No plans for proposed arena site - council leader

Jane Ashworth said the council was open to conversations about developing the site

A council leader has denied the authority is about to sell off a site previously earmarked for a £50m arena despite presently having no plans for a specific alternative project.

Jane Ashworth, Labour leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, described arena plans for Etruscan Square in Hanley as “fantasy land” and said her administration was focused on a scaled-down scheme for the site.

“We have agencies at the moment working on how we’re going to make that the most cost-effective investment we can make,” she said.

Conservative opposition leader Daniel Jellyman previously told the BBC the original plans - conceived by the Tory group - could have gone ahead with support from private sector developers.

Papers due to be considered by council bosses later this month identify Etruscan Square as being “surplus to requirements”.

Ms Ashworth said the council was looking at proposals that would bring footfall into the city and while there was no particular scheme identified for the site, the council was open to ideas.

“It doesn’t mean it’s on the open market, it means at this minute we have no other plans to do with it and we’re willing to have conversations with people,” she explained.

Any scheme would likely involve housing, green space, “possibly” some retail offer, and “almost certainly” space for sports and leisure, she added.

'Eyesore'

People in Hanley shared their thoughts on Etruscan Square with BBC Radio Stoke on Tuesday.

One woman said: “Before they do anything with that, they should start tidying up the rest of the town.

“If you look around it looks really run-down and unloved."

She added: “Before they start planning anything there they should look at updating and tidying up the rest of the town so it looks a bit better for locals and any visitors who come to the area.”

Another described the site as an “eyesore”.

A male listener said: “I quite the like the idea of the stadium but apparently that’s not going to happen now.”

A report due to be considered by the council’s cabinet on 27 February states: “The city council owns a large number of assets, some 500 buildings across the geography of the city.

“Property expenditure represents a significant financial cost to the council, which is neither sustainable nor fundable in the future and therefore needs to be reduced.

“Property rationalisation is a critical element of the city council’s drive for efficiency [while] maximising opportunity for our communities and council-run services.”

It adds that the options being considered are regenerating the sites, selling them, or renting them out.