The Foundation have written to the new Chinese owners of Udney Park. The owner is an investment fund run by a Mr Wu. The company name is Leisure Focus and they are based in the British Virgin Islands.
A copy of the Foundation’s latest correspondence with the owners solicitors is as below.
By way of follow-up – I have read your email in a bit more detail over the weekend, and would offer a couple more observations.
I note that you state that ‘it is not their (Leisure Focus) intention to redevelop the site in the way that was proposed previously’. This does imply some level of redevelopment at Udney park and to me this would seem to go against all planning guidelines for the site.
I previously looked at a commercial sporting use with a couple of professional sports clubs, but the restrictions on floodlights, artificial pitch surfacing, any changes to the built environment, and car parking restrictions caused me to abandon these ideas.
I also proposed a modest redevelopment on less than a acre of the fields to provide the GDV which would allow me to get to the £3m that AHH aspired to sell at. Again I was given no encouragement by council officers or councillors that this would be acceptable. The position was set out very clearly by LBRUT in the attached letter dated 21st July 2021 which Savills distributed to all potential buyers.
I note that Leisure Focus is an investment fund, so presumably the investors will be seeking a return. I also note that circa £3m has been paid for the site which is several times playing field value.
Bearing all of this in mind I would appreciate a candid conversation on exactly what is proposed.
It would seem that if you are seeking to break the impasse that has stretched back over 7 years, then early dialogue would most definitely be helpful. I would suggest that my Charity has the widest support possible, and that this engagement should start as early as possible in order to diffuse obvious concerns. I would be happy to have this meeting in conjunction with our local MP, councillors and council officers, or alternatively I am happy to meet with you separately. You mention a meeting in the next few weeks and so I will await a suggested timing and venue.
Incidentally please note that the Foundation is separate from all the Trust which was set up to fight the original planning proposals. The sole purpose of the Foundation is to preserve Udney Park for the playing of community sport in perpetuity – as was envisaged when it was established 100 years ago as a War Memorial site. Whether this can sit alongside Mr Wu’s ambitions for Udney Park, I will be happy to explore.
Subsequent to this letter being sent a mid September meeting has been proposed. Hopefully this meeting will provide clarity on what Mr Wu plans for Udney Park.
Local MP, Munira Wilson, gave an impassioned speech emphasising the importance of retaining playing fields for community use rather than allowing them to be land banked by developers.
I thought that I ought to update everyone as the latest moratorium period under the ACV is about to expire. At this point Mr Wu can market the site again to commercial bidders. Before the moratorium period he attempted to sell the site over a twelve-month period and attracted an offer from a single developer called Mr Williams. This bid later evaporated. No doubt Mr Wu hopes for more meaningful interest the next time around.
The Foundation has received welcome support from the football community as the statements below -
Lee Doyle, CEO of Brentford FC CST
"The Brentford FC Community Sports Trust aims to deliver exciting, progressive and socially inclusive multi-sports participation, coach education and facility development programmes, enabling participants, coaches and volunteers to realise their potential through community sport. The Trust supports the aims of the Udney Park Community Fields Foundation to buy and run these precious playing fields in Teddington"
