Turf Moor redevelopment hit by delays

Last updated : 08 October 2008 By Tony Scholes
The cricket field stand - the redevelopment has been delayed

Only last month the Clarets revealed that they had shaven £5 million off the redevelopment costs but now Chief Executive has told the local media that the plans the credit crunch will cause a delay in our redevelopment.

He said: "I think it's fair to say the credit crunch has affected every development in the UK, and we're no different. We are constantly analysing things and will continue to do so, talking to architects and developers, and we won't press the button on the project until we have funding.

"We have planning permission for Phase One but we are completely re-analysing it, and discussing it with the chairman and Brendan Flood, to see if the relocation of the dressing rooms, for example, is the right thing to do, or if we could do it a different way. Clearly this will slow the process down rather than quicken it up."

Regarding Phase Two, which includes the building of the new cricket field stand to replace the current structure which has been in place since 1969 he added: "We are not rushing blindly into anything, neither are we expecting to shelve anything. Sooner or later we will start building and the new stand will go up, but we won't be doing anything that will cause Burnley Football Club long-term difficulties.

"It's just like a family who are considering moving from a small cottage into a big four-bedroom house - you have to evaluate everything. I've always said this football club is in a safe pair of hands with Barry Kilby as chairman. We are looking to see what we can afford, where the money's coming from and how it is best spent.

"We will apply for grants once the plans have been finalised, but in the middle of the credit crunch they aren't as forthcoming as perhaps they once were. The situation is affecting everybody. I know some fans will be very frustrated and question why we aren't moving forward, but we are trying to be very prudent and do what is best for the football club."

Fletcher has also spoken of his belief that redeveloping Turf Moor is a better option than moving to a new stadium. "My view after building three or four of these out-of-town stadia is that it becomes state of the art rather than state of the heart," Fletcher said.

"A football club that stays on its own location, where it's been for many years, close to the community, has massive benefits over new stadia that are built on greenfield sites, out of the town centre. I'm passionate about that, and that's why I'm pleased to be back at Burnley. A football stadium is a community facility."