Thetownend.com

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/8129356.County_Ground_developers_Whittled_down_to_one/

So it looks like Frank Whittle have been chosen as the project managers for the proposed redevelopment of the CG - this is great news...this company has an excellent track record.

however....are we not forgetting something??? Back in the early nineties didnt the chairman want to add a roof to the stratton bank? If i remember correctly this was blocked by a resident whos garden backs onto the stand.

Surely the same problem will arise?

Nope, we got permission for the roof but couldn't afford one.

Deepdale would be a very good model. Relatively cheap at £9.5m too.

Unless the roof is going to have a sprinkler system that rains ice cold water onto opposition fans during winter, i fail to see why we should worry about providing any cover in a stand that away fans use.

Wasn't stratton bank going to be a whole new stand itself, costing around 800k?

As already stated it was granted planning permission, but getting relegated again saw to the end of that. Not sure why the residents would complain anyhow, they have great big trees already covering their gardens.

Good news. Nice to see some positive progress on this and very much looking forward to seeing some sensible plans for a change

This is correct. IIRC I think we still do have planning permission to put a roof on the bank but have never had the money. I think Mark Devlin and the old board were considering putting a temporary roof on the bank but again it came down to the money not being available.

I really like the Leicester Tigers example

I sincerely hope the redevelopment of the home ends takes precedence over those on the away ends. The last thing we need is the away fans in a brand new stand with, most importantly, excellent acoustics, whilst were still stuck in the TE.

If we got something like Deepdale I would be chuffed to bits.

Deepdale is a nice ground and as stated was cheap to rennovate, and Deepdale was a fucking shithole of a ground before redevelopment, one of the worst run down larger grounds I visited back in the 80's, comparable to Vale Park for its scruffy dirty scabbiness, they have done so well in changing it totally.

What ever happens there will be NIMBY's anyway..

Nimbys stopped the original roof on the bank back in the 80's, apparently it cut out the sun from their back garden/allotments IIRC.

How can there be NIMBY's the football stadium is already there? A bit late for them to moan about it?

Its the rare green crested newt we need to look out for.

The cost quoted, 9.5m, seems a bit low considering the main stand cost 9m

I am pretty sure that you have to provide a portion of the away section undercover, when the Arkells is re-built I would imagine it will be for home fans only with boxes etc so unless we give them some of the DRS then building a roof is the only option.

I could be mistaken, but the figure of £1.8 million sticks in my mind as the cost of the 'Intel Stand'.  Obviously, that was in 1994 prices...equivalent to approx £2.8 million now.  On that basis, maybe £9.5 million isn't too far wide of the mark.

Fair enough, I was going on the figure quoted by footballgroundguide. Although it is important to bear in mind how much more expensive a main stand is, with boxes and all the facilities needed, compared to any other.

Maybe we should ask the local parlimentary candidates what their thoughts are on the CG being redeveloped and if they will back it

Are you expecting any of them to say anything other than "Oooh, yes, absolutely"? NB that's "say" not necessarily "mean"

I think it might have been sightly less....at the time there were substantial grants available for upgrade, don't think the Intel cost the club more than about 250K....a similar job was to be done on the Bank but we couldn't afford that. Ray Hardman always used to claim that planning and drawings was his thing and he did it for the club for nowt, thus saving 100K or so....I've no reason to disbelieve him except for a lifetime's mistrust of chairman's motives.

The away fans should be in the new stratton bank, Obviously there will be a roof on the new one, No need for them to be in with the home fans anymore.

The new stand is very impressive indeed.

here is an actual artists impression

[url width=640 height=480]http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/10/2043164//PNESTFC11.JPEG[/url]

 :hmmm: :D

 Looking at that, the thought occurs, that to get boxes in the North Stand it might be necessary to reduce the capacity...which will be made up by a bigger TE and Bank.

This seems like a good move by the board. Deepdale seems a little ground. Like what they have done there. Wouldn't mind something similar here really.

my friend is a preston fan, i went to stay with him for the weekend and went to a game a couple years back, its a nice cosy ground

I don't want the CG redeveloped  :cry:

We will lose the floodlights...

Ironside and Malone failed to get chosen.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2PyeXRwhCE

Fuck off or we'll move out and build a new one on your tip ....

Didn't Frank Whittle invent the jet engine?

No, Whittle invented the Waffle...............silly

As revealed exclusively in the Wilts and Glos Standard 3 days ago:

http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/sport/latestsport/8124380.TOWN_FLIER__Second_place_was_not_lost_at_Adams_Park/

 I thought Whittle invented sitting around pointlessly shaving the end of a stick with a penknife.

