Stadium Update

[Margate Football Club]

Gary Lever, acting for London and Margate Development Ltd, our joint venture partners and Margate Football Club Ltd, today reached an, in principle, agreement to reinstate Hartsdown Park to a standard required by the Football Conference for Conference South status in time for our Football Club to kick off the 2005/6 Season back home at Hartsdown Park.

 

The agreement and course of action solves Margate Football Clubs immediate need to return to Hartsdown Park and gives all parties time to resolve the in depth matters that have been raised by the Councils appointed Solicitors and Surveyors, to formulate the agreement required to allow Hartsdown Park to be developed out to a full Conference standard stadium.

 

The Club is extremely happy that a solution has at last been found and Thanet District Council have been informed today of this agreement.

 

It is hoped that Thanet District Council will join us in making a joint press statement shortly but the Directors wanted to bring the good news to the Clubs supporters immediately.

[Cookie]

"FANTASTIC". All credit to Mr. Lever. Now all we want is for work to begin. Great great News!!!

[hartgeman]

Thanks for the update and all your have done for the club im sure i am speaking like many of the supporters in saying im am very happy.

[Guest]

Does this mean that TDC have accepted the business plan?

[Guest]

No, but it does mean that...

 

We're going home, we're going home,

Margate's going home!

[Guest]

I'm not sure what the club statement means. It doesn't say who they've reached an aggrement with - I presume it's with the Conference, but it's unclear.

 

As I understand it, the continuing operations of the club are dependent upon the decisions of Thanet District Council. What is the basis for concluding that this agreement will have nay bearing on the decisions of TDC?

 

Is it that this aggrement gives us a stay of execution for a season (or less)?

[Guest]

I am struggling with this, what exactly does it change?

[P.W.]

[color:"blue"] SHOUTING: YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS !!! FANTASTIC NEWS

 

unsubtle plug: NOW WE'LL ALL BE ABLE TO ENJOY 'THE VIEW FROM THE COFFINEND!!!!'

 

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/icon_band222.gif" alt="" /> "GOING HOME, GOING HOME, GOING HOME" <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/icon_band222.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

As I see it, it is quite simple. The club have agreed with the developers to reinstate Hartsdown to a level that we won't lose our league status.

Of course it does not mean the council will approve the plans on Thursday, but what matters is that we will be back in Margate for next season, able to play in Conf South (unless we are relegated!)

[Guest]

But hang on, to be back at Hartsdown next season, don't we need agreement from TDC?

 

We still need planning permission to do the building work, right?

[Guest]

Oh I follow. So for the time being we will do an Ikea flat pack stadium that does the bare minimum etc for next season. Well that is good news in isolation but surely if the Council refuse our plans then they wouldn't let us do this?

[Guest]

There has never been a problem with the football side of the development. We have detailed consent for that side of things. What we have been after is detailed consent for all the commercial stuff.

[blueblood]

YES,YES,YES,YES.YES,YES,YES,YES,YES,YES,YES,YES. WERE COMING HOME> IT ONWARDS AND UPWARDS FOM HERE. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bow.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /><img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bow.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /><img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bow.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /><img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bow.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /><img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bow.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /><img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bow.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />.

[Ian D]

Great news that Gary Lever and his Company are to finance the re-building of HDP. It also gives them more time to argue about the commercial side of things while the real business of football continues. Lets hope that the council now don't pull the rug from under Mr Levers feet. They are desperate to see the site at least returned to a state of acceptability, as it stands now as an eyesore to the local residents, who also must be keen for something to happen.

 

The only note of caution is the two words "IN PRINCIPLE" in the clubs statement. What does this mean? Does it mean that L & M Dev Co will only reinstate the ground IF the council approve the commercial aspect?

 

Good news and coupled with a 2-0 win tonight (weather permitting).

 

Up the Blues

[Cookie]

Planning permission as I remember has always been there for a stadium no matter what shape or size so the council shouldn't really be able to intervene though thats a possibility even for them as we well know. But if they keep to their word and Mr. Lever keeps to his then there should be a return to Hartsdown park. Would have been better with the councils approval to everything but this is a "positive" no matter how its interpretated. Mr. Lever,the man putting up the money can see the viabilty so the council really should be understanding of this and HELP promote the additional commercial side of things.

If the council really really do want us back as they say then this news should be good news to them as much as it should be and is to us.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

Congratulations Margate.........Onwards and Upwards!<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/excited.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/excited.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/excited.gif" alt="" />

[Cookie]

Agree Ian that the words of "in principle" seem to be the ONLY words to be wary of.

Am still however hoping that the council come on board. Would make things so much easier.

[Guest]

Ian, if the council give the go-ahead for the full scheme on Thursday there, obviously, will be no need to do up the ground to Conf South standard as we will be building something to a higher standard than that.

The in principle bit, I guess, would mean the work would have to be formally OK'd with the board of the development company and TDC. But I don't see a problem with that.

[MargateFan]

This looks, on reading it many times, an interim solution that has not evolved from the ongoing discussions with TDC, as it says in the second paragraph that it gives both parties time to resolve, etc. etc.

That having been said, it can only be brilliant news for our great team, and I am feeling happier than I have done for ages.

[Cookie]

Yes Margatefan. Quite agree. Wouldn't it be so much better, (as if this news wasn't good news anyway), if we had the council firmly on our side with everthing including the commercial.