PHOTOS: Southend United’s new stadium gets the go ahead

Southend United’s new stadium gets the go ahead, and it comes as a huge landmark for the club as it was over 10 years when it was first proposed.

A deal guaranteeing the League One club’s future has been struck with Southend Council, though plans for a cinema and shops have been dropped.

The authority will now sign an agreement with Citizen Housing and Southend United to manage 502 new homes on the site of Roots Hall as well as 800 around the planned Fossetts Farm Stadium, which is just a two minute drive up the road.

The Government’s Homes England have agreed to provide a loan to the club for building the stadium, on the basis that the project will lead to a significant number of homes.

The significantly revised Fossetts Farm stadium plans:

• The stadium itself will have 14,000 seats, down from the planned 21,000, though there is an ambition to increase the number eventually to 21,000

• Plans for shops, a cinema and restaurants all being dropped and replaced with housing

The council add that there will be space for a new health centre, convenience store and a community hub, whilst 30 per cent of homes in both locations are to be priced with “affordable” rent.

Labour’s Ian Gilbert, leader of the council, said: “This is really very significant news for all of us. I am very pleased that despite the current difficult circumstances we have been able to move this forward.

“The council has been working closely with the football club over an extended period to move this project forwards and I am pleased to see that we have got to this stage, which would not only see much needed new homes built, but also take away the threat to the town centre from the previously proposed retail element.

“We need to build more homes as a borough, we want more affordable rented homes, we need to generate more income into the council to fund local services and we are seeing more than ever how essential these services are.

“We have always recognised the importance of the football club to the borough and we now have the opportunity to enable them to deliver their new stadium and secure the club’s future.

“This is a win-win situation.”

Ron Martin, chair of Southend United, said: “We listened to the Council’s concerns, in particular, the impact of the proposed enabling retail development on the town centre.

“The collaborative approach achieved with the council, together with our other partners, will deliver a project that I believe the people of Southend will be very proud of.

“We are delighted for all our supporters that this agreement will unlock the delivery of Southend United’s new home, enabling the club to fulfil its long-held potential.”

Dennis Baldry, chair of Southend Business Improvement District, heaped praise on the agreement calling it “a glimmer of light in these dark and uncertain times”.

“This is really positive, the town gets the new football stadium it deserves, as well as much needed new housing and in addition to this more dilution of the retail offer in Southend is avoided,” he said.

There have been so many concepts to this planned stadium since it was first proposed, take a look below…

Fans gave their reaction after finding out Southend United’s new stadium gets the go ahead…

April fools was yesterday

— Booker DeWitt (@BookerDeWitty) April 2, 2020

In this current climate I think this is good news and not only does it secure our future but also the council gets it's way with the seaway project

— ShrimpersTalk.co.uk ?⚽️ (@ShrimpersTalk) April 2, 2020

This makes so much more sense. We do not need a 21 thousand seater, 14,000 is enough for our club. And for the retail units, anyone who has been Oxford or MK away knows how boring it makes a matchday

— Harrison Lane (@HarrisonLane10) April 2, 2020

I'm not convinced this is a change to the stadium plan at all – the press release says "the first phase of the new stadium comprises 14,000 seats". The first phase (3 sides) was always going to be 14,000.

The other 7,000 are in a main stand, which is a separate deal with Hilton

— Garry Smith (@Garrygen) April 2, 2020

800 new houses – traffic congestion will be a bloody nightmare !!

— Peter Hawkins (@299Peter) April 2, 2020

Just another 10 years for this planning application to go through then. 800 new homes ? I hope the plans include a 6 lane motorway to get in and out of the area

— ?️??️ (@Tezza_SUFC) April 2, 2020

So Ron finally accepted that he wouldn't get the bigger deal over the line. He could have had this done years ago had it not been for over ambition and greed.

— Tommy (@Tommy36200749) April 2, 2020

Great news, a superb new ground for Southend United but it will be so hard to leave Roots Hall a beautiful ground what will be missed. Let's just hope it all goes ahead.

— andy skinner (@southendandy) April 2, 2020

The story of Ron Martin's stewardship at Southend is genuine progress on the stadium as soon as all of football grinds to a halt. https://t.co/cWpI8mUFVG

— stay at home (@realliamager) April 2, 2020

Perhaps Martin can start paying his team their wages and the HMRC what they are owed. He has been waiting a long time, nearly bust him, but now the property developer can at least pay some bills.

— Alan Tibbit (@AlanTibbit) April 2, 2020