Lease deal for Blacks

2:15pm Wednesday 19th December 2007

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MOSS Farm will be the home of Northwich Rugby Club for the next quarter of a century.

Blacks chairman Sam Naylor this week received a letter from Cheshire County Council confirming they had agreed in principle to a 25-year lease.

"All it needs now is a signature," said Naylor.

"But more than that I think it sends out a message about how we see the club developing in the future.

"We want to stay at Moss Farm and this says the site owners want us here too."

Northwich have made no secret of their wish to play a part in helping develop the sports complex.

Last month the Guardian reported that Vale Royal Borough Council, which co-manages the site with the county's governing body, had prepared two draft master plans of what the site could look like in the future.

One option is a groundshare between the rugby club and Witton Albion.

Another, sketched by consultants CB3 Design, does not envisage a move to Moss Farm for the football club.

Their vision includes a new purpose-built clubhouse and improvements to Blacks' first team pitch.

"I'm happy to look at all the options put on the table," said Naylor.

But the Northwich chairman said he had had no contact yet with either the council or Worthington to discuss the proposals.