2/2/2010

Cardiff Council's Executive has agreed to allow Cardiff City Football Club to sell undeveloped land around the new stadium in Leckwith.

The sale of the land for £1.8m could help pay off the club's £2.7m tax bill and stop them going into administration.

At a meeting today members of the Executive granted the club permission to dispose of two sites within the stadium lease in exchange for a deferred rental payment to the Council.

The club has proposed that the payment would start after five years, with the outstanding sum becoming immediately payable if Cardiff City should achieve promotion to the Premier League.

It was also agreed that the club's construction partner, CMB Engineering Limited, will complete and operate the House Of Sport, a public indoor sports facility, subject to an appropriate financial guarantee.

The club has also requested a peppercorn rental on the House of Sport and will provide an area of office space for Cardiff Council's sports development staff.

Council Leader Rodney Berman said: "Today's decision represents the best way forward for both the club and the Council.

"I also want to make it clear this is a beneficial arrangement and there is no question of the taxpayer bailing out the club, on the contrary this proposal will in time see money coming back to the Council.

"Under this agreement the club's contractor partner aims to start work on the House of Sport within three months.

"This is going to be an important community facility, with indoor pitches and a multi-use sports hall. The proposal provides a much greater guarantee for securing the delivery of the House of Sport."