Out-Law News 1 min. read

Lincolnshire council votes in favour of 500-home Boston United stadium scheme


A Lincolnshire council has voted in favour of proposals to build a new 5,000-capacity stadium for Boston United Football Club in a scheme that includes 500 new homes, according to a statement on the Club's website.

The Club submitted a hybrid application to Boston Borough Council in May for a development to be known as The Quadrant on 28 hectares of land either side of the A16 in Wyberton. The proposals include a new community stadium to the east of the A16, with capacity for 5,000 seated and standing spectators and a connected community sports hall and fitness club. To the west of the A16, a mixed-use development is planned, with up to 502 houses, a 7,000 square metre foodstore and six retail units with restaurant, public house and takeaway uses.

The plans were on the agenda for discussion at a meeting of the Council's planning committee on 5 August. In a report (61-page / 310 KB PDF) to the committee, a planning officer acknowledged that the scheme represented a departure from the development plan for the borough, but recommended it for approval, citing the importance of safeguarding the future of the Club and its community programme and noting that a 556 signature petition in support of the scheme had been received.

"The unique nature of this application and the applicants' described urgent need for a new community stadium to seek to ensure the continuation of a viable professional football club in the town and the community programme which it delivers, are factors that may support this application," wrote the planning officer.

Having voted in favour of the proposals by ten votes to two, the Council will now forward the plans to the secretary of state for communities and local government for consideration. The secretary of state may decide to call the application in for his own determination or may decline to call it in, in which case the Council will proceed to draft a section 106 agreement and planning conditions.

“I am delighted that the planning committee overwhelmingly supported the application which I believe is not only significant for the future of our fantastic football club, but also for the town as a whole," said the Club's chairman David Newton in a statement.

“This is major step forward, but we must not get carried away, as there are many things that need to fall into place before The Quadrant and the new community stadium become a reality. I must put on record my thanks to all those that supported the project. It is unusual to have the vast majority of comments in favour of a planning application. The Boston United Supporters Association stepped up to the plate and I sincerely thank them for the support."

The Club intends to complete the development in time to move from its current ground for the start of the 2017/18 football season.

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