‘Two years, 4 officers, and 2 or 3 surveys’ before agreement reached over land

Bolton Council agreed that it will reduce the rental value on the lower part of Green Lane Playing Fields, known as Pickup’s Field, in Horwich from its market value of £2,500 a year to just £1,500 for five years.

This is to allow the Old Rivingtonians Sports Club to make long hoped for improvements to its playing fields.

Cllr David Grant, of Horwich South and Blackrod, said: “It’s taken over two years and about four officers to get the ground lease over the line and its had three or four land surveys all about that parcel of land.”

He added: “The length of time this has taken has cost the organisation thousands of pounds in funding.

Bolton Council has set out the new lease (Image: Anthony Moss) “It’s really frustrating, I’m bordering on angry, because of how long the process has taken.”

The new lease is set to last for 10 years and is aimed at helping Old Rivingtonians be able to make a range of improvements.

It will mean that the rent on the land will be £1,500 a year, which is 60 per cent of the normal full market value, for the first five years.

The rent will then go up from the sixth year and then increase in value until eventually reaching the full rental value of £2,500 in the final year of the lease.

But the plans for the land may still depend on working out the status of land on the other side of the site.

At a council meeting last month, Cllr Grant had branded the delays over working out new leases for the site as “simply ridiculous.”

He said: “I’m pleased for the club of course but its now onto the other side of the land and whether that has charitable status.”

Cllr Grant said that he and his colleagues will be holding on to a “huddle” to be used by Old Rivingtonians once the pitch is ready.

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A Bolton Council report said that granting the lease on these terms will help the club explore funding opportunities to make major improvements.

It said: “This will ensure the club continues to provide football training opportunities and access to various football teams and social activities for people in the community of Horwich. 

“This will also save valuable Council resources in terms of time and money.”

Council deputy leader Cllr Akhtar Zaman approved the lease at a meeting earlier this week. 
 

Source – INDIA TV