these lines a couple of months ago, and @cockles43 has been banging the drum for ages too, but I've never found the time to go digging for the document again.

I've had a look at the summary of the original planning decision in 2021 - and I can see where the confusion comes from - some of the site is green belt, some isn't.



Source: https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=13000

The site plan is too big to upload but is here.....

https://democracy.southend.gov.uk/documents/s46907/Appendix%207%20-%20Fossetts%20Farm%20-%201230-1%20R009%20Masterplan%20with%20Green%20Belt.pdf

 

[Holy Joe]

I haven't heard that, but have no reason to doubt you. I had hoped I'd missed something so you seem to have put me right, so thank you.

Here's the trust view



Source https://www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/latest-news/sufc-council-frequently-asked-questions/

 

[Holy Joe]

The due diligence clock is ticking - 6 to 8 weeks, late March, early April we were told.

I've just checked the council meeting planner - as this needs to go to full cabinet for decision. The only cabinet meeting planned in April, is this Thursday - the agenda - refuse.
There appears to be no scheduled meeting to discuss RH/FF in April. One of course hopes meetings can be scheduled at relatively short notice - but imho early April appears out of the window.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

The due diligence clock is ticking - 6 to 8 weeks, late March, early April we were told.

I've just checked the council meeting planner - as this needs to go to full cabinet for decision. The only cabinet meeting planned in April, is this Thursday - the agenda - refuse.
There appears to be no scheduled meeting to discuss RH/FF in April. One of course hopes meetings can be scheduled at relatively short notice - but imho early April appears out of the window.

Presumably we’re in the purdah period now for the May local elections

 

[Holy Joe]

Presumably we’re in the purdah period now for the May local elections

Not sure if that would stop this - normal council business is allowed to continue and the restrictions seems to be around publicity or campaigning rather than stopping decision making.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

You are right, this is a bit confusing. However, I am now certain you were correct in stating it is no longer green belt.

I found online an informal development brief, produced by Southend Council, relating to the site immediately to the east of the FF site we have all been interested in. The development brief is undated but I think it was produced in 2016. In the Planning Policy Context section of the document it shows an extract of the 1994 Local Development Plan map, including Martin's land and it is all indicated as green belt. Then, in March 1999, a 'Second Alteration Plan' was adopted which removed the land from green belt but designated it as 'Safeguarded Land' subject to a new planning policy G1a. Although it was removed from green belt, the intention was to not allow any development on it until after 2001. The planning inspector appointed to oversee the Second Alteration recommended that the whole FF site could be suitable for a number of possible future uses but that no development should be permitted that would prejudice or limit options for comprehensive redevelopment. Accordingly, policy G1a was couched in those terms.

The Core Strategy was adopted in December 2007 and in a diagram that shows key growth and regeneration areas, FF was indicated as an Industrial/Employment area. Policy KP1 of the Core Strategy designated FF as a Priority Urban Area and expressed support for the relocation of Southend United to the area. The brief document then shows an extract of the adopted version of the policies map dated June 2015 and as far as I can tell, the land still has its 'Safeguarded' status and it clearly states that policy G1a remained in place at that time pending the Local Plan review.

The latest Local Plan map I have found shows no specific designation for FF, so I guess providing any revised proposal that excludes the football stadium shows a comprehensive development and meets other planning criteria it will be met with a favourable response from the Council. If you wish to view the document referred to above just put Fossetts Farm Development Brief into Google and it should link you to it.

easy for you to say

 

[Mr Browns Ghost]

If you thought today was bad brace yourselves for more take over bad news

 

[shrimperjon]

If you thought today was bad brace yourselves for more take over bad news

I did hear today that Ron and the council are still yet to agree what should be built at FF. Ron wants more flats, council want housing. If so this could rumble on for some time still. Not sure how accurate that is though

 

[Holy Joe]

If you thought today was bad brace yourselves for more take over bad news

You can't leave it at that !!!!!

What's happened?

 

[OldBlueLady]

Not sure if that would stop this - normal council business is allowed to continue and the restrictions seems to be around publicity or campaigning rather than stopping decision making.

Plus it has cross party support.

