This time it's slightly bad news --- slightly, maybe, perhaps, i don't know
The original "plan" and i use the term lightly, and informal discussions, around the Wheels site were, as i posted here many times that Blues would get the Wheels site (where residential housing will never be allowed - even after the current remediation) at a VERY cheap price in return for the St Andrews site being given to BCC.
The upside of this for BCC was
a) an ideal site to build social housing complexes/blocks of flats etc with existing services, bus routes, main roads, the shops (Morrisons etc), close to town ... absolutely perfect
b) any money from the sale of the Wheels site to anyone else but Blues would have had to go to paying off the BCC debt - but a "swap" ? ... lovely.
c) social housing provides a regular income stream to BCC via rents
The obvious upside for Blues was
a) the Wheels site for next to nothing (in relative terms) ... and a massive massive saving on the costs of building a new stadium at the Wheels site because they would have got the land so cheap
but ...
as i posted at
[www.smallheathalliance.com] ... BCC aren't in charge any more, the Commissioners are. All "deals" of any sort etc are in the bin.
The Commissioners remit is to sell, for cash, whatever they can to bring the BCC debt down - and that would be regardless of the wishes of residents, Andy Street, the Council, MPS etc and regardless of what may be best for BCC in the long run.
So .... IF POSSIBLY MAYBE Blues DID perhaps possibly maybe want to move our ground to the Wheels site they would need to buy it ... and buy it of the Commissioners. No deals, swapsies, exchanges etc ... cash and selling is all the Commissioners care for.
Therefore if Blues DID want to move to the Wheels site, whilst the Commissioners are running things, they will have to pay for the site if they want it.
Bummer really.
However .... the Commissioners are, well they usually are, looking for ready cash for stuff. A "fire sale" if you wish....
... and we know Knighthead have cash.
So Blues would (IF they want the site) get it at a knockdown price for a quick easy sale ..... BUT, that very low price would be a lot lot higher than the "next to nothing" deal with BCC.
.... and that leaves Blues with an asset to sell ... namely St Andrews .... to whom ?
I don't know - but for private residential housing the St Andrews site isn't in the most desirable area
So, in short, Blues ain't gonna get Wheels site for "next to nothing" anymore and they would have to balance the expenditure for the purchase against the possibility of having an asset on their hands (St Andrews) that may not be that attractive to buyers/developers
The problem with any site around that area is the actual area itself. It's a shithole. The locations not that bad in terms of near the city centre.
They will just buy it. I don’t think it’s something to worry about. They will adapt
CastleBlueThe problem with any site around that area is the actual area itself. It's a shithole. The locations not that bad in terms of near the city centre.
I'm beginning to wonder if you have any positive thoughts.
CastleBlueYou never heard term regeneration..?? Seems you want to put a damper on anything...you live alone..?The problem with any site around that area is the actual area itself. It's a shithole. The locations not that bad in terms of near the city centre.
generalBlueCastleBlueThe problem with any site around that area is the actual area itself. It's a shithole. The locations not that bad in terms of near the city centre.
I'm beginning to wonder if you have any positive thoughts.
Course i do but it is the main issue. If you want a nice new stadium/better fan experience the area needs doing up. It looks like a bomb scene.
Partisan Blues FanCastleBlueYou never heard term regeneration..?? Seems you want to put a damper on anything...you live alone..?The problem with any site around that area is the actual area itself. It's a shithole. The locations not that bad in terms of near the city centre.
Stating the area is a shithole is not a dampner. Things can only improve when people are honest.
If you think it's a nice area then what incentive is there to do anything with the place.
Castle blue would you have fancied Brixton a few years back? now you would have to win the lottery for housing in that area now apparently the bus depot is up for development so the area could be on the upswing
CastleBluegeneralBlueCastleBlueThe problem with any site around that area is the actual area itself. It's a shithole. The locations not that bad in terms of near the city centre.
I'm beginning to wonder if you have any positive thoughts.
Course i do but it is the main issue. If you want a nice new stadium/better fan experience the area needs doing up. It looks like a bomb scene.
Use your imagination.
Think about potential.
Dream nice stuff.
It's uplifting.
The etihad campus was a shithole too, looking a lot different now.
I don't know - but for private residential housing the St Andrews site isn't in the most desirable area
So, in short, Blues ain't gonna get Wheels site for "next to nothing" anymore and they would have to balance the expenditure for the purchase against the possibility of having an asset on their hands (St Andrews) that may not be that attractive to buyers/developers [/quote]
OK so the area isn't the greatest but it would still be worth many millions.
Couple of issues, first of all there is no such thing as a land swap it was always going to be 2 separate transactions if it was going to happen. The wheels site does have a planning framework for its end use and the city council remains the planning authority and not the commissioners. Finally the financial problems faced by the city council are connected to the general fund, the funding associated with council housing is through the housing revenue account which is not so constrained financially.
I have no idea if the site is to be acquired by blues but given its size and limited potential use I doubt if there are loads of potential buyers for the site and it’s adjacent to Digbeth and any use for the site will need to be sympathetic to the regeneration of that area
Could actually be a positive - Depends how it sits on the council books, if it sits as a liability due to contamination etc then flogging for £1 shows an improvement on the balance sheet. Or, the deal needs to be done on full commercial terms with no swapsies but if blues are the only interested party then again can get cheap as at least soemthing is returning to the coffers. All if buts and maybes but thats all we seem to talk about nowadays anyway.
CastleBlueThe problem with any site around that area is the actual area itself. It's a shithole. The locations not that bad in terms of near the city centre.
I agree. I think we should build it in the Peak District or where they filmed The Darling Buds of May.