Northampton Town Football Club stand deal back on the agenda after council says 'one or two outstanding issues' resolved

Cabinet members are hinting that the long-running saga over selling land at Sixfields to Northampton Town Football Club WILL finally be resolved next week.

A statement from West Northamptonshire Council on Wednesday (March 2) said "one or two outstanding issues had been resolved and the latest bids are being considered" ahead of a meeting on Tuesday (March 8).

That follows a special council meeting last month to gather views and an improved bid from Cobblers, matching a rival deal put forward from property developers.

Councillor Malcolm Longley, cabinet member for finance, said: “We listened with interest to the views of the public, club and council members and, since then, we have given the issue further careful consideration and we believe we have now resolved any outstanding issues.

“There is no need to delay this any further, so we have agreed to bring a report to our Cabinet meeting on March 8.”

Council officers recommended accepting a £890,000 bid from the football to buy 22 acres of land alongside Sixfields stadium.

Strings attached to the sale would mean the club agreeing to finish redeveloping the eyesore East Stand, a legacy of the failed loan deal between Northampton Borough Council and the club's previous owners in 2013.

A rival £2.05 million offer by property developers Cilldara was ruled out because it would involve a potentially long and costly legal battle with the club over multiple leases it already holds on the land.

Cilldara offered the take on the risk of the club suing over breaking the leases and threatened to demand a judicial review if the council accepted a lower bid.

Councillors were set to agree to sell the land in December after being told they were getting a fair price by independent experts because it would cost too much to clean up years of being used as a landfill.

But Cilldara then came in with its higher bid, forcing the plan to be put on ice for two months.

Opposition and some Tory councillors have called for more scrutiny on both deals before any go-ahead is given, while the club's Supporters Trust have called for extra safeguards against commercial development on a derelict running track behind the East Stand .

Labour's Danielle Stone has concerns over more warehouses being built on the land and told Monday's cabinet meeting: "This is our land, our town, our people . Why haven't we produced a masterplan for that land to offer developers? Why are we putting ourselves in a position where we are going to receive what we are given instead of being able to shape it.

Lib-Dem leader Sally Beardsworth added: "I still have reservations and worries about what's going to happen to the land and what's going to happen to the club if they have to pay for the stand."