 

[in the know]

I did hear today that Ron and the council are still yet to agree what should be built at FF. Ron wants more flats, council want housing. If so this could rumble on for some time still. Not sure how accurate that is though

Isnt it also the lease lengths that's being altered by ron. Thought I'd heard that once he'd got the informal nod on verbally agreed changes to the no stadium prospective plans, he'd decided to push his luck and see what lucrative other changes he could get included.
It's all typically Ron and i d bet the council are well p'd off with how he goes about stuff.
I suspect the council can't give any kind of permissions to enable completion until flats or houses\terms of lease are in writing and properly presented.

 

[Ricey]

Get outside the ****s house again!

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

The due diligence clock is ticking - 6 to 8 weeks, late March, early April we were told.

I've just checked the council meeting planner - as this needs to go to full cabinet for decision. The only cabinet meeting planned in April, is this Thursday - the agenda - refuse.
There appears to be no scheduled meeting to discuss RH/FF in April. One of course hopes meetings can be scheduled at relatively short notice - but imho early April appears out of the window.

I presume you mean refuse as in garbage collection rather than having the application refused?

I think it might be time to restart protests, just a reminder that we haven’t gone away.

 

[Holy Joe]

I presume you mean refuse as in garbage collection rather than having the application refused?

I think it might be time to restart protests, just a reminder that we haven’t gone away.

Ah yes, refuse as in rubbish - apologies for not being clear

 

[Whispering Bob]

Maybe the Rat has added high-rises to the mix ?

 

[rigsby]

Maybe the Rat has added high-rises to the mix ?

The rumour is along those lines.

With so many relying on this decision its no surprise Ron&sons are trying to hold the council to ransom. They should set a firm number of units at FF and get the deal done. If Ron wants to up the numbers or other disputes over access etc that could all be debated once SUFC are sorted and clear of the deal. If not this could drag on forever.

 

[kentblues]

The rumour is along those lines.

With so many relying on this decision its no surprise Ron&sons are trying to hold the council to ransom. They should set a firm number of units at FF and get the deal done. If Ron wants to up the numbers or other disputes over access etc that could all be debated once SUFC are sorted and clear of the deal. If not this could drag on forever.

We know the nature of the beast would be to try and leverage something as the deadline approaches. In a way it’s good business regrettably- at the same time they won’t want to jeopardise the deal. And my belief too was that heads of terms were already agreed and it was now DD by the council being completed on the contracts. Those heads of terms surely will have covered fundamentals such as number and description of the additional units, financials including lease terms (including length) etc.

As has been pointed out all parties (politically) want this done. The council will award themselves planning permission (so that’s when not if) and the new government is even less likely than the current to call it in let alone prevent it. The politics tends to trump everything else (wrongly you might suggest but it is nonetheless so).

 

[rigsby]

We know the nature of the beast would be to try and leverage something as the deadline approaches. In a way it’s good business regrettably- at the same time they won’t want to jeopardise the deal. And my belief too was that heads of terms were already agreed and it was now DD by the council being completed on the contracts. Those heads of terms surely will have covered fundamentals such as number and description of the additional units, financials including lease terms (including length) etc.

As has been pointed out all parties (politically) want this done. The council will award themselves planning permission (so that’s when not if) and the new government is even less likely than the current to call it in let alone prevent it. The politics tends to trump everything else (wrongly you might suggest but it is nonetheless so).

The simple solution would be if 470 (don't know the exact figure) were agreed at RH then you get 470 units at FF.....Now sign here and release RH to Justin&co.

If Ron wants to argue for 600 thats at his expense and the councils time. The rest of us can get on with all things SUFC whilst they have a 5 year squabble.

If I was on the council I would insist on a caveat that unless the £20m is paid in stages as each housing phase is sold....Then no completion certificate.

Is it too late for me to stand?

 

[Shrimper]

The simple solution would be if 470 (don't know the exact figure) were agreed at RH then you get 470 units at FF.....Now sign here and release RH to Justin&co.

If Ron wants to argue for 600 thats at his expense and the councils time. The rest of us can get on with all things SUFC whilst they have a 5 year squabble.

If I was on the council I would insist on a caveat that unless the £20m is paid in stages as each housing phase is sold....Then no completion certificate.

Is it too late for me to stand?

THis is exactly what the council should be demanding. 470 now with more potentially later, or nothing

 

[bazzashrimper]

From where it is now, and many of the debts paid I wonder if the consortium would carry on buying the club even without fossetts money?