Bees United are currently continuing negotiations with the prospective purchasers of the Lionel Road site, for which they have prepared plans for a 23,000 capacity stadium. At present the prospective purchasers have requested anonymity until the land deal has been completed.
The Trust hope they can balance a responsible attitude to the market sensitivity of the scheme with supporters' understandable desire to know what progress is being made. We must stress again the importance of this project to the long term future of the club, and the consequent necessity we feel to take a prudent and cautious approach in conducting negotiations, and in publicising their outcome.
For the prospective developers, our Lionel Road proposals with all the associated enabling developments, would represent their largest and most high profile project to date, and they are understandably excited by the scheme. They now need to conclude talks with their financiers, and with potential project partners, before they can return to us with more concrete proposals.
Of particular comfort to them has been the demonstrable political support for Bees United's development approach. Since last May the Bees United Stadium Committee has had a number of meetings with leading Council members and officers, talks which have been marked by a willingness on the Council's side to work with the supporters on this issue. Clearly the political environment has changed for the football club and solving the ongoing stadium saga has become a political priority in the Council Chambers.
Bees United would like to pay tribute to local politicians and officers who have worked unstintingly with us on this issue: both within the ruling Executive of Hounslow Council and local members of Parliament, Ann and Alan Keen. Brentford supporters need to be aware that this project would not have reached this advanced stage without this vital political support.
From 'our' side the Bees United Stadium Committee has recently been
expanded, in recognition of the advances made in respect of the Lionel Road scheme, and now comprises Bees United Chairman John McGlashan and committee members Pete Johnston and Brian Burgess; Brentford director Eddie Rogers; Millhouse Chairman Doug White; local Councillor Luke Kirton; and BIAS Committee members Matt Dolman and Paul Stedman.
Elsewhere, further recognition of the ground-breaking nature of Bees United's Lionel Road scheme has come with the London Assembly's invitation to the Trust to present evidence to a public meeting organised by their Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee on 1 April, which will look into the issues facing London's football clubs as they look to relocate or redevelop
their stadia.