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Recent loans taken out by West Bromwich Albion’s owner Guochuan Lai against the club have left fans determined to safeguard the 125-year-old stadium from being sold.
Councillor Les Trumpeter asked Councillor Danny Millard, cabinet member for communities at Sandwell Council, whether fans could explore the process at full council.
And Councillor Millard said: “The localism act does provide the way to list community assets like The Hawthorns to be listed as an asset of community value.
“This is not an automatic process and there needs to be a group who will put their names to this, and there is not one that I can see yet but I know there is a lot of support behind this plan. When the proposal happens it will get a lot of support from Sandwell Council.”
Councillor Trumpeter was delighted with the Councillor Millard’s response and revealed there was a group of supporters ready to put their names to the application.
He said: “I am grateful there is an appetite to get this done in the council, ideally we want it fast tracked. I can confirm a supporters group is ready to go for it as soon as tomorrow. This plan has already got a lot of publicity in local media and support from fans.”
Councillor Millard also revealed his fellow cabinet member Councillor Simon Hackett, an avowed Albion fan, has already voiced his support for the plan.
This would be the first step in a lengthy process to achieve the ACV status. It needs to be applied for by a voluntary or community group and backed by the council.
If the listing as a community asset of value is backed by fans down the line, it would mean people would be informed if the grounds are listed for sale within the five-year listing period.
The community can then enact the Community Right to Bid, which gives them a moratorium period of six months to determine if they can raise the finance to purchase the asset.
Examples of successful applications include Bury FC’s Gigg Lane, registered with Bury Council, and Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium, which was approved by Trafford Borough Council.
Councillor Trumpeter previously told the Express & Star: “Like many Albion fans The Hawthorns is one of my favourite places on Earth, I could not imagine watching home matches anywhere else.
“Coventry fans were forced to watch home games in Northampton because their club did not own The Ricoh Stadium, that is a warning to every football fan in the country.
“Raising this issue at full Sandwell Council will mean it is a matter of public record. And I want this landing on a desk in China so our owners know the community are organising, we will have added another hoop to jump through before a sale can be conducted.
“We cannot wake up one morning and find the ground has been sold beneath our feet. We need more transparency and making the ground an Asset of Community Value gives us that transparency.”
The latest club accounts last month revealed WBA gave a loan of £4.95m to a company owned by Chinese chairman and owner Guochuan Lai, who bought the club in 2016 for £200 million.
Ground was broken on The Hawthorns in 1900 and the ground has hosted England internationals, two FA Cup semi-finals and has the distinction of being the highest Premier League and Football League ground above sea level.
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