Fossetts Farm

Fossetts Farm Stadium

Artist's impression of Fossetts Farm Stadium
Location	Southend-on-Sea
Owner	Southend United
Operator	Southend United
Capacity	c. 21,000
Construction
Construction cost	£80 million
Architect	Populous (formerly HOK Sport)
Tenants
Southend United F.C.

Fossetts Farm Stadium is the provisional name for a stadium proposed to be built in Southend-on-Sea as a new home for Southend United F.C. to replace Roots Hall Stadium. The name may change if sponsorship for the stadium is secured. Planning permission was confirmed in 2008, but the scheme depends on financing from an adjacent retail development, and it is not known if or when this will become commercially viable.

On 7 May 2006, Southend United chairman Ron Martin revealed that the much-awaited multi-million pound stadium at Fossetts Farm is likely to go ahead after prolonged discussions over the ownership of the football club resulted in the property developer becoming the sole owner of the Shrimpers. He added that a detailed planning application for the 22,000 all-seater stadium would be submitted to the local authorities "in the next three or four months" with the aim to move into the new home for the start of the 2008/09 season.

Billericay-based property development company Martin Dawn took control of Southend United in November 1998 with chairman and chief executive Ron Martin, claiming that his company "is committed to a successful football club on and off the field, both of which can be enhanced by the future possibility of a new stadium and improved facilities for all." In March 1999 Southend United's Roots Hall ground was sold for £4 million to Martin Dawn subsidiary Roots Hall Limited to clear a £3.87 million debt; the club would lease back the ground at an annual rent of £400,000. Chairman at the time John Main was quick to calm the nerves of worried fans: "There is no question of Roots Hall being bulldozed to the ground before we have relocated to a new stadium – this club will not be homeless." But disgruntled shareholders demanded the resignations of several members of the board at an EGM called to rubber-stamp the sale, claiming that they should stand down for allowing the club to slip so dangerously into the red and forcing the sale of the club's only real asset. "These board members should be made to resign after displaying their utter incompetence by allowing the company to trade in an insolvent situation," exclaimed one annoyed shareholder.

In September 1999 Southend United announced that plans for a new multi-million pound stadium would be presented to council chiefs within weeks with chairman John Main confident that the club would be given permission to start construction early in the new millennium. "The council have been very supportive and we hope that the planning application passes through successfully", said Main. "If it does we can look forward to moving into a new state-of-the-art home within the next few years."