Coventry stadium deal delayed

Plans by Coventry City Football Club to build a new stadium have come up against a stumbling block.

Negotiations concerning the purchase of Brandon Speedway Stadium have been delayed, but the club is simultaneously looking at other properties, including a site believed to be situated near the University.

As reported in the Boar on August 21, Coventry City is looking to build a new stadium within the next five years. Brandon Speedway Stadium, just east of Coventry, has been a favourite candidate for the site of the arena since July.

However, the Coventry Telegraph reports that there are possible concerns about planning permission, infrastructure, on-going contracts and tax issues. “Due diligence” negotiations about the stadium are consequently expected to carry on for a few more weeks.

A spokesperson for GVA (Brandon’s property agents) told the Coventry Telegraph that discussions with the unnamed buyer (believed to be the football club) “will [hopefully] be concluded in the next few weeks and the transactions will go ahead accordingly”.

A spokesperson from CBRE (the agency handling the purchase for Coventry City) said: “In some ways the fact this has taken longer than expected means other options could be overtaking Brandon.

“There have been positive discussions with another landowner.”

It is believed that a site close to Warwick University is being considered as a second-favourite to Brandon. CBRE has claimed the club is the “preferred buyer” of this site.

Joanne Harrower, Women’s Football Social Secretary and third-year History and Politics student, told the Boar: “Having a stadium close to the university would be great in terms of boosting general student interest in football.

“Also it would be exciting in terms of generating more links between the local football community and sport here at Warwick, which is something Women’s Football have been pushing this year.”

Where and when the Sky Blues will get their home arena still remains to be seen.