Shaw Park Developments

[TalkTalk]

Th CG isn't going to work (i don't think).

Why is that, Blackcurrant?

[Sippo]

Get your facts right before you post shite, eh?

Get you!! I was posting my thoughts. It was my opinion. I have occasionally walked up that way with my dog on many a morning and have never seen anyone up that way. I beleive that the roads could've been improved to handle the traffic. I don't beleive I was posting shite.

It doesn't matter now anyhow as its a lost cause, still doesn't mean it was the right decision not to develop that land.

[McLovin]

I think that there is not enough space to really make a stadium that will be very profitable all year round and drive the club forward like the Mad Stad, KC, Liberty etc.  I'm just of the opinion we need a lot more space than is on offer to make something that also looks the part rather than a 'bodge-job' trying to cram in affordable housing/hotel/casino/whatever to a small area.

[Cookie]

I think the CG is the best location for a football ground. I hate out of town football stadia and like walking to the the ground after a couple of beers. Most out of town stadium are miles from a decent boozer.

[Bushey Boy]

the problem is most of the general public in swindon are very opposed to development.  The shaw development made me laugh a lot due to the fact that most of the protestors lived in abbey meads or shaw which until a few years back were actually green sites themselves (dont take offence talk talk).  

Its similar to the new swindon company development in the town centre, most people are saying oh its a disater to lose half the town for many months, lose the car parks, the older buildings.  The fact is with development brings money into the local economy, jobs, investment and most of all a better standard of living.  By doing nothing our town will stand still and in 20 years time teh swindon public will want an inquiry into why the local council stood still and did nothing.

The main problem the club will have in developing swindon is the general perception of the football club by many residents.

[Piemonte]

Good points Ash.

[Dazzza]

The other strange thing that I came across is that our parent company had given a loan of just under a million in 2004 back to the Shaw development company.

Presumably as it’s listed as a loan it’s not a repayment of any of the money leant directly to the club.

[Northern Red]

The main problem the club will have in developing swindon is the general perception of the football club by many residents.

This is why a multi-purpose development was put forward.
Those who don't care about football club want: Rugby, Concert Venues, sports facilities for personal use

My Dad's a prime example: Moans about the club "its not a priority for Swindon" etc. But in the same breath moans that he drives to Gloucester for Rugby and Swindon lacks a proper concert venue.

[TalkTalk]

The shaw development made me laugh a lot due to the fact that most of the protestors lived in abbey meads or shaw which until a few years back were actually green sites themselves (dont take offence talk talk).

No offence taken Ash.

However, all of Swindon was green fields if you back far enough.

Everybody in Swindon (unless you live in the core of Old Town) lives in a house built on green space since the mid-1800's.

Penhill, Covingham, Nythe, Walcot, Toothill, Freshbrook et al are all post-second world war. As in fifty-ish years ago they were home to cattle, sheep and crops. It's a pointless argument, tbh.

[Bushey Boy]

very true, I blame my father as he is a former developer (waiting for the heckles etc) and he bult most of liden/covingham back in the day.  I think your meaning its a silly argument as everyone would then be wrong as most live in new builds (in teh last 30 odd years).

I live in westlea which was 1980 so I cant moan.

To get teh development going though you need to do as northern red said.  We must use it more than 23 occasions of the year.

[RobertT]

Hence the proposals worked on by the Trust and friends, which rely on income generation from the sq footage of developed space around the current ground - office, retail, residential.

[Bushey Boy]

the site is a good size but to gain the best return on investment the county ground is teh wrong place.  Front garden is ideal but the council would be in huge trouble for it.  The best place would be behind the gipsy site inbetween junction 16 and wootton bassett.  Its up for sale at the moemnt and is double teh size of the county ground.  Also j16 of m4 so no away fan trouble (have to work on train links)

[pauld]

But costs £1.5m per sq acre apparently. And flies in the face of local, regional and national govt policy on reducing trip count, reuse of brownfield sites, would not make best use of existing transport infrastructure etc

PS My house is over 100 years old, so does that mean I can have a go at all you new-build people?  

[Piemonte]

Rich bastard Paul - you get the moral high ground

[pauld]

Erm, just cos it's old doesn't mean it's posh. Bit tatty actually. Although, that's mainly since we've been living there