Quality!...didnt a certain Mr Whittle do the buisness with The Don at Palace in one memorable season.

No, that was Frank Whittling, Mr Whittle often gets mistaken for him

get rid of the floodlights.
am i the only one who thinks the lights have got dimmer over the years?
they've served us well but aint really up with the modern game.
times change.some decent lights along the top of the stands is the way to go

I like the floodlights. Maybe they need replacing, or a few extra bulbs or something, but they're a part of the skyline.

Preston's flood lights are snazzy, we should have something similar

this just got a mention from shaun on radio swindon whilst chatting to fitton. good work!

 :D
haha really, what did they say?

They're looking for a head designer and you're on the shortlist.

haha

No doubt you were warned as a young man that "it" would make you go blind?

hahaha.must be true,as i've been wearing glasses just over a year.

I caught a bit of the Fitton interview on BBC Swindon on that way to the ground. Fitton said that the stands will be redeveloped on similar lines to the DRS in look and feel. They had considered rotating the ground 90 degrees but felt it was an unneccessary and that would add unwanted costs. What Fitton did say is that re-developed Town End would be the focal peice of ground with a glazed front that would add to the Swindon gateway and that they were considering changing the exit to the ground straight onto the Magic Roundabout.

Presumably the glass front would be so people could sit in comfort and watch the visiting fans try and negotiate the magic roundabout?

please not to similar to DRS it will take hours to get everyone out of the ground!

Seems very sensible - but in terms of size, I'd be interested to hear what the plans are for the Arkells Stand.  If we were simply going to build a near replica of the DRS on the site of the Arkells Stand, we would be looking at a reduction in capacity.  Now I've heard the summary, I'm keen to see the detail (if there is any yet).

Sure they'll build a bigger version of the DRS as the main sit down stand, from what we've heard it would have to be bigger than the current Arkells capacity if we were looking at 20k+

even if arkells capacity was reduced surely the TE and SB would be much bigger than they are atm?

4 x DRS would equal about 18k, maybe that's the capacity we'll go for.

Or we could be really radical and do something along these lines...

Arkells Stand  - 9,500 capacity
DRS (existing) - 4,500 capacity
Town End       - 4,000 capacity
Stratton Bank - fence

On the existing footprint I don't think the capacity of the CG will increase significantly.

Stratton bank: rebuilt, don't think the size will change much  2,500

Don rogers: to stay, 5,000

Town end: rebuilt with hotel etc adjacent, prob single tier (watford, wolves) 5,000 ish maybe extending around corner adjoining new north stand

North stand: rebuilt with two tier, supporting glass front executive boxes in between the tiers
capacity slightly bigger than existing north stand 8,000 ish

total capacity would prob be around: 20,500 ish. Don't think it will be any bigger tbh.
Looking forward to the plans. I have no doubt attendances will increase greatly with a new stadium. In 1970 our average attendance was 19,600! Let's hope we can pull in some great crowds again

Hopefully they'll build something with future expansion if needed.

We would never need bigger than 25k, even in the prem.
Don't know if the trees behind the Don Rogers are protected? If not then expanding or adding another tier could add another 3-4,000.

I don't think fitton & co will go for 25k straight away, 20,500 max (probably slighty less)

Why not? We were turning fans away and have planning permission granted and alot of the supports built ready under ground to increase to 38,500. In the Poremiership with the tag alongs, you would almost certainly break 30,000, and if you stay there, more so.

Aim for the sky and reach for the stars!

Pleased your redevelopment plans are underway, and I hope you do keep a few old features like the floodlights. New stadiums are mostly boring and very repetative.

[url width=470 height=200]http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2006/10/11/470_expansion_4_470x200.jpg[/url]

[url width=470 height=200]http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/images/2006/10/11/470_expansion_2_470x200.jpg[/url]

It's a bit Arsenal, but the three stands expanded will remain one tier, the main one currently 8500 will be around 14000.

Got to get back there first tho, so this is very much on hold now.

Who knows, we could push over 25k in the prem, Untill we're there again we'll never know.
Reading & Swindon are similar sized clubs, without madjetski & still at elm park reading would prob be averaging the same attendances as us.

38,500 is very ambitious though! :O
there are big prem clubs that don't average 38k! Everton, Villa etc 

In similar vein, I was told to 'Save it until you're married'  I had two bucketfuls.