The Sports Group is a focal point for driving business development opportunities forward.
Planning Consultancy
Savills has advised on some of the best known events and projects in the sports sector. Savills prepared the planning strategy for the London 2012 Olympics and the subsequent delivery for all planning approvals, with a similar role replicated on the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Savills has worked with many sports clubs in identifying new stadium and redevelopment opportunities, in addition to new training grounds. We understand the operational, funding and high profile nature of these projects.
Savills is market leader in the sector and our clients include:
- London 2012 - all completion venues, including Olympic Stadium
- Rugby World Cup 2015 - all venues
- Arsenal FC - Emirates Stadium and training ground
- Tottenham Hotspur FC - new stadium and training ground
- Everton FC - new stadium options
- Surrey CCC - new stands
- Nottingham Forest FC - new stand
Sports & Entertainment
We provide confidential property services for professional sports people. Liaising with players, clubs and intermediaries across all sporting arenas, Savills Sports & Entertainment gives exclusive access to the very best of our unrivalled network, expertise and beautiful properties, whilst guaranteeing absolute discretion, professionalism and privacy through one point of contact.
We are the link between our clients and the Savills UK and international network, taking the stress out of the process and saving them time and money.
We focus on three main areas: clubs, players and intermediaries/agents, offering a bespoke service within our global organisation.
We sponsor a number of industry bodies including the League Managers Association.
Leisure & Trade
We have extensive experience in advising public and private sector clients on the development, valuation, sale and letting of leisure properties and trading businesses including golf courses, health and fitness clubs, visitor attractions, marinas, tourist and static holiday parks and mobile home parks. We also provide specialist rating advice.
Examples of recent projects we gave undertaken in the Sports Services Sector are:
- Beyond Manchester (former known as Chill Factore) - valuation advice.
- Shooting Grounds - sale and valuation advice. In 2018 Savills Leisure successfully sold Kibworth Shooting Ground.
- Health and Fitness Clubs - sale and valuation advice. In 2015 Savills leisure completed the sale of Xpect Health & Fitness Braintree.
- Sports Stadiums and motor racing circuits - valuation and consultancy advice. Savills Leisure provided valuation advice on behalf of Allied Irish Bank (GB) in relation to the Kia Oval.
- Golf courses - sale, valuation, rating and consultancy advice
- Sports grounds - valuation and rental advice provided for private individual, corporate and institutional owners.
Building Consultancy
Our building and project consultancy service provides bespoke specialist solutions that can be applied across all technical aspects of acquisitions, ownership, occupation and disposal of property assets for sporting organisations and individuals.
More than 200 of our consultants advise on buildings and projects throughout the UK with regional offices in England and Scotland and further resource for coverage throughout Europe.
We have acted for numerous professional footballers in the UK in regard to property requirements, both commercial and residential. We have also represented football clubs with redevelopment options and assessments.
We are business partners with the Footballer's Union, PFA Scotland and in regular contact with clubs and their players in regards to property needs.
Development & Valuation
Savills development and valuation teams provide a range of consultancy and transactional advice to sports organisation across the country. Our work has seen Savills acting for a variety of clubs and landowners including golf and football institutions. Some examples of which are as follows:
- Bracknell Football Club – initial advice on the relocation of their existing stadium to unlock the current site for potential redevelopment.
- Crown Golf – across their whole portfolio of golf courses, planning, valuation and development advice.
- Maidenhead Golf Course – public sector, urban design, CPO, planning and development advice on a draft allocation owned by the local authority to deliver approximately 2,000 units and various non-residential uses including a school.
- Reading Football Club – planning, valuation and development advice on a parcel of land with planning for 615 units as part of a significant mixed-use scheme.
- Nottingham Forest Football Club - land acquisition and project viability advice.
Compulsory Purchase and Compensation
Sports related projects often require land assembly of numerous third party interests to enable delivery which may in turn require the need for compulsory purchase powers.
The dedicated Savills CPO team has ample experience advising promoters and claimants involving sports related projects, including:
- Advising Birmingham City Council in respect to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022
- Involvement with Maidenhead Golf Course (as mentioned)
- Preliminary compensation advice for the Football Association in respect to ancillary facilities at Wembley Stadium
- Acting for claimants in respect to the CPO for schemes such as the Brentford Community Stadium and the London 2012 Olympic Park
- Representing Tottenham Hotspur in respect to the High Road West regeneration
Read our National Sports Services brochure here
Read our Sports & Entertainment brochure here