Town MDs Jonathan Symonds and Ian Milne say the club has no current plans to build on any part of the club’s training ground. There was speculation that some of the Bent Lane facility might be developed after last year’s accounts revealed it had been sold to another of Blues owner Marcus Evans’s companies.
The Bent Lane half of training ground was sold to Marcus Evans (Guernsey) for £1.32 million during the year 2011/12 with Town now paying an annual rent of £40,000.
"Tax reasons,” Milne said, explaining the move. "It’s been sold to another part of the group. Marcus has put however many millions into the club.
"The ground here at Portman Road is owned by the Borough Council. It’s part of how the group accounts for this and I wouldn’t read anything into that. It’s not gone to any third party, it’s still within the group.”
Symonds says the academy moving to category one illustrates that the facility, which has 14 pitches, is required and that there are no plans to sell any of it or for any development to take place: "It does all get used.
"Clearly we’ve got a commitment to where we’re going with the academy and we need the training ground.
"We’re always going to need a large facility because of the nature of how we’re running the club, in terms of moving to category one and having the first team there.”
Milne added: "All of the playing areas are utilised and I don’t think they’ll ever be sold off. If there was any part that was not used, then I’m sure Marcus would look at opportunities to see if bits can be developed, but there are no plans on that at the moment.”
If the club was sold in the future, would Evans look to keep hold of the training ground? "If he were to sell the club, it would be part of a negotiation like everything else,” Symonds said. "We can’t predict what would happen in the future.”
Former chief executive Simon Clegg revealed that the club tried to buy the freehold at Portman Road in October 2011 but Milne says there have been no new developments on that front: "I discussed this with [IBC chief executive] Russell Williams and they’re not interested in selling at the moment, so nothing’s going on there.
"It would be nice to buy it, we’ve been very public [that we’d like to] buy it but I think it’s all part of a political football, whether to sell or not.”
The ground was recently made an Asset of Community Value which means it can’t be sold without fan groups or other community bodies being given the first opportunity to make an offer for it.
Milne outlined the club’s view of the move, which was instigated by Ipswich Town Ist, the supporters trust: "The club took the view that we don’t own the land and it was up to the council to do it.
"It’s quite interesting that they own the land and ended up saying ‘Yes, it’s got to be [considered to have] community [value]. I think they were as confused as everybody else was.
"It was quite an interesting situation. It’s not for us to comment on, but I did say to Russell ‘Is this a conflict of interest?’.”
Photo: ITFC