Cambridge City FC expect news on new ground

Thu 6th Jan 2011 | Football Stadiums & Facilities

Chairman Kevin Satchell expects to hear where Zamaretto League Premier Division club Cambridge City will be playing next season by the end of this week.

A joint planning application has been submitted to Cambridge City Council for the redevelopment of the club's Milton Road ground, but the Lilywhites could remain at their original home for at least one more season.

City already have a ground-sharing agreement with Newmarket Town, but chairman Satchell confirmed that the club are in talks with their landlord to extend their stay at Milton Road for another two years.

"We still have an agreement to ground-share with Newmarket next season," he said.

"But as with what happened last season, our landlords are offering us an extra year. It's good we have the option but it has to be right for us.

"Staying at Milton Road is not free, we still have to pay rent, and that's what we're negotiating. We've also asked whether we could have a two-year stay.

"We're waiting their response to the proposal we put to them. I'd like to think that by the end of the week we'll know where we'll be playing next season, for the benefit not only of ourselves but also Newmarket Town."

As part of the agreement that saw the landlords take ownership of the land at Milton Road, City will support the application to redevelop the land.

And although City have asked for an additional two seasons, Satchell said the club would press on with proposals to upgrade Cricket Field Road for when the club finally move to Newmarket.

Some improvements have already been made and an application for three new stands to help bring the ground up to the standards required of the Zamaretto League Premier Division should be submitted by the end of the month.

"We fully intend to submit that planning application," continued Satchell.

"There's never been any intention to stall it and we'll put it through even if we get an extra two years at Milton Road. There's no harm in getting the planning done."

While question-marks remain as to where exactly City will play next season, Satchell is confident that if they win promotion to the Conference South this season, they will be eligible to move up.

"If we were to go up we would have a year to get Milton Road up to the level required for Conference South or North," he added.

The situation would be the same even if City were to move to Newmarket for the start of next season, with the club having a year to get the extra work required for the next tier of non-league football.

(www.nonleaguedaily.com)

RETURN TO LATEST NEWS SECTION

SUBSCRIBE TO THE F.C. BUSINESS RSS FEED

If you have any football business related news stories you’d like to share then please contact us – agourley@fcbusiness.co.uk or ryan@fcbusiness.co.uk

Add to: Google | Yahoo | Live | del.icio | Digg |