A Moray football club is attempting to secure its future at the site it has occupied for 130 years by placing control of the ground in the hands of the local community.
Forres Mechanics FC currently leases the land on which Mosset Park stands from Moray Council, which means the club is under a constant threat of eviction.
Their chairman, Dr James Anderson, explained the authority could choose to exercise a “two-year termination clause” in the agreement at any time.
He argued that condition had “hampered” the club and prevented it from expanding.
However, Dr Anderson has now joined forces with the Forres Community Leisure group – and has backed the latter’s quest to take ownership of the land in question.
He said: “For our club, that means transferring ownership of our assets at Mosset Park to allow them to be developed and made available to others in the community.
“Operating under the threat of eviction from the two-year termination clause in our lease with Moray Council has really hampered the planning and development of the club and its facilities.
“So we are looking forward to working with FCL to establish a firstclass community facility.”
The leisure group was first established in response to developer Redco Milne’s proposals to buy the stretch at Bogton Road and convert it into a £20million retail and hotel complex.
But those plans were quashed by Moray Council last year, and the group has now revealed its ambition to acquire Mosset Park and the surrounding area.
Their members hope to transform the patch of common good land, adjacent to the ground, if the local authority agrees to a community asset transfer on the site.
FCL chairman, Don Wright, has been talking with organisations in the town about the best possible uses for the land on its eastern outskirts.
But he confirmed that he has already reached an agreement with Forres Mechanics about the potential transfer of its assets if the council approves the plans.
He added: “We truly believe in preserving common good land for the good of the community, and we intend to develop our plans with the full involvement of local people.
“Initial indications suggest there is a lot of support for a community facility and for improving the existing stadium at Mosset Park.”
