Plans to protect the future of Oldham Athletic football club have been set in motion following an agreement by the council to regenerate a club site.
Following cabinet approval on Monday, Oldham MBC looks set to purchase the Lancaster site at from the football club, which will safeguard the security of its tenure at the historic Boundary Park.
A 'one-off' council grant to the club has been agreed to ensure the preservation of vital borough based activities, including work by Oldham Athletic Community Trust , football academies and other health and wellbeing initiatives.
The creation of a new north stand at Boundary Park and a 'leisure led regeneration scheme', including new astro-turf football pitches and a range of retail and commercial facilities at the Lancaster gateway site, are reportedly at an advanced stage, with financial and legal matters left to be resolved.
Oldham council leader, Cllr Jim McMahon, said: 'The professional football club is of vital importance to this borough and we have identified ending its decade of uncertainty as a key priority within our first 100 days in office.
'As well as safeguarding our professional football club this deal has the added benefit of kick starting regeneration projects at both Boundary Park and the Lancaster Club,' he added.
Simon Corney, Oldham Athletic's managing director, said: 'We now have a chance to genuinely redevelop the current ground, and, as part of this agreement, we have taken steps to implement this and secure the club’s future, which has always been our intention.'
If the deal is completed, Oldham Athletic will receive a purchase price for the Lancaster site.
