Silkmen Stadium Statement

The statement, which initially appeared on the club’s official website at www.mtfc.co.uk reads as follows.

MACCLESFIELD TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB`S VISION FOR A NEW STADIUM

Macclesfield Town has taken a step closer to its ambition of moving to a new home as it disclosed that it has held discussions with both Cheshire East Council and a major developer about the construction of a new community-focused stadium in the South Macclesfield Development Area.

The Silkmen were promoted to the Football League in 1997 and have been members of that elite competition for the past 12 years. The club achieved promotion in its first season as a League club but is now playing in League Two.

The current squad is youthful and is showing considerable promise under the tutelage of experienced manager Keith Alexander. The prospects for the immediate future on the pitch appear to be bright.

The club`s current home, The Moss Rose, has been improved over the years, most notably by the construction of the McAlpine Stand with its associated corporate facilities but it lacks the amenities needed to enable the club to achieve its potential.

The club`s vision for the new stadium is stretching but innovative, incorporating and extending ideas that have been developed elsewhere.

The stadium will be designed to meet the needs of the football club but will also incorporate facilities that will provide benefits to the community and the town. The proposed Stadium has already been included as a Base Training Camp in Manchester`s Host City bid for the 2018 World Cup.

The Club`s vision includes:

? A stadium with a capacity for 7,000 spectators
? A flexible arts and entertainment space providing exhibition and conferencing capability with the potential to house a 750 seat theatre-style venue for concerts, touring theatre etc.

? Accommodation for local community activities (healthcare, sports and leisure, education etc)

? Development of the adjacent landfill site for leisure use including much needed sports facilities to the south of the town. The development will utilise the area`s topography and the potential of the Peak District views offered by the location.

? Utilisation of the stadium as a source of renewable energy, potentially supplemented by landfill methane resources to achieve zero/low carbon status with the possibility of a combined heat and power providing energy to both the stadium and ancillary developments (a UK first?).

? Associated developments on the South Macclesfield site should be compatible with the multiuse stadium vision, utilising car parking and associated infrastructure

? The development should be planned as a part of a sustainable development of the town as a whole – compatible not competitive with the town centre with the intent of making Macclesfield a more vibrant place to live and to visit.

The club owns the Moss Rose stadium though covenants are in place to prevent it being developed for other than its current use. These covenants would be released should a new stadium be constructed.