It has been a while since the last update, but that is simply because we have all been busy behind the scenes reviewing every last detail.

Things are changing, and at the end of the day what we are planning will benefit Burnley Football Club.

These projects never happen faster than you think, but things are progressing and I would just ask the supporters to bear with us.

The message I have is that this building is going to be here for the fans' children and their children's children.

We will not simply put up a white elephant just for the sake of rushing into a new stand.

I will not commit to doing anything that I feel will be of detriment to Burnley Football Club and if it takes more time, it takes more time and that's the way it has to be.

So, where are we?

Well, a lot of work is still going on behind the scenes, with a confirmation of numbers to make sure everything works.

With these projects there are building plans and sets of architectural plans, but also running in conjunction is a business plan to make money.

I want to be involved in a project that makes money, because that is important for the future of the club.

So, while we have been doing these reviews, I can now formally say that we have chopped £5m off the proposed new development.

It's called 'value engineering', where you look at every level and every brick and every proposal to ensure you bring in the project without losing revenue.

It has been a worthwhile exercise to really crunch those numbers and we have some top London-based companies doing just that, to make sure that our business plan works correctly.

Once we are sure that we have a 'buildable' building, we can then put the planning application in.

That is impacting on the relocation of the dressing rooms - because being brutally honest we do not want to build that until we have got planning permission for the new stand development.

An impression of the new players' block

Why would we? It's almost like knocking down your existing house, with nowhere to live.

In tandem is the Gawthorpe redevelopment which, just like the dressing room block, does not make any money.

However, that has an invisible future payback because if we get better young players, then in the long term it repays itself.

That's hard to evaluate in pounds, shillings and pence.

However, it's the right thing to do because if you don't have the right facilities, you fall at the first hurdle in attracting players.

In the meantime, while all areas progress, we are out there looking for grants.

We feel this is a real community building for the benefit of the town and this part of Lancashire and, as such, should get some support.

Ultimately, we see it as a small arena that once a fortnight turns into a football stand, rather than having a stand that, 13 nights in 14, converts into a versatile arena.

Paul Fletcher MBE
Development Director