Warwickshire County Cricket Club | Edgbaston | Stadium | Comp.

[smysticed]

Well, to be fair they don't seem to ask for great design from every application - it would be nice to think they were expecting high standards of design across the board.

[feltip]

Warwickshire looking to get £30m Pavilion End plan under way by April
Feb 26 2009 by Brian Halford, Birmingham Post

BRIAN HALFORD

Staff writer

Warwickshire hope to get their ‘master plan’ to rebuild the Pavilion End of Edgbaston under way in earnest in early April, members were told at the club’s annual general meeting last night.

After hearing that the club’s financial situation has enjoyed a “very welcome turnaround” in the last year – a £478,000 profit – members were told that the £30 million pavilion scheme is set to go before Birmingham City Council planners on March 26.

Approval is far from a formality with more than 40 objections having been lodged. And even if councillors vote in favour, the council still has to then sanction a substantial loan to the Bears to enable the redevelopment to go ahead.

But Warwickshire chief excecutive Colin Povey last night dared to envisaged the best-case scenario: That the end of the long and tangled preparatory process is in sight.

“I am hopeful that, by the start of the season, we will have both planning permission and a financial commitment from the council in place,” Povey said. “The council has stated its intention to hold fire on the loan decision until the planning process is complete so as not to put any implied pressure on that process.

“Our intention is still very much to start demolition before the end of the season and have the whole scheme complete by the summer of 2011 when we hope to stage the Test against India.”

Cricket business at last night’s meeting saw Tony Frost collect the 1st XI all-rounder of the year award. Jonathan Trott won the batting award while Chris Woakes took the bowling accolade.

Richard Johnson was named most improved 2nd XI player, Nathan Newport the under-19s player of the year and Ateeq Javed was the most promising young cricketer and under-17s player of the year.

Bears member Kim Jones failed in his attempt to win a place on the general committee.

The five incumbents – Neil Houghton, Jamie McDowall, Iain Metcalfe, Jeremy Payne and Malcolm Willcox – were re-elected though the number of votes cast for each candidate was not shared with the members.

http://www.birminghampost.net/midlan...5233-23013952/

[Biosonic]

Good news and fingers crossed

[Richoftheb]

Will we get a radical re-design ?

[feltip]

Edgbaston's Test match future 'at stake'
Mar 30 2009 by Neil Elkes, Birmingham Post

The expansion of Edgbaston would ensure its future as a home of Test matches for years to come, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s plans for a £30million upgrading of the stadium and surrounding area are under the spotlight at two public meetings on Thursday. But English cricket’s governing body has thrown its full weight behind the scheme.

The club fears it could follow Old Trafford, Manchester, which is not hosting a Test match until 2011, into the international wilderness. It is estimated that international cricket generates £12million per year for the Birmingham economy and the ECB’s head of venue partnerships, Gordon Hollins, confirmed the development could ensure that future. He said the aim was for spectators to enjoy cricket in world-class venues with world-class facilities.

“The ECB is aware of the plans at Edgbaston and have been in close consultation with Warwickshire CCC throughout this process to ensure the stadium will meet the world-class requirements of the ECB’s facilities policy,” he added.

“This will become a prerequisite for grounds wishing to stage international matches in the future.”

The ground is scheduled to be a Test venue until 2011, but after that faces competition from Sophia Gardens, in Cardiff, the Rose Bowl, in Southampton, and Riverside, Durham, as well as the traditional venues of Lords, The Oval, Headingley and Trent Bridge.

Residents are angry at what they see as the over-development of the site and will have the chance to have their say at a meeting at the stadium at 6.30pm on Thursday.

The report will also be discussed by Birmingham’s planning committee the same day, although no decision will be taken.

Several residents’ associations are battling what they see as the over-development of the site and have the backing of two city MPs, Roger Godsiff and Lynne Jones, plus local councillors.

There are a range of controversial issues, including permanent floodlights, demolition of houses, the inclusion of a hotel, offices, leisure complex, cafes and houses and the development of the ground itself.

Mr Godsiff, the Labour MP for Sparkbrook and Small Heath, said: “The facilities need updating and, if the proposal was to replace existing facilities with new ones roughly in line with the height and density, the club would have a powerful case. But the current proposal goes way beyond this. This project is about the incorporation of a sports village complex, with hotels, offices, apartments, pubs and bars.”

Mr Godsiff said the view taken by a Government planning inspector who refused the club permission to install permanent floodlights nine years ago was still relevant now.

On that occasion, officials decided the lights would have been “unacceptably dominating” for residents

He has instead suggested retractable floodlights would be a suitable, if more expensive, compromise.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...5233-23261111/

[OperateOnMe]

Previous planning approval for 4 nasty light fittings ;-) at this ground was rejected last time.

This time round the management at the ground wants to install 5 much taller and nastier floodlights at a height of 58m (188ft), with panels of 10x5m (30x15ft), more or less the size of the 'side of a house' in mid-air.

