Stockport County agrees new 250-year lease on Edgeley Park

Stockport County Football Club has confirmed that it has agreed terms with Stockport Council on a 250-year lease for Edgeley Park, safeguarding the long-term home of the Club.

The new lease, subject to approval by the Council’s Cabinet on 15th March, allows the Club to build upon its existing investment into infrastructure and will enable further spending on improving the ground and facilities. Stockport Council will retain the freehold of the ground, ensuring that football will be played at Edgeley Park for years to come and enabling the Club to continue to contribute to the economic transformation of the Borough.

Since the Club’s purchase by local businessman, Mark Stott, in January 2020, over £3 million has so far been invested into the site, with improvements made to the pitch, seating, training facilities and the conference and events spaces at Edgeley Park. The investment is helping to raise the profile of Stockport on a national level as the club targets re-entry into the English Football League, and unlocking the Club’s capacity to deliver a range of community programmes through its Community Trust.

A wider strategic partnership between Stockport Council and Stockport County Football Club will also be considered by the Cabinet to build a platform for success for both the Club and the town, bringing investment into grass-roots football, education and local regeneration, supporting the long-term aspirations of both.

Along with further investment into Edgeley Park, the Club are focused on securing the Club’s Elite training facilities, providing a better space for young people to learn with a new campus style training and educational facility and the Council will help in facilitating this.

Jonathan Vaughan, Stockport County Football Club CEO said:

“We’re delighted to secure the long-term lease of Edgeley Park. Over the last two years, significant investment has been made into the Club’s infrastructure, re-engaging fans and shifting the Club’s position in the table.

Now the Club can focus on the long-term future of Stockport County, whilst having a positive impact on the town and its people, taking football into schools, providing better facilities for people to learn and train, whilst having a positive impact on the town’s economic growth.”