THE man appointed to deliver York’s new community stadium is to leave after seven years in post, with construction not yet having started, The Press understands.
Tim Atkins was appointed as community stadium project manager in 2008, on a salary of £43,000 to £50,000 a year, tasked with ending the long wait for a new home for York City FC and York City Knights RLFC.
But several sources have told The Press he has now chosen to leave City of York Council. The project is several years behind the original schedule but the council says early groundworks are underway and construction should begin in the new year.
Mr Atkins declined to comment on his future and City of York Council said it would be inappropriate to discuss an individual’s employment if they were below director or assistant director level. He has not yet left his post but The Press has been told he has handed in his notice.
John Guildford, owner of York City Knights, said: “I wish Tim all the best. He has taken the project as far he can and I think this is a massive step forward for the project. We now need some clear objectives for what we are trying to achieve.”
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Independent councillor Mark Warters said the contract to design, build, operate and maintain the stadium was originally intended to be discussed by the council's executive and full council last week but this had been put back to February's executive meeting.
He said this meant the matter could not therefore be put to full council before March, which would make a prompt start on construction in the New Year impossible.
Mr Atkins initially led the drive to identify a site for the stadium.
Land at Huntington, near the Vangarde shopping centre, was eventually selected, and The Press reported in November that contractors had started preparing the ground to allow construction of the stadium to start early next year.
Just last weekend, we reported that demolition crews had started taking down the stands at the old Huntington Stadium.
The council spokeswoman said: "Early works are well underway and are expected to be completed in the New Year, which will pave way for the construction phase to commence."
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