PLANS for the new Southend United stadium have been thrown into doubt after a council said it would vote again on buying land to facilitate the development.

The Blues want to build a 22,000- seater stadium at Fossetts Farm with supermarket giant Sainsbury’s moving into the club’s Roots Hall home.

However, Southend Council says it will have to re-agree powers to buy the old Prospects College building, in Fairfax Drive, and shops in Victoria Avenue, so Sainsbury’s can move in.

And Neil Bates, chief executive of Prospects College, claims he is in talks with other parties, potentially rival supermarkets, to do a deal for the land.

The council guaranteed Sainsbury’s plan, which is essential to fund the Fossetts Farm stadium, by agreeing powers to force owners of sites earmarked for the megastore to sell, but so much time has passed the compulsory purchase order agreed in March 2012, has lapsed.

Rob Tinlin, chief executive of Southend Council, said: “This decision was taken to enable the development of a new football stadium and associated retail development on the Fossetts Farm site and the development of a new Sainsbury superstore on the Roots Hall site, together with new housing as a replacement for St Mary’s Court. It was also taken to support the council’s regeneration agenda.

“The compulsory purchase order has not yet been made and given the time which has elapsed since that decision, it is likely the council should re-endorse that position for current circumstances.

That said, it’s still the Council’s objective to support the football club with its relocation plans.”

Council leader Ron Woodley has pledged to break the deadlock by hosting crisis talks between the club, college and Sainsbury’s.

But the Independent, who took power in May, has threatened the council could redevelop the site itself unless progress is made.

He said: “If a compulsory purchase order gave the opportunity to drive it forward, I’m prepared to do that.

“If we don’t get Sainsbury’s and the football club driving it forward then maybe it’s time the council bought the land and developed it.

“They have had seven years, but enough is enough.”

Mr Bates said: “We are having discussions with various parties.

“I’m not at liberty to disclose the detail of those, but we have made it very clear to Sainsbury’s, on a number of occasions, that since they haven’t renewed their interest in our site we will have to make alternative arrangements and that is what we in the process of doing.

“We are expecting that before Christmas those discussions will have concluded.”

Southend United chairman Ron Martin declined to comment.

 

SAINSBURY'S: OUR PLANS HAVEN'T CHANGED

 

SUPERMARKET giant Sainsbury’s insists it still plans to build a megastore on Roots Hall.

It has had no formal talks with Prospects College since a contract giving the supermarket giant the option to buy the college’s site lapsed in January. It was the seventh time in seven years the contract had expired, but this time Sainsbury’s failed to renew it.

The college site offers Sainsbury’s the only viable vehicle access to the supermarket as an entrance on to Victoria Avenue has been ruled out.

The seven-year wait for the land sale, a move by rival retailers, including Tesco, away from large new stores and the introduction of a new Sainsbury’s chief executive has led some to speculate the deal is dead.

However, Sainsbury’s insists nothing has changed.

A spokeswoman told the Echo: “We are constantly reviewing our portfolio to ensure our plans are suitable for the business and for our customers.

“Our plans for Southend remain unchanged. As we make progress, we will update the local community.”