West Bromwich Albion Football Club welcomes the decision of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council to grant The Hawthorns Asset of Community Value (ACV) status.
An ACV is defined as a building or other land where the main use is to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community, and The Localism Act states that ‘social interests’ include cultural, recreational and sporting interests.
The ACV covers the three pieces of land on which The Hawthorns is situated, as well as the club’s sports hall on Halfords Lane, which is operated by The Albion Foundation.
The club has supported the application throughout and wishes to thank Shareholders for Albion and Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council for the timely manner in which the ACV has been processed.
Chief Executive Ron Gourlay said: “We are pleased the ACV has now been granted. We offered our full support to Sandwell Council and Shareholders for Albion throughout the application process, and I would like to thank all parties for their contributions.
“At no point have there been any plans to sell The Hawthorns - it is our home – but an ACV adds a further layer of protection to the site to secure it for future generations of Albion fans, and that is really important.”
Once listed as an Asset of Community Value with a local authority, the local community will be informed if an ACV is listed for sale within the five year listing period. The community can then enact the Community Right to Bid, which gives them a moratorium period of six months to determine if they can raise the finance to purchase the asset.