Council sign heads of terms with Football Club for Groves training ground

The Heads of Terms to formalise the beginning of a possible 99 year agreement between Wrexham Council and Wrexham Association Football Club have been signed.

The terms relate to a potential future lease to obtain the land to establish a training ground at the grounds of the former Groves school.

Currently the football club train on the 9 Acre field, however Wrexham Council are proposing to build a primary school on the field and thus would leave the club homeless. As we have previously reported the Council offered a lease to the club to possibly use a section of the nearby old Groves school field for training purposes.

The lease has been firmed up as being for 99 years at a peppercorn rent, and the agreement will include a provision to allow the club to use the 9 Acre for the foreseeable future until the effective swap is complete. Any future lease will be subject to the necessary planning permission being secured and the removal of restrictive covenants on the land.

The agreement with the council states there will be an attempt to overturn the covenant on the land to allow the proposed training ground use, as well as noting there will be a break clause in favour of Wrexham AFC at 10 years, 25 years, 50 years and 75 year points.

This morning the Heads of Terms document was signed in the Guildhall, after a vote by the fans owned club mandated the board to proceed with the agreement.

Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Spencer Harris and the Board of Directors for working in true partnership with us on these proposals.”

Wrexham legend Dixie McNeil, Council Leader Mark Pritchard, Council Chief Executive Ian Bancroft and Wrexham AFC Director Spencer Harris in the sunshine earlier today on the Guildhall balcony.

Ian Bancroft, Chief Executive, said: “I was very pleased to sign the Heads of Terms and look forward to hearing about further progress on this matter.”

Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, added: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Spencer Harris and the Board of Directors for working in true partnership with us on these proposals.”

Spencer Harris, Director of Wrexham AFC, said: “Following on from receiving the backing of our membership, it’s great to see these proposals moving forward and to be working with Wrexham Council for the future benefit of both the Football Club and the future generations of players. There is still much work to be done but this is a significant step in the journey to having our own training facilities again.”

(Pictures by Craig Colville )