Broadway stand

HOUSING plan . . . the Boundary Park site (seen here before the demolition of the New Start Mortgages Stand) could be replaced by housing

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Latics desperate to depart Boundary Park as Failsworth move goes before planning chiefs

OLDHAM Athletic must move to a new £20 million stadium in Failsworth to save the club from collapse, insist its owners.

Unveiling plans for the 30-acre site off Broadway — which goes before Oldham Council’s Cabinet for approval tonight — Latics chiefs said the club is haemorrhaging money in a crumbling stadium and must move to become financially viable.

The club and council’s regeneration proposals mean building family houses at Boundary Park.

Proceeds will be used to create a 12,000-seater stadium with community facilities at the site of Lancaster Sports Club, Lower Memorial Park and Broadway Allotments.

It will include another two football pitches, a soccer dome featuring 10 five-a-side pitches, a sports rehabilitation centre, indoor pitch and conferencing facilities.

It’s hoped the stadium will be ready for the 2011-12 season — though no buyer has yet been found for Boundary Park.

The Chronicle exclusively revealed on Thursday how Failsworth Dynamos FC and Broadway Allotment holders were furious at the lack of consultation.

But the club and council insisted on keeping plans under wraps until today, saying they could not be revealed until talks had been held with all parties.

Angry Dynamos chairman Leo Turner said his club had a written commitment to lease and develop the land and help keep thousands of children out of trouble by getting them involved in football.

But Latics hope to quell their fears by reaching an agreement for them to use the new development — while 15 allotment holders will be offered compensation and 20 new plots, possibly on land across the road.

The credit crunch has made it impossible to fund building flats, killing off the club’s previous plans to build 693 homes around Boundary Park to finance an £80 million stadium development there.

Instead, the ground will be sold to a private developer to build small family houses, while talks are on-going with the Royal Oldham Hospital for “key worker” homes to be built on the Sheepfoot Lane car park.

Latics managing director and co-owner Simon Corney said: “In its current state, Oldham Athletic is dying.

“Revenue fell 20 per cent again last year and we’re now attracting attendances on a par with many League Two clubs.

“This new vision gives us an opportunity to provide a facility that will create new revenue streams to make the club financially viable and self-sustaining, while also giving supporters a superior matchday experience. I want to reassure residents they will not be living next door to some monstrous and imposing facility.

“People don’t like change but we have to move. The stadium is an embarrassment at the moment. It’s about survival and going forward.”

Groundsharing with another club like Rochdale has been ruled out, but Oldham Rugby or amateur clubs could share the facilities — though no discussions have been held.

A deal has been agreed with BAE Systems to buy the Lancaster Club — but it’s a Grade II listed building so cannot be bulldozed and will be used for the indoor pitch.

The amount of seating in the new ground will suffice for their ambitions to become a Championship club and could be extended if Premier League dreams are realised.

Latics chief executive Alan Hardy said: “We’ve spent a long time with the council to find suitable sites within the borough and this is the only one we could find.”

Mr Hardy dismissed concerns that fans would be unwilling to go to Failsworth, saying it’s part of Oldham.

Council leader Howard Sykes said: “A forward-looking Oldham needs a successful professional football club with 21st century facilities and that is the vision this scheme is designed to deliver.

“This could be the catalyst to regenerate two areas that badly need it — the Lancaster club area of Failsworth and the Boundary Park site — creating new jobs and investment opportunities.

“There will be understandable disappointment in some quarters about the club moving away from Boundary Park but sometimes you have to dare to dream.”

What the fans think

“ALL we have heard over the last decade are stories of where we might move to, who we might share with, how the existing stadium can be developed. We have had beautiful drawings and plans and all that has happened is one part of the ground has been demolished. I hope I can be forgiven for being less than enthusiastic in taking this latest proposed plan seriously.”

Wendy Krastins


“AM I wrong? Isn’t it the people of Oldham that by turning up week after week in all sorts of weather win or lose help to pay for the club and the over-paid players? Now the club is saying stuff you lot and your clubs, forget the new site for the children and the allotment owners that also turn out every week, some every day — at least the allotment owners have things to show for their hard work at the end of every season.”

Moejoe


“OTHER clubs — and towns — have reaped the benefit of having a new, multi-purpose stadium. What Latics really need to do is make sure they involve Failsworth Dynamos and the allotment holders to turn the Lancaster Club site into an area the whole community can be proud of.

ROYTON LATIC


“WAS it not several months ago the club were fighting with Oldham Council to secure the revamp of Boundary Park?”

CRAIG DEAN