Latics stadium land swap deal approved

THE proposed site of the new Latics stadium Picture Google Earth

OLDHAM Athletic’s dream of a new £20 million stadium in Failsworth moved a step closer reality after a proposed land swap was approved yesterday.

The site for Latics’ planned 12,000-seater stadium off Broadway includes land at Failsworth Lower Memorial Park which belongs to a charitable trust.

Campaigners have argued that it was a gift from the Failsworth War Memorial Committee in memory of the 240 local people who died during the First World War and should not be developed.

However, members of the Failsworth trust committee, a council cabinet sub-committee, yesterday agreed to potentially free the 11.75 acre site, valued at £60,000, from its charitable trust status.

They also agreed to transfer that status to two other sites — 12.61 acres of land at Warwick Road, valued at £100,000, and 13.1 acres at Vale Lane/Medlock Vale, valued at £72,000.

The status would restrict the council from granting leases of more than seven years, thereby limiting opportunities to sell off each site.

The committee, made up of councillors Mohammed Masud, Jack Hulme and Kay Knox, will now send an application to the Charity Commission which will consider whether to approve the transfer.

At yesterday’s 40-minute meeting — during which Councillor Knox left after declaring an interest as she had taken part in a cabinet meeting on the subject earlier this year — concerns were raised by Failsworth residents and councillors about whether the committee’s actions would stand up to scrutiny.

Labour leader and Failsworth East councillor Jim McMahon said all three committee members had been on cabinets that previously approved Latics’ stadium development.

He said there was no local representative on the committee, claimed the report was written in a biased way, and urged members to visit the sites before making a decision.

Failsworth West councillor Glenys Butterworth said the council was not acting with transparency and openness, and said Failsworth residents felt it was acting with undue haste.

However, committee chairman councillor Masud said: “The decision made tonight is going to be transparent, impartial and independent.

“You can’t make 100 per cent of people happy. They were consulted.”

He said it would be in the best interest of the charitable trust to proceed with the exchange as the swapped areas of land were better sites and greater in net value. Speaking after the meeting, Councillor McMahon branded the decision a whitewash and said: “For me, this isn’t about a stadium proposal, this is about how the council should be acting.

“The thing that is incensing people is that memorial land has been treated with disrespect.”

Councillor Butterworth said: “The decision was made by two trust committee members who haven’t visited the site. This leaves it all totally open to challenge. Where is the transparency?”

Peter Batty, head of the Failsworth Residents Action Group (FRAG) who are opposing development, said: “Now they’ve made a decision to swap, they’ve got to go to the Charity Commission and explain the process and consultation.”

Elaine McLean, Oldham Council’s executive director for economy, places and skills, said: “The sub-committee members considered that this was the most effective way of achieving the continuing purpose of providing public recreational facilities in Failsworth — while also protecting and enhancing the value of the trust’s assets.”