SUFC: The Future The Takeover - Very very close.

[fbm]

I think someone has said that the covenant is now null and void, but there is a planning condition/s106 agreement that stops any redevelopment at Roots Hall until there is another stadium of similar capacity (hence why there was the 10,000 3-sided plan at FF) which has the same effect.

But again, if there is no football team in existence...

 

[Fairport]

I understand that some on here have contacted local councillors to try and find out what the issue is between RM and the Council. Hopefully one or more of the councillors will soon come back with a reply. Surely an elected councillor is entitled to get an answer from a Council department or employee on this issue.

 

[Cricko]

There are at this moment two oustanding charges both facilitated through CBRE

ROOTS HALL LIMITED charges - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

ROOTS HALL LIMITED - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

Looking at those , nothing can be sold re RH until they are settled. Who is going to pay them off?

 

[annie1954]

Absolutely, we are in touch with the council. Will share any updates we get.

That would be good with different parties blaming each other and latest update would be very welcome plus it’s not good on shrimperzone to see supporters having a go with each other we all want only one happy outcome ( ASAP ) for our great football club

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

But again, if there is no football team in existence...

More tricky with a planning condition - they would have to apply to get it removed. Not impossible by any stretch of the imagination but if you’ve upset the Council they could certainly delay and frustrate you through the process.

 

[kentblues]

Looking at those , nothing can be sold re RH until they are settled. Who is going to pay them off?

I would imagine:

1. they can be transferred to another suitable asset with the agreement of the charge holder. Maybe related to enhanced value of FF with extra housing.
2. they can be satisfied (e.g. by the related loan(s) being paid)
3 (Unlikely) The charge holder just releases RHL from the charge

Whichever there will be plans in place for that to happen very quickly and I'm sure all documentation ready to go. My point has been it would not be a shock if Ron needs the support of development partners to make this happen on the assumption he hasn't got a few £million lying around.

In a way this bit has kind of not bothered us, I think. Sale agreed good. Consortium takes over. Who cares about Ron's finances. But actually it does potentially mean its not just Ron & SBC that have to be happy but also someone else/others (which has been my point).

Look all this has been known for many weeks, including the transfer of housing to FF. So it should all be in place. And if it's indeed just to do with the commercial contract re. SBC leasing and ultimately owning residential units (an agreement in principle having been reached previously) then this might be very much a red herring.

 

[alansufc23]

So Ron is being Ron

Or is it Southend Council

Until the day we have been taken over I won't believe a word said.

We keep hearing it's so close

I just hope and prey it goes though this week or next week

Imagine if Ron came out now and said

IM NOT SELLING

I LOVE THE F UCKING CLUB YOU IDIOTS

 

[TrueBlue]

So Ron is being Ron

Or is it Southend Council

Until the day we have been taken over I won't believe a word said.

We keep hearing it's so close

I just hope and prey it goes though this week or next week

Imagine if Ron came out now and said

IM NOT SELLING

I LOVE THE F UCKING CLUB YOU IDIOTS

It’s Ron that’s the problem, I have never seen the council so supportive as they have been cross party so credit to them where it’s due!

 

[alansufc23]

So it is Ron who is holding things up

Who hasn't the protests started again

People outside his house and all

Surely surely he is the one who wants to sell it

I knew he wouldn't go quietly

Just a load of s hit from him as usual

Getting people to pay his bills

He is a 70 year old man ffs

 

[getintoem]

I may have missed something during this whole drawn out saga, so I apologise if my thinking/assumptions are incorrect.

Regarding development at FF, I originally understood the exceptional circumstances that allowed planning permission to be granted on the green belt land was the relocation of the football club, releasing RH for residential development. In respect of planning criteria, I can see an argument for this in that RH is a more favourable location for housing than FF, but with the demand for dwellings in the city additional housing at FF would be permitted as a spin off from the new stadium development. From my years of practice and dealing with planning authorities, I am fairly sure an application for residential alone on green belt land would not have been approved. So, just saying “Thanks for the planning approval but, by the way, we are not going to build a stadium now, just the dwellings” appears to be flying in the face of planning legislation, let alone expecting to be given carte blanche to develop additional housing where the stadium was supposed to be.

