BASINGSTOKE Leisure Park and Manydown have been "earmarked" as potential sites for Basingstoke Town Football Club to call home, according to the current chairman.
As previously reported, former chairman of Basingstoke Town Football Club Rafi Razzak and his company Basron Developments Ltd lodged appeals against a decision by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s (BDBC) development control committee to reject plans for the football club's former home.
The proposals were to demolish the Camrose stadium and build 85 dwellings and a 70-bedroom care home.
The Camrose was the home of the football club for more than 70 years until it was evicted by Mr Razzak in 2016.
SEE ALSO: Government will not consider fans complaint following 'unfair' Camrose appeal hearing
A Government planning inspector conducted an inquiry into the council’s decisions, and Mr Razzak was granted outline permission for both applications in May.
The inspector cited multiple reasons for his decision, including “significant economic and social benefits from the provision of much-needed housing”.
Since the news, the club has said it won’t be taking the decision to the High Court, but protesters have since lodged a complaint against the inquiry.
The club currently play at the Winklebury Football Complex but are hoping find a new home.
The current chairman of the club Jack Miller has confirmed to the Gazette that he has been in discussion with key members of the council and Basingstoke Leisure Park and Manydown have been discussed as potential sites.
The news has also been shared with members of the community club in a letter seen by the Gazette.
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He said: “We met with Hampshire FA who are supportive of us as a football club and who will work with us in whatever we need to do.
“We are still, and this will be the case for as long as I am in the helm, looking for a like-for-like replacement of our own.
“A stadium that will be able to facilitate the club.
“We met with oppositional councils including Cllr Paul Harvey and Cllr Andrew McCormick who are very supportive and they agree the club needs a home of their own.
“We have a member meeting next week to discuss some potential other sites and I understand Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council have had a look at other sites, whether that might be Basingstoke Leisure Park as part of the regeneration there or whether that may be part of the Manydown regeneration.”
When asked by the Gazette if the leisure park has been listed as a potential site BDBC could only confirm that "viable and sustainable options" will be looked at.
Leader of the council Cllr Simon Bound added: “The club is back playing in Basingstoke due to the intervention of the borough council. We provided Hampshire FA with a long lease for Winklebury Football Complex to allow a joint planning application with the community football club to upgrade the site. We also carried out £152,000 of improvements to bring the facility up to a Grade D, which has benefitted other clubs in the borough.
“Winklebury Football Complex can provide a home for Basingstoke Town Community Football Club to play at its current level and will be able to accommodate the club if it is promoted. The Camrose ground planning application was decided on appeal. The planning conditions under this decision, in accordance with national planning policies and in line with Sport England’s standards and requirements, mean that the development needs to provide funding for enhancement work at Winklebury Football Complex to be carried out before work commences on the Camrose site.
“We will continue to meet with community club representatives as they develop a sound and financially-costed business plan that underpins their aspirations for the club’s future.
“We have already made it clear that we will look at all viable and sustainable options put forward. This includes any options the club develops for a new stadium in the future on other pieces of appropriate land. However, this would be subject to feasibility studies showing that a new stadium would be financially viable to build and run. I believe that the club is in the early stages of this process and I look forward to hearing their proposals as they develop.”
Mr Miller also confirmed he will be meeting with Basingstoke's MP Maria Miller in September to discuss plans.
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