Wrexham Football club ‘can still use Nine Acre Field’ despite Stansty training move

Wrexham AFC’s use of another training pitch appears unconnected to plans to put a school on the Nine Acre field, however long term desires for a more substantial training ground could open up the debate over the location of a new school in Wrexham.

Wrexham AFC have been training recently at Lex’s pitches in Stansty, rather than their normal Nine Acre base, with Lex FC saying they are “always happy to help the neighbours out” with such support.

The Stansty based pitches now used have a long connection with the club, and were more recently used prior to the Nine Acre licence being agreed.

The Land Registry today say the freehold of the pitches at Summerhill Road are owned by Mary McAleavy, with a London address, and does note the value as of 2016 was stated at between £100k-200k.

A historic conveyance from 1983 involving the club is also referenced, but the Land Registry note that no documents were examined at first registration to detail that.

Wrexham AFC had agreed a ‘licence’ with Wrexham Council to use the Nine Acre field for use as a training facility, with improvements being made to the playing surface.

The land has since been earmarked for a new school, with plans being formalised ahead of a planning application for the site, although campaigners are looking to protect the green space.

As we have previously reported the agreement with Wrexham Council for the Groves had provisions for various break clauses in favour of the club at 10 / 25 / 50 and 75 year points.

An ‘urgency’ to use the Groves was communicated to the fans due to no other sites being ‘suitable for professional training’, and with the 9 Acre possibly set for redevelopment.

We have reported on the domino effect of any such development on the Nine Acre, meaning the club would have to find a new place to train for the longer term.

Agreement was reached between the club and the council for a long term lease and development of part of the nearby Groves site, and use of the the Nine Acre was granted to cover off the gap between development and move.

The development on the Groves was set to be a staggered build over several years due to the finances involved in developing a training facility.

Wrexham.com understands that since the recent takeover by new wealthy owners the club could now be looking at more ambitious plans than the two pitch, clubhouse and parking that was planned over several years for part of the Groves site, favouring a larger campus model that would require more land.

That ambition has been referred to previously with the new owners stating a desire to invest in a permanent training facility that is worthy of a football league club.

With the recent move by the club and possible incoming school planning applications we asked Wrexham Council if there had been any movement their end that had prompted a relocation, with them confirming that there was no change and the football club can still use the Nine Acre Field, “It is still available for them to use when they want to.”

If it is confirmed the Groves is not set to be used by the club it is unclear where that leaves any development of a school on the Nine Acre site, with the Groves itself being mooted previously as a possible location for that development.

You can read an archive of stories regarding the Groves and Nine Acre sites here.