Blues Trust can today confirm that it has submitted further evidence to Birmingham City Council in support of an ongoing attempt to list St. Andrew’s Stadium as an Asset of Community Value.

An initial application to list the ground – Blues’ home since 1906 – was submitted to the Council in June under Localism Act 2011. As part of the legislation, the Act specifies that a decision is to be made within eight weeks of a nomination being received.

Further discussions with senior Council officials took place earlier this month in a bid to establish the reason behind the delay to the application. During which time, the Council sought advice from other local authorities, including Oxford City Council, who recently approved a nomination by Oxford United Supporters’ Trust, OxVox, to list the Kassam Stadium as an Asset of Community Value.

In a letter dated 13th September, 2013, Birmingham City Council made a request for further information in support of the Trust’s ACV application. The Council also imposed a two week period in which to submit any new evidence, despite breaching their legislative deadline by more than a month.

Additional documentation was submitted by Blues Trust to the Council by post and email on 26th September, 2013 by Board Director Robert Hughes CBE, two days prior to the Council’s 28th September deadline.

“The Council appears to be dragging its feet over the fate of St. Andrew’s. It is very frustrating that it is taking so long when grounds like Old Trafford are already listed”, said Hughes.

Trust chairman Steve McCarthy said: “We remain disappointed that a decision on our nomination is yet to be made. For the Council to then impose a two week deadline for us to submit further evidence, which happened to fall on a non-working day, certainly adds to the frustration. We still hope that a positive decision will be forthcoming in due course.”

A decision on the application to list St. Andrew’s Stadium as an Asset of Community Value is expected in October.