My point is, for SUFC to remain at RH, surely the exceptional circumstances allowing development of green belt land have been negated. However, everything so far appears to have been moving forward without any mention of how permission for any development within the green belt can be justified. So, is it possible that this is the assurance the Martins are seeking from SCC? Perhaps other exceptional circumstances were cited that have escaped my attention. Does anybody know?

Without exceptional circumstances, normally the redesignation of green belt land can only be made in the redrafting of the Local Plan which has to be submitted to the Secretary of State who passes it to the Planning Inspectorate for examination before it can be signed off as adopted.

I know we have current or retired planning officers that frequent SZ so I would be interested to hear what, if anything, you make of it all.

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

I read somewhere that the old South Stand had 72 terrace steps. Such a shame that Jobson turned it mostly into flats.

sadly had to be done, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to compete at tier 2, the old 2nd Division having reached it for the first time. I remember a few years later Jobson moaning when Plymouth got up there and didn't have to convert their ground as quickly as the time we were given, to be fair to him.

 

[wiggy]

.....He is a 70 year old man ffs

How old is the hair?

 

[TJC]

From what I can gather from the recent posts, the deal is unlikely to happen imminently as Ron wants some assurances that the hole where the stadium was going to be can be filled with flats.
In addition the council want to ensure their own part of the nest egg is protected and they get their housing that was to be at roots hall too.
Not sure I can see the planning department being bullied into making a rushed decision, nor I expect they can phsically rush it through on such a large development.
The comment Anna made about "how much does he need to make?" make sense too as if the development went ahead with a stadium shaped void, hes going to make more money than a 70 year old could possibly need.
The question is, can we survive much longer in this state of limbo? Will the consortium continue to pay wages and keep HMRC at bay. To both, I think the answer is no.
The only way forward I can see, is the council make some verbal reassurances that it is likely to be ok without making concrete promises, and for Ron to take a small leap of faith.

 

[tommy tucker]

Ron martin being a bender of the truth If he went to a high court I guess him taking the oath His reply would be I will tell the truth the whole truth Or at lesat my truth Which really isnt true but its the best you will get from me Another words it would be a pack of lies .

 

[kentblues]

It’s Ron that’s the problem, I have never seen the council so supportive as they have been cross party so credit to them where it’s due due!

You may be right. It may be all Ron. No-one would be surprised. But we don't actually know. And there are conflicting reports. I am surprised that the Cllrs and AF seem to have suddenly stopped communicating since yesterday? have we really heard nothing? Wonder why? Let's hope its because a positive announcement is imminent..

 

[dusterman]

You may be right. It may be all Ron. No-one would be surprised. But we don't actually know. And there are conflicting reports. I am surprised that the Cllrs and AF seem to have suddenly stopped communicating since yesterday? have we really heard nothing? Wonder why? Let's hope its because a positive announcement is imminent..

Now that would be nice

 

[Holy Joe]

You may be right. It may be all Ron. No-one would be surprised. But we don't actually know. And there are conflicting reports. I am surprised that the Cllrs and AF seem to have suddenly stopped communicating since yesterday? have we really heard nothing? Wonder why? Let's hope its because a positive announcement is imminent..

They may be struggling to get answers from council officers - there will be many on annual leave this week ! (and next)

 

[Cricko]

It’s Ron that’s the problem, I have never seen the council so supportive as they have been cross party so credit to them where it’s due due!

Being as you are in the field. I cannot see the council bending to his ridiculous requests.

 

[kentblues]

Heard something that majority of council break up for Christmas wednesday

Well they best get on with it then. I think losing two weeks at this point because they were all off, job not done, trotters up wouldn't go down particularly well...

 

[kentblues]

Being as you are in the field. I cannot see the council bending to his ridiculous requests.

Is this fact or in fact just more speculation? What are his ridiculous quests? God I will be pleased when this is over. I was sat in my seat Sat on the verge of exploding more than once on Sat. I feel so sorry for Kev and the players at this point. Seems they are the only ones we can rely on to do their job..