This will look awful (especially with the new pavillion) and degrade the area including house prices (resident concerns), just because the management wants to install the cheapest and brightests lights available plus use them for non-cricket events. I am hoping the planning application will be rejected and they realise if they put forward an aesthetic proposal the local community will support it like the main ground development.

Buildings and structures should enhance areas!

[OperateOnMe]

I'm sure if they develop the main Pavillion, install 'polarised/filtered floodlights' on the stands and have six 'telescopic' panel floodlights (similar to the temporary mobile floodlights they use now), it would be approved and look nicer.

When I was a child I use to love going to this ground, I'm really hoping they wont spoil it.

[Biosonic]

Modern purpose-built floodlights would have far less light spill than generic hired ones. Tbh local residents would be far better off fighting for these assurances than objecting to the scheme - the cricket ground is world famous and needs the upgrade so it will happen, but they can ensure that the impact is minimised.

[Brums'grove]

Council to loan £20m for redevelopment of Edgbaston cricket ground

Apr 6 2009 By Paul Dale & Ben Goldby

Birmingham City Council will bankroll a major makeover of Edgbaston cricket ground by lending Warwickshire County Cricket Club £20 million.

Cabinet members have agreed a 30-year loan at a five per cent rate of interest.

The offer is subject to WCCC obtaining planning permission for the refurbishment, which will replace existing stands, provide permanent floodlighting, increase spectator capacity to 25,000, and improve hospitality facilities.

Housing development and a hotel are also proposed on a site close to the ground. The scheme, at a total cost of £32million, comes before the council planning committee on Wednesday.

Cricket club officials say the changes are vital if Edgbaston is to retain its Test Match status and appeal as a venue for international floodlit games.

According to a cabinet report, there is no certainty beyond 2011 that Birmingham will retain Test cricket unless Edgbaston is improved.

The report adds: “Edgbaston provides a showcase for English cricket to a growing global audience, in particular the emerging markets in south Asia. Economic impact studies show the current value of major cricket matches hosted at Edgbaston to be worth £12 million a year to the regional economy.

“There is increased competition from new cricketing venues to stage major matches and the club considers it must improve its facilities, including floodlighting.

“Without such improvement and investment, the club states it would be unlikely to meet the requirements of the English Cricket Board for major matches, and so the club, local employment and the wider city economy would suffer from the loss of the most important fixtures.”

The planning application is opposed by scores of people living close to the ground who argue that the proposal represents over-development and that floodlighting would be intrusive.

The opponents have been backed by local MPs Lynne Jones and Roger Godsiff.

Phil MacDonald, operations and development director at WCCC, welcomed the decision to grant funding to the club.

“This funding is critical. To have the city council lend us a significant proportion of that money is extremely important both to us and to Birmingham,” he said. “It is very important that the second city maintains an international cricket venue and this is a step in the right direction.”

Warwickshire claim their proposed redevelopment will create nearly 4,000 jobs and bring more than £12million per year into the local economy through the hosting of Test matches and lucrative day/night limited overs games.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...5233-23326937/

[markmcd1976]

Again, in the current climate the council won't turn this down. They can't afford the city to lose such a high profile event for the sake of residents complaining about 10 nights out of 365 when the floodlights are on.

[Nacho]

Interestingly, if the council can find the money for the cricket ground then they should be able to meet their part for the Metro . We have heard that the council will have to provide around 40 million .

[Steldemetriou]

Oh dear

£32m Edgbaston redevelopment fails to get planning permission
Apr 8 2009 by Paul Dale

People power has brought a massive £32million makeover of the Edgbaston cricket ground to a shuddering halt.

Angry residents packed a meeting of Birmingham City Council planning committee to complain that the scheme would make their lives intolerable.

They said the project, which includes permanent floodlighting, new stands, a housing development and hotels, is too large and will cause traffic chaos.

Councillors agreed and refused to grant planning permission. They deferred a decision and urged the club to talk to residents about ways in which the proposal might be toned down.

The committee also ordered council transportation officials to conduct traffic impact surveys.

The decision, against the advice of planning officials who recommended approval, will alarm the council’s Conservative-Liberal Democrat cabinet which agreed to lend Warwickshire County Cricket Club £20million toward the cost of the work.

City council leader Mike Whitby has identified improvements to Edgbaston as a key pillar in Birmingham’s attempts to lure international sport to the city.

But cabinet approval for the loan, two days before the planning committee meeting, angered residents who described the move as a “cynically-timed decision”.

Club officials insist ground improvements are essential if Edgbaston is to continue to stage Test cricket and lucrative Twenty20 night-time matches.

But the scheme has stirred up an avalanche of public protest and the council received more than 60 letters of objection.

Cannon Hill Neighbourhood Forum chairman Leo Nation said a similar proposal involving permanent floodlighting had been rejected by the council eight years ago – a decision upheld by a government planning inspector.

Mr Nation said: “Each of the pylons will be as tall as a 20 storey building and each light panel as big as the side of a house. A source of civic pride and beauty would become an eyesore dominating the landscape for ever.

“There will be more light pollution and major disruption to the natural ecology.”

Coun Paula Smith (Lib Dem Hall Green) said: “If the cricket club had met with local people from day one we wouldn’t be in this position now.

“This scheme raises many concerns, not least the hotels and the houses.”

WCCC chief executive Colin Povey insisted glare from the new floodlights would not be as great as the existing temporary floodlights, which the club can continue to use without obtaining planning permission.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/n...name_page.html

[markmcd1976]

Oh dear... goodbye test cricket in Birmingham.

[Biosonic]

Not quite but I am shocked. There is a bit of a rebellion in the Tories and I think this is a warning shot (unless the committee is mostly non-tory of course!).

I can't believe that the scheme didn't include a traffic impact assessment so deservedly needs to be deferred. They can't get rid of the floodlights though - they are crucial!

[Erebus555]

Thank God! Get some decent looking architecture here!

[markmcd1976]

Architecture is realtive. The key thing here are the floodlights, as this is the profit making part of the game.

I really don't understand the complaints for the floodlights. They will be used for 4/5 hours for 8/10 nights of the year. You live by one of the worlds most famous sporting venues, what do you expect.

Although to leave out the traffic impact thing does seem a little shortsighted.

[woodhousen]

Originally Posted by Erebus555

Thank God! Get some decent looking architecture here!

i can confirm the architecture of the staduim would have nothing to do with this scheme,..... the floodlights are the dealbreaker for local residents. they can not stand the idea of having floodlights near them and as such have opposed the scheme every which way they know how....

the irritation is that the cricket ground has been there a lot longer than most residents have, many of which will have moved in knowning about the cricket ground

however, depending on what the council committee report states, and as it was reccomended for approval, they will have very good grounds for appeal...

it is times like this that i dispise the planning committee. which i agree there needs to be a democratic system in place in the planning system, this is stupid. how on earth does damn councillor smith of HALL GREEN have the right to stop development in EDGBASTON? she is ellected by those in hall green and therefore should only be there to represent the constituents of hall green.

[feltip]

County news

Edgbaston Test status under threat
Cricinfo staff

April 8, 2009

Edgbaston's future as a Test venue is in doubt after Warwickshire's plans to develop the ground were deferred by Birmingham city council's planning committee.

Gordon Hollins, the ECB's head of venue partnership, supported Warwickshire's plans at the meeting but made a blunt assessment of what delays could mean for the club. "The deferral is very disappointing at a time when several other venues throughout the country are making rapid progress with their redevelopment programmes," he said.

"At present Edgbaston falls someway short of ECB's facilities criteria in a number of areas which is clearly not a sustainable position if Edgbaston is to retain the right to host major matches."


Test grounds in England have to meet standards set down by the ECB by 2011 to retain their hosting rights and Warwickshire now concede time is running out for them to put their plans for the venue into action. The main stumbling block has been concerns by local residents on the highways and the intensity of the development.


"We are very disappointed that the Planning Committee didn't determine the application," Colin Povey, the Warwickshire chief executive, said. "Whilst we understand the concerns of some local residents we would have hoped that the wider benefits of the scheme to the city would have been clear."

"If Birmingham is serious about being an international city this sort of scheme is exactly what is required. £12 million of annual benefit to the local economy and thousands of jobs that would have been created by the scheme are at risk if this doesn't go ahead."

"The longer the council prevaricate on this Edgbaston and Birmingham fall further behind the competition for the staging international cricket in the future."

A number of other stadium, notably Old Trafford, are undergoing work to bring them up to standard and Povey said Edgbaston couldn't afford to stall development any longer.

"There is no doubt that several other cities, including Manchester, will see this as Birmingham shooting itself in the foot," he said. "All grounds need to meet the criteria for staging major international matches by 2011 and there is no doubt time is running out for us whilst others are already moving ahead with their plans."

http://content.cricinfo.com/england/...ry/398892.html

[Biosonic]

It MUST happen, but hopefully they can find a win-win situation.

It doesn't help that the boss of Edgbaston has spat his dummy out in today's Post. He is trying to use the scare tactic of "we have to be upgraded by 2011 and we are behind other clubs.

Well he should have considered redevelopment earlier than this then shouldn't he?

[feltip]

Edgbaston cricket ground plans refused by planning committee
Apr 9 2009

PEOPLE power brought a massive £32 million makeover of Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s Edgbaston stadium to a halt.

Angry residents packed a meeting of Birmingham City Council planning committee to complain that the scheme would make their lives intolerable.

They said the project, which includes permanent floodlighting, new stands, a housing development and hotels, is too large and will cause traffic chaos.

Councillors agreed and refused to grant planning permission.

They deferred a decision and urged the club to talk to residents about ways in which the proposal might be toned down.

The committee also ordered council transportation officials to conduct traffic impact surveys.

The decision, against the advice of planning officials who recommended approval, will alarm the council’s Conservative-Liberal Democrat cabinet which agreed to lend WCC £20 million towards the work.

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/t...7319-23350239/