Back in June 2006 we found out that we had sold what we know as the ‘Serpentine Land’ or where Asda used to be for a massive £7.3m.
Aston Villa PLC have announced to the Stock Market the sale of a car park, which earned £27,684 in the financial year to 31 May 2005, for a staggering £7.31m.
The ‘Serpentine Property’ has been sold to Birmingham Community Sports Limited.
Villa plan to use the windfall to reduce income among and other “corporate” activities.
This is a staggering deal, and indicates some potential threats to football clubs with stadiums in prime real estate territory.
Of course what the author does not know is that this land was basically a pile of rubbish, the General confirmed that the money was received in December that year but 4 years later the land remains empty and no planning permission even due for it.
Why am I interested ?
Well simply this land is right next to Villa Park, used to be ours and was sold just shortly before Randy came in and he could have used it really well. I have tried to google “Birmingham Community Sports Limited” and nothing returns for them and found out it was wound up on the 28/02/08.
From what I remember this land was going to be used for some kind of ‘arena’ to replace the leisure centre which is now owned by a company called “Aston Arena Ltd”. However it was a mystery at the time how BCSL could afford the £7m and how they received government money with nothing in return.
To add to the intrigue Aston Arena now has a notice in the London Gazette for a voluntary ‘strike off’ indicating the company is no longer valid.
Is there anyone out there who clear the mystery of this up or correct myself on any details, if so let me know and is it possible we could reclaim this land back to put it back to some use for Villa’s benefit ?
UPDATED 13:00
I have checked the Land registry and the land (post code of Aston Arena) and it is still owned by
Title Number : WM164193
Address of Property : Land on the south east side of Serpentine Road,
Aston
Price Stated : Not Available
Registered Owner(s) : ASDA STORES LIMITED (Co. Regn. No. 464777) of Asda
House, Southbank, Great
Aston Villa News 24/7
try ellis
Have you checked the Land Registry website to see if BCSL still own the land?
Also Companies House for parent or associated companies to whom the Land may have been transferred?
BCSL went into liquidation though, aston Arena is in the registry but not sure on the details for the land around it to seach for .
Supermarkets often buy up land but don’t use it for years, sometimes waiting for sites to become vacant next to the current one so they have a bigger site, or sometimes just waiting until they see a demand for their store in the area. Sometimes it’s bought just to stop their competitors getting it.
I imagine it will get used eventually.
Paddy, I think you miss something the land used to be owned by Asda, we brought it off them, apparently.
the land then gets sold for a massive fee to a company who got the money from grants then folded two years later.
And then somehow ends back up at Asda …
hmmm
Just as an update the land is not owned by Asda but they lease the exterior and front car park, the HCA has been instructed to sell the land as it was bought by Advantage West Midlands…yep it stinks!
Planning applications show the site will be sold with the office space permission…well, maybe not
What on earth would they lease the land for ? what use for that ?
and yes within the aston local plan it says offices and within weeks those plans will be confirmed.
Sorry, I was distracted by trying to save the Arena and turn it into a community building….hard work I tells ya!
Completely forgot I finally ended up posting here.
Well we commented on the application and suggested D1 and D2 Sports and Leisure, as well as B1, and also that the Arena should be protected from RIS development under local policy SP46 Sports Facilities.
Well they basically concluded that no, it couldn’t be for that; even though the ASA had offered to be part of the project, but any new development had to rebuild the leisure centre if they took control of the site.
Good and bad, good because it does need leisure!
Bad because it will end up being pricey, cater to the masses who work in the future developments and won’t actually be in operation for a long time to come.
We personally see the site as being wasted by the HCA (now owners), and the BCC who haven’t really worked very hard to help us attain our ambitions of a community site funded by events.
The Arena itself is damaged due to Asdas negligence on the exterior lease but I have held off having a moan about that because we just want a lease for longer than 1 month so we can actually invest in it properly. Didn’t want to rock the boat just yet.
So far, no good! Though Aston Villa have a lease for another year on the parking!
We all work voluntarily and the guy who is in there now has put a decent amount into the site trying to keep it working, even the money Villa pay for parking now goes to the HCA instead of to the Arena.
It’s a bureaucratic mess and a waste of community assets.
Get in touch if its something that interests you, I went to school in the area and used the site all the time; I’ve always been disappointed at the way Aston and the surrounding area has been treated in the way community cohesion so I am back to see if I can make a change.
I live in Moseley now, after living in Sutton….worlds apart from Aston and that’s a bit of a disgrace.
http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/tm_headline=city-s-olympic-size-pool-may-be-on-the-way&method=full&objectid=19697778&siteid=50002-name_page.html – Visionary Council ours