New Stand by 2020

Plymouth Argyle chairman James Brent says he wants a redeveloped Home Park grandstand to be the centre point of the city's 2020 Mayflower 400 celebrations.

The football club supremo said he is still committed to replacing the club's ramshackle grandstand five years after taking the reins at Argyle – and as the original planning consent for redevelopment lapses.

He still has plans for the stadium, and is working behind the scenes on ideas.

But he won't reveal them before they are finalised.

Mr Brent (above) said he had his fingers burned – and squandered £1.5million of non-football club cash – on drawing up previous plans for the stadium, a multiplex cinema, hotel and other commercial amenities.

These were made redundant when British Land subsequently won planning approval for a £40million cinema and leisure scheme at Bretonside, next to Drake Circus Shopping Centre.

"Once bitten twice shy," Mr Brent said. "We had plans that were approved by planning committee that were very well advanced.

"They cost about £1.5million – the club did not put a penny into that – but it cost us about £1.5million to produce the plans and get them consented, and then that particular scheme couldn't go ahead."

Mr Brent said he was now looking to put "plan B" into place, but would not reveal details.

He would only say: "It does require cooperation from others. I'm hopeful but until we have something which is signed up and committed to I'm not going to make the same mistake by announcing something."

He added: "I'm very hopeful and personally committed to it. It's absolutely right for the club, absolutely right for the city and we need to move that forward."

Mr Brent said he had been part of a delegation from Plymouth which met the American Ambassador at his residence in London to chat about celebrations around the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower's sailing in 1620.

He stressed: "Plymouth Argyle, Home Park, should be the centre piece for the sport and leisure activities in the city and we need to be bright and shiny and in a very good place well before that."

In September 2013, Mr Brent's Akkeron Group LLP received permission to build a new south grandstand, incorporating club retail and hospitality facilities.

The consent also allowed for construction of a 10-screen multiplex cinema, with IMAX facilities, ice arena, 121-bed hotel, medical centre, 3,293sq m of restaurant/café, 1725sq m of retail, community facilities and car parking.

But Plymouth City Council said the construction had to begin before the end of three years from the date of approval – September 20, 2016.

Mr Brent also reiterated his desire to purchase the stadium back from Plymouth City Council.

The club sold Home Park to the local authority to realise cash so it could pay of debts post-administration.


But Mr Brent said about half the cash received had gone back to the council in rent, and that bill is rising by 10 per cent to 20 per cent every five years.

"It's very expensive arrangement for the club," he said.

He said the board has resolved, but investors still need to approve, a plan to purchase the stadium

He said the cost of buying Home Park would be £1.7million – but if was continued to be rented the cost would be double to treble that amount.

He said himself and investors Simon Hallett and Tony Wrathall were keen to put in equity in return for shares which would not pay a dividend.

He called the idea "a total no-brainer" and said: "As we explain that better to fans we will get 100 per cent support."

Read more at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Theres more chance of me starting for Real madrid this wkend and banging Ronaldos missus than jimmy building his ministand by 2020...lol

Mayflower money he seems to be going for.

"Mr Brent said he was now looking to put "plan B" into place, but would not reveal details.

He would only say: "It does require cooperation from others. I'm hopeful but until we have something which is signed up and committed to I'm not going to make the same mistake by announcing something."


"Cooperation of others"? Meaning the council funding half of it? That's my bet.

"Not make the mistake of announcing something.." Meaning, by the time you plebs the fans find out the plans, it's going to be too late to do anything about it!


No doubt about it.... The PR machine is being wheeled out big time.

Rickler wrote:

No doubt about it....  The PR machine is being wheeled out big time.

Shorely now everyone can see that all James wants is what's best for the club?

The freehold purchase just has to go through without any opposition from anybody, anywhere.

Les Miserable wrote:

Rickler wrote:

No doubt about it....  The PR machine is being wheeled out big time.

Shorely now everyone can see that all James wants is what's best for the club?

The freehold purchase just has to go through without any opposition from anybody, anywhere.

and we want 100% fans support to help us get away with this

Looking forward to seeing who among the Politburo dare to put themselves above the Parapet on this one........

I'm sure timing of all this is pure coincidence. Y'know, the sudden desire to covince the world that there's a new Grandstand being readied for construction, just after we're told that the best way to ensure a new grandstand is built is for the freehold to be purchased by the club.

He's not kept to his word on anything significant so far, I don't see why this should be any different.

He's getting absolutely Mullered on Freechat over this one for sure.......

Good and so the shifty prick should as well harve

Will it have a dental surgery?
Feck off Brent and take your shit ideas and hollow promises with you!

Buy the ground then mortgage the feck out of it, and then build the crappest grandstand he can get away with. He doesn't have to use Akkeron money so no need for cinemas and shops.

He will need the council to let him off that promise he made about ice rinks though.

So PCC after asking the public for ideas on how to save £40 million are going to 'invest' in a football stand?

as if brent lol

It's all dodgy crap.

Brent is a serial non developer, there will we no Stand grand or otherwise built by uncle Jimmy,
Its all about getting the Gratefuls on board with his Purchase of the Freehold plan.

Not even a thread on Pasoti......too embarrassed to start one I expect as he's holding the fans in utter contempt now

Rickler wrote:

"Mr Brent said he was now looking to put "plan B" into place, but would not reveal details.

He would only say: "It does require cooperation from others. I'm hopeful but until we have something which is signed up and committed to I'm not going to make the same mistake by announcing something."


"Cooperation of others"?   Meaning the council funding half of it?  That's my bet.

"Not make the mistake of announcing something.."   Meaning, by the time you plebs the fans find out the plans, it's going to be too late to do anything about it!


No doubt about it....  The PR machine is being wheeled out big time.

Not often I agree with you, but ^^^^^ is bang on.

Here is the ideal Grandstand JB can replace it with, that should save him a few bob

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Welcome back Cerbera, one of the worst thing I have done on this site, was giving you one of my votes.I was told you learn by your mistakes.

As long as we all learn from our mistakes, eh?

Just under an hour to go.
Or is it not today at 20 past 8?

When he sets a target of by "2020" and says it "requires the co-operation of others" it's so obvious he's cottoned on that there's money set aside for Mayflower 400 anniversary celebrations to prepare for the influx of American tourists which didn't happen in 1970 and probably won't this time.

It's all dodgy crap (again)

We shouldn't be at all worried by brents ministand as it's very unlikely anything will ever be built. The existing grandstand will collapse on to that expanse of crumbling terracing all on its own long before any bulldozers have a go at it. We can be relaxed that nothing will happen as long as brent remains. The problem is brent still being there is stopping anyone else with a bit of ambition and vision coming in and building a stand befitting of the club.

BRENT OUT NOW!!!!!!!!!!