Unfortunately there is no good news to report about the project to build a new stadium for Brentford Football Club at Lionel Road. As reported in January, Barratt Homes has withdrawn from the project and terminated its agreement with the Club.
The Club has an option to buy the site from Barratt Homes, but this was part of the deal negotiated in 2007 at the height of the market and that price is way above the current market price. Matthew Benham, with whom Bees United has a five-year partnership to inject funds into the Club, said he was prepared to buy the site, but not at the sort of figure that Barratt Homes appears to want.
“Negotiations with Barratt Homes have been long, slow and arduous and we are not confident of success,” commented Brian Burgess, project leader and former chairman of Bees United. “We’ve not been able to issue a progress report since January 2011 because we were anxious not to risk the chances of reaching an agreement with them.”