Bracknell Town FC’s director was asked if he could be interested in moving the club to Bracknell Leisure Centre by council leaders it can be revealed.

The News revealed last week that club director Kayne Steinborn-Busse had plans to replace Bracknell Leisure Centre with a huge new sports complex, and that he’d discussed these plans with Bracknell Forest Council.

When questioned, the council said it had become aware of Mr Steinborn-Busse’s plans in early 2022, and told him in March that year that it wouldn’t take them forward.

However, the News has since seen emails that suggest council officers first approached the club director in June 2021 on behalf of the then-Conservative council leader Paul Bettison.

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An email dated June 24, 2021, suggests a council officer contacted Mr Steinborn-Busse to ask him if he thought Bracknell Leisure Centre ‘could potentially be a site for Bracknell Town Football Club’. Mr Bettison has confirmed to the News he remembers asking the officer to do this.

Mr Steinborn-Busse replied stating his interest, and emails between him and council officers indicate they met to discuss his plans in July and December 2021.

He and senior council officers and leaders discussed his proposals at a meeting in March 2022. In a following email, the council’s executive director for delivery Kevin Gibbs said the scheme ‘looks fantastic’ and ‘matches the ambitions of the borough’.

However, the executive director for delivery went on to detail several aspects of the proposals that the council would not be able to accept, as well as planning constraints. The email also explains how the leisure centre would have to stay in council ownership, and that any lease or contract would have to go out to competitive tender where other companies could bid.

Mr Steinborn-Busse replied that he is still ‘committed to participating’ in the redevelopment, and an officer responded that the council ‘will be back in touch with you at the appropriate time’. The discussions appear to have since gone quiet.

READ MORE: Bracknell Leisure Centre to get upgrade – and there could be a new one

Mr Gibbs stood by the council’s previous statement emphasising, which does not say that the council hadn’t been in discussion with Mr Steinborn-Busse before 2022.

In a new statement he reiterates that the council is producing a 10-year leisure strategy and that it is “bound by strict procurement and planning rules” that affect any future proposals.

Mr Gibbs said: “The council has been clear that it will not be taking forward the SB Group proposals regarding the Bracknell Leisure Centre site.

“It would be inappropriate for us to pre-empt the conclusion of the current leisure strategy consultation and any possible tender process that may arise from it.

“Our previous statement about the situation remains an accurate reflection of our current position and we will not be commenting any further.”