ACV – Decision

ACV Status for Hillsborough Stadium

We are delighted to confirm that Hillsborough Stadium has been declared as an Asset of Community Value by Sheffield City Council, this follows an application for ACV Status submitted by Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust, with the support of local community organisations and representatives. The ACV Status applies for a period of five years from 7th January 2022 – at the end of this period ACV status would need to be renewed. Hillsborough joins many other iconic football stadiums in becoming an ACV. It is to be hoped that the “Golden Share” recommendation from the Fan Led Review might be in place before then too.

It is possible that the owner of the stadium can appeal against the inclusion on the ACV register, but we understand the club made no comment in response to the Trust’s application for ACV status.

We would particularly wish to recognise the work of James Silverwood, our former Chair, in leading the development of the ACV submission.

ACV Status means that there are three protections for the stadium:

Material Planning Consideration: ACV status is something that can be used by the planning authority (the council) or a Government Planning Inspector, as a factor in refusing planning permission for full or partial change of use or demolition of the asset. It also prevents the use of the asset for certain types of development that is not of benefit to the local community.

Community Right to Bid: If there is a plan to sell or change the ownership of the stadium, people who use the asset, or members of the local community, can place a moratorium on the sale of the asset, for a maximum of six months to enable them to put together a bid to buy the asset. Any bid to buy the asset does not have to be accepted by the owner.

Compulsory Purchase Rights: The council can compulsorily purchase the asset if the asset is under threat of long-term loss for the community.

We are delighted that all the hard work put into the ACV submission has been successful, ACV status brings some protections and potentially some supporter and community influence over what might happen to the stadium in future. This is even more important as the stadium is not now owned by a company that is legally separate from the club and is also subject to a loan that has been secured against it. 

As well as bringing some protections for the stadium we want this to be a springboard for the formation of partnership between the club, the fans and the community that will bring benefits for the club and community. We will be making this proposal to the club, and we will keep you updated on this.

Whilst we recognise that ACV status of itself does not bring all the protections that we might want for our historic home it is a decent start. As we said earlier the final report and recommendations from the Fan Led Review of Football Governance has recommended that supporters, through a Community Benefit Society, (which the Trust is) should hold a “Golden Share” in the club which would include a right of veto over any possible change of stadium or stadium sale. We have written to the club to ask them to implement this in advance of any legislative change and/or new rules from an Independent Regulator, so that the club is ahead of the game on this. The club have not so far responded to this request.