Moston Planning Application Update

The planning application for our ground in Moston is now due to be considered by Manchester City Council in October, rather than next week’s planning committee meeting as originally thought.

The delay is due to an unprecedented level of interest in the application.

In addition to many letters of support, a number of concerns and questions have been submitted by local residents and organisations that are a statutory part of the planning consultation process.

We want to ensure these concerns are properly addressed and we provide the Council with the information it needs to fully consider the scheme.

To do this, more time is needed and therefore our submission is now due to be considered at October’s planning committee meeting, on Thursday the 27th.

At the FC members’ meeting we held in March, members told us not to rush the application but to make sure we get it right. By delaying until next month, this is what we aim to do.

As well as letters detailing concerns and questions from residents, we have been reassured by the level of support we have been experiencing in the Moston area and we understand that many letters of support have now been submitted to the council. We also believe a number of people who were against the plan have now signed up in support, since hearing the full facts from our team of volunteers out on the streets of north Manchester.

In addition, the funding for the plan is progressing positively. The revised Community Shares Scheme offer document is in its final draft and we are hoping to issue that soon.

We have had some positive feedback from a number of funders and whilst the targets remain a challenge the support and the determination shown by FC supporters gives us confidence that we can reach our capital budget targets.

In terms of the construction work, we have now received the tenders from the potential main contractors which will be reviewed this week.

Once we have considered the tenders and finalised the draft of the Community Shares Scheme we will be able to announce further details on timing in terms of work starting on the site (subject to planning approval).