New Ground Shelved!!!

[Spud]

Id be happy to call our team Bath/Swindon if it meant the club continued instead of folding .. we have to be realistic

No fucking chance! :evil:

Agreed, Bath fucking Swindon!  :fag:

[Batch]

A bit more detail on the housing here dazzza, doesn't really expand too much on TalkTalk's posting mind


http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/wiltshire/swindon/news/SWINDON_NEWS0.html

[Dazzza]

Many thanks TalkTalk.

No mention of private open-market housing, which is interesting.  I thought there would be a fair bit involved as it’s usually where the bread and butter lies in a lot of developments with the first time buyers used as a trade-off to get the green light.

Problem with first time buyers they are sold at a reasonably low capped rate, which can mean they sometimes get crammed in on sites to get the full commercial value of the land.

[Cookie]

The Council will not be able to change the land use so that they can then build houses, it's illegal, otherwise the current administration would be buying relatively worthless farmland all around the borough, granting planning permission and then selling the land at greatly inflated rates thus generating huge income for the Council at the detriment to private land owners and the green belt.

Some people would argue that this sale of assets would be in the greater public interest i.e. capital to build library, art gallery, social housing, even a football stadium.

I do know that the Council will be able to sell assets in the near future and will have a capital fund for public buildings, however, would the average household in Swindon rather see a state of the art library or a state of the art football stadium, our attendances should be able to tell you the answer to that one.

Add to this that the council is skint (much like the football club) and aiming to keep Council tax rises down in the face of huge extra burdens form central government then it will be very difficult to persuade democratically elected councillors to build a football stadium ahead of buying new books for schools etc.

Hull City Council become very rich after the sale of Kingston Communications and are probably a bit different to SBC (saying that Hull City Council is rated the worst in the country) which is maybe how they afforded the capital to build a new sports facility??

I think Wootton bassett maybe a good idea but are North wilts Council going to be anymore sympathetic than SBC?? All councils face the same funding problems, just look how public services are going down the drain everywhere.

[Dazzza]

A bit more detail on the housing here dazzza, doesn't really expand too much on TalkTalk's posting mind


http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/wiltshire/swindon/news/SWINDON_NEWS0.html

Cheers chief.

Looks like it could really go wither way.  The argument seems to be that the club would benefit to the tune of £25 million, which provided the council retain overall ownership of the site is not strictly true.  Again harps back to the argument of ‘community facility’ against ‘improved accommodation’ to benefit a private business.

All depends on the exact facts as that article doesn’t really tell the story I’ve read elsewhere today.

Back to Hull again the unfortunate difference is that the whole City was incredibly united in backing the scheme from the word go.  

I’ll always remember talking to an old dear well into her 70’s and even with all of the facilities she was unlikely to ever use the site yet she paid for it (well her tax did) and was still incredibly proud and positive about the whole thing.

[mattboyslim]

Part of the problem seems to be that the CG isn't too bad a ground, we have no terracing, 2 respectable side stands, nothing is falling down too much either.  Compared to a lot of recently redone grounds ours ain't too bad.  To the untrianed eye, the non regulars of the Town it is hard for them to see the need for the stadium, even less so the additional facilities and secondary income streams that it could bring.

[Johno]

only getting a new stadium to increase revenue right?

[Dazzza]

The Council will not be able to change the land use so that they can then build houses, it's illegal, otherwise the current administration would be buying relatively worthless farmland all around the borough, granting planning permission and then selling the land at greatly inflated rates thus generating huge income for the Council at the detriment to private land owners and the green belt.

Don’t quote me on this but I’m pretty sure the potential release/sale of the Goddard sporting Covenant was negotiated during Shaw, at least in part which would allow the change in use of the land.

I’ve no idea just how much of the land surrounding the ground the Covenant protects but in parts it gives us some room to negotiate as our potential demise/runner leaves a gaping big site with very limited usage.  Unless the council finds a new tenant to pay the 100k+ annual rent on the CG then it faces the significant loss of income and faces having to pay the up-keep and maintenance of a large site.  

In theory (and it's a big-un) turning down the development actually could cost the council a fair bit of cash not only in lost revenue through rent but technically they wouldn't get away with a derelict stadium on site for to long (provided it’s lands end or bust for the club) before it had to be replaced then you're talking demolition costs without recuperating cost on any commercial development as the land’s protected.

All this presuming the club don’t expect the council to make up that missing 20 odd million in funding!   :|

Again though I’ve no idea just how much actual protection the Covenant gives us individually as a club or the actual use of the site in the future.  If it specifically protects Swindon Town FC and is bound to do so then it’s a big plus.  Anyone know?

[Tails]

They've not been fully shelved yet as I don't believe they are the last plans that were submitted...

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

so thats the end of Swindon Town then! i hope the council realise what they have done! they can all fuck off!  :fu:

[pauld]

Guys, calm down. Despite the large quantity of ill-informed Adver hype (note the story's written by their news/politics reporters who don't know shit about the football club) all this really means is that the current proposals in their current form are unlikely to progress. It does not mean that there is no chance of redevelopment at the CG, or in Swindon, just that the club need to come back with more realistic proposals (in terms of not expecting such a large asset transfer as part of the deal). A deal can still be done, just not on the terms the club proposed in the outline plans they submitted in August. Don't let a few local journos looking for an over-excited headline put us all into a depression that we've got no choice other than to watch the club go bust or leave the town.

[reeves4england]

As much as pauld may be correct, you can't help but feel disappointed and annoyed as  you see SWINDON TOWN FC looking at relegation and a struggle for actual survival as a club at all.

This news is just another worrying thing contributing to the depressed state of football in Swindon right now

[pauld]

As much as pauld may be correct, you can't help but feel disappointed and annoyed as  you see SWINDON TOWN FC looking at relegation and a struggle for actual survival as a club at all.

This news is just another worrying thing contributing to the depressed state of football in Swindon right now

Hell, yes. It is all part of a pretty depressing/worrying picture on and off the pitch but don't be conned into thinking things are as bleak as the Adver headline writers would have you believe. Just don't want to see anyone giving up because of an over-hyped local paper headline, is all

[Simon Pieman]

I think people are so pished off with the lack of progress - it's been years now! Unfortunately SBC haven't backed the club or the fans so I think many of us will do the same back to SBC.

[Leggett]

in all honesty, im not really suprised. SBC seem to be totally uninterested by this football club, which is a shame. i'm struggling to see any positives that could come of any of this.