Gym and training pitches for sale

[John L]

http://www.eckersleyproperty.co.uk/properties/globe-arena-westgate-morecambe/

I wonder if the club are looking to buy them back... certainly hope so!

[marky No.1]

Here we go again

[sandgrown]

who stole Christie's legacy to the town ?

[mrpotatohead]

The receivers were waiting for new owners before putting them up for sale as they are no use to anyone else, so we can expect posturing from both parties and agreement reached in time for pre season training.

[bill ding]

Posturing ......that's a good word

[Bare Grills]

The receivers were waiting for new owners before putting them up for sale as they are no use to anyone else, so we can expect posturing from both parties and agreement reached in time for pre season training.

Why are they no use to anyone else? Not covered by the deeds of the trust so there for anyone to develop. Wonder how much they'd ask for a house with free match-day viewing?

[KenH]

The receivers were waiting for new owners before putting them up for sale as they are no use to anyone else, so we can expect posturing from both parties and agreement reached in time for pre season training.

Why are they no use to anyone else? Not covered by the deeds of the trust so there for anyone to develop. Wonder how much they'd ask for a house with free match-day viewing?

I think the point is that there is no legal right of access across MFC/Christie Trust property to the gym/pitches - it's basically "land locked" - so the club would be able to prevent access to the site if they were so minded. That makes the site worthless unless a potential buyer can negotiate with the club to "buy" a legal right of access.

[Bare Grills]

Good job we have a club that aren't desperate for money.

[marky No.1]

The receivers were waiting for new owners before putting them up for sale as they are no use to anyone else, so we can expect posturing from both parties and agreement reached in time for pre season training.

Why are they no use to anyone else? Not covered by the deeds of the trust so there for anyone to develop. Wonder how much they'd ask for a house with free match-day viewing?

I think the point is that there is no legal right of access across MFC/Christie Trust property to the gym/pitches - it's basically "land locked" - so the club would be able to prevent access to the site if they were so minded. That makes the site worthless unless a potential buyer can negotiate with the club to "buy" a legal right of access.

..and if 'the Club' so wished they could buy it and provide access to the land. We have owners that specialise in land development

[Bare Grills]

Wow, what a coincidence.

[mrpotatohead]

Given that we never benefited from the site in the past , it doesn't really matter what happens to it , it never belonged to the club anyway, did it???

[marky No.1]

Yes, never benefited from it before, so all the more reason to make the most of it now , shirley

[outsider]

The best idea I've seen and thought myself for a while. If the club/New Owners do buy it. RIP up one of th 3Gs and lay grass pitch. Then have an on site training area.

[redrobo]

The best idea I've seen and thought myself for a while. If the club/New Owners do buy it. RIP up one of th 3Gs and lay grass pitch. Then have an on site training area.

I'd even go further. Rip up the entire area that is marked out as a football pitch, leaving the 3G pitch to the left and replace the ripped up area with a mixture of grass and fibre so that is would become more resistant to the weather and use Turners Field when the weather allows as the main training area due to its size. The club then has 2 options on which to train. I think Shrewsbury have a similar arrangement with their on site training area plus the use of the local college as and when a larger area is required.

Would be excellent if the Trust with financial backing of local businesses could agree a sale and then rent it back to the club for a peppercorn rent.

[nobbyshrimp]

Shrewsbury moved to a new training facility at the start of last season

[Ntini]

Is this just the long-term plans of the new owners starting to materialise and become clearer?

A company detailed as land developers buy the means to grant the only viable access point to a plot of land which, on its own, has a drastically diminished value in terms of property development opportunities.

I hate to be sceptical, but what's to stop an owner of Morecambe FC transferring the deeds of the Trust to another piece of grass elsewhere in the town, demolishing the current ground, and then developing the land for new residential properties? What can the planners say? It's already been moved once from a football ground to a piece of barren land, so why couldn't you do it again? The planners wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

The professional background of the new owners and this piece of information worries me greatly.

[Bare Grills]

The best idea I've seen and thought myself for a while. If the club/New Owners do buy it. RIP up one of th 3Gs and lay grass pitch. Then have an on site training area.

I'd even go further. Rip up the entire area that is marked out as a football pitch, leaving the 3G pitch to the left and replace the ripped up area with a mixture of grass and fibre so that is would become more resistant to the weather and use Turners Field when the weather allows as the main training area due to its size. The club then has 2 options on which to train. I think Shrewsbury have a similar arrangement with their on site training area plus the use of the local college as and when a larger area is required.

Would be excellent if the Trust with financial backing of local businesses could agree a sale and then rent it back to the club for a peppercorn rent.

Better still, the Trust find a backer to buy it and run it themselves. The club pay the going rate to use the training pitches, alongside the academy, and they could have their own function room overlooking the pitch. Being separate from the club, you'd be able to drink & watch the match.

[bigreddog]

Is this just the long-term plans of the new owners starting to materialise and become clearer?

A company detailed as land developers buy the means to grant the only viable access point to a plot of land which, on its own, has a drastically diminished value in terms of property development opportunities.

I hate to be sceptical, but what's to stop an owner of Morecambe FC transferring the deeds of the Trust to another piece of grass elsewhere in the town, demolishing the current ground, and then developing the land for new residential properties? What can the planners say? It's already been moved once from a football ground to a piece of barren land, so why couldn't you do it again? The planners wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

The professional background of the new owners and this piece of information worries me greatly.

A decent lawyer could attempt to have the covenant transferred to another plot of land, but I suspect that there would be a more vigorous challenge through the courts than last time. In so far as the second phase, any new owner of land would have to seek to change the land allocation in the local plan or challenge it through the secretary of state. The land is designated for leisure use and will remain so. Any attempt to change that and try and build housing would be blocked both politically and operationally at the council.

[mrpotatohead]

Has it actually dawned on anyone that the new owners might have bought the club as a struggling concern at a bargain price with the intention of developing it, and when it becomes a successful and profitable club selling it, leaving the town team actually in far better position than they found it?

If that is their intention, and they make a good profit, we would still be indebted to them for saving the club, because make no bones about it, thatsxwhat they have done !!

[Phil Anderer]

Has it actually dawned on anyone that the new owners might have bought the club as a struggling concern at a bargain price with the intention of developing it, and when it becomes a successful and profitable club selling it, leaving the town team actually in far better position than they found it?

If that is their intention, and they make a good profit, we would still be indebted to them for saving the club, because make no bones about it, thatsxwhat they have done !!

Bladdy hell Mr P, that's not like you to be so positive. Can I have some of what you're on? (And by the way, what I've been on for the last 3 hours hasn't been bad.)

[bill ding]

Has it actually dawned on anyone that the new owners might have bought the club as a struggling concern at a bargain price with the intention of developing it, and when it becomes a successful and profitable club selling it, leaving the town team actually in far better position than they found it?

If that is their intention, and they make a good profit, we would still be indebted to them for saving the club, because make no bones about it, thatsxwhat they have done !!

Bladdy hell Mr P, that's not like you to be so positive. Can I have some of what you're on? (And by the way, what I've been on for the last 3 hours hasn't been bad.)

A Reformed character , Look out for him in his steampunk gear this weekend

[Phil Anderer]

Has it actually dawned on anyone that the new owners might have bought the club as a struggling concern at a bargain price with the intention of developing it, and when it becomes a successful and profitable club selling it, leaving the town team actually in far better position than they found it?

If that is their intention, and they make a good profit, we would still be indebted to them for saving the club, because make no bones about it, thatsxwhat they have done !!

Bladdy hell Mr P, that's not like you to be so positive. Can I have some of what you're on? (And by the way, what I've been on for the last 3 hours hasn't been bad.)

A Reformed character , Look out for him in his steampunk gear this weekend

Trains permitting we'll be there tomorrow. Stove pipe hat on a King Edward though?

[al1]

I think that the family of J B Christie would have to agree to any changes or am I wrong?

[jbc.shrimp]

Do we know if there are any members of his family left alive ?

[Posh]

The JB Christie Trust has individual trustees who are nothing to do with his family, they just simply uphold the aims of the Trust.

As for the 3G pitches, they were actually heavily used by the academy, hundreds of soccer schools and also local junior teams. They have a Section 106 on them, which states the pitches must be available for use for free by junior (disadvantaged?) children on a certain number of days. Consequently, it will be difficult for anyone to get a change of use without providing the same facilities elsewhere in the district.