Warwickshire County Cricket Club | Edgbaston | Stadium | Comp.

[BrummieLad]

Get over it you prat it aint happening. muppet

[Biosonic]

It will happen, I'm pretty sure.

And don't be so offensive.

[morestoreysplease]

For Brummielad read MD72 or a very good impersonator. 115 posts and not one of them has been worth the effort in reading them. Shame.

[djay]

this needs to go ahead, things like this should be exempt from planning.

[feltip]

Two post articles.

Report casts doubt on viability of Edgbastion development
Birmingham Post
The report was drawn up for Birmingham City Council's cabinet, which has agreed to lend WCCC £20million toward the cost of ground improvements

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...5233-23422499/

Protestors want Warwickshire CCC to leave Birmingham
Birmingham Post
Campaigners against plans to expand Edgbaston want Warwickshire County Cricket Club to leave Birmingham and build a new stadium in Solihull.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...5233-23422379/

[NeilM]

If WCCC leave Birmingham, they will go the Coventry, with open arms from Coventry, what the hell is going on, are these people such NIMBY imbeciles that they can't see the wider implications of what they are doing.

They should be shot

[djay]

i think we need a letter or 20...or a protest in support, can you have one of them or is it called a demonstration?? im not familiar with things like this, i just see things happen and no1 complains where i live

[Erebus555]

Wait, so what got rejected? The stand redevelopment or an application for floodlights?

[Biosonic]

I'll pen mine today or tomorrow!

[NeilM]

Originally Posted by Erebus555

Wait, so what got rejected? The stand redevelopment or an application for floodlights?

The whole thing was rejected I think.

[Biosonic]

It was deferred and will be heard again later this month.

[morestoreysplease]

The fact that Edgbaston Mill and the adjacent developments went ahead and got planning approval proves that Priory Road is waking up after decades of neglect. The cricket ground is the final piece in the jigsaw. The protestors know it and they realise the tide will eventually overwhelm them. Shame Whitby and his cronies did such a f*ck up with the financial carrot. I always say that presumption is the mother of all disasters.

[Brums'grove]

Warwickshire put new spin on Edgbaston plans

Apr 24 2009 by Paul Dale, Birmingham Post

Warwickshire County Cricket Club have attempted to address the concerns of residents and community groups by scaling down plans for a £32 million expansion of the Test match ground.

A revised planning application to Birmingham City Council cuts the amount of hotel and leisure space proposed on land fronting the Pershore Road. But the club is pressing ahead in full with controversial proposals for floodlighting, new stands and pavilion, media area, and hospitality suites – to be partly paid for out of a commercial development of hotels, housing and flats.

Local councillors and other objectors, described the changes as “insignificant” and failing to address concerns about increased traffic on local roads, noise and light spillage from the floodlights.

WCCC insists the ground improvements are vital if Test match cricket is to continue to be played in Birmingham.

Edgbaston’s facilities are regarded as outdated compared with other Test match grounds, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The city council planning committee refused to approve the scheme this month, asking the club to think again, while cabinet members have had to reconsider a £20 million loan toward the cost of ground improvements following criticism from a scrutiny committee.

Cannon Hill Neighbourhood Forum chairman Leo Nation said: “This very slightly scaled down revision does not address any of the central issues such as the visual impact of five permanent floodlights 20-storeys high and each with a panel the size of a house. The new pavilion would still be as large as an eight-storey building, blocking some beautiful views. This will not address the traffic issues which will cause evening gridlock in an already traffic-saturated area.”

The club had shown “contempt” for local people by not discussing with residents the changes it intended to make.

Coun James Hutchings (Con Edgbaston) said: “These are completely insignificant changes that do nothing to address the problems of an over-large stadium development.”

Council regeneration director Clive Dutton said changes proposed represented a 16 per cent reduction in commercial floorspace and a 9.3 per cent reduction in the overall