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Updated: Stadium update - Judicial Review Ruling

FC United is delighted to announce that the judge has rejected the claim to quash the planning permission for our development in Moston.

After receiving planning permissions for the development of a community stadium and sports facilities at Ronald Johnson Playing Fields in Moston, a legal challenge was made to the Planning Permission by some local residents. This challenge was made in a Judicial Review with a court hearing held on 18th and 19th December 2012 in Manchester.

Manchester City Council was the defendant in the case and FC United also engaged a legal team as the ‘Interested Party’ to give us the best chance of success.

We are delighted that the judge has now rejected the claim and his decision is a huge step forward towards us achieving our aim of building our own ground and community facility in Moston.

We understand that some residents remain opposed to the development but look forward to ensuring that the new facility is an asset that provides a widespread benefit to the local area.

Whilst welcoming the decision, we do have a few further issues to clarify before we can start building.

We have faced many hurdles over the last few years in building our club; in delivering real benefit to the communities we interact with and in showing that there is a better way for football. The building of our community facility in Moston will be the pinnacle to date of that work. As a member-owned club, our supporters have been an integral part of our achievements since our establishment in 2005.

There will no doubt be a few more hurdles to come but we are confident that the club will remain resolute and we know that our supporters will redouble their efforts to bring our vision to fruition. We still have some hard work to do together in raising further funding through Community Shares and the Development Fund.

For now, we recognise the major step forward this decision represents and the board and staff wish to thank all our co-owners and supporters for their continued faith in the vision and plans we have set ourselves.

A copy of the judgment can be found here


First Posted ~ 16:27 Fri 25 Jan 2013
News ID ~ 4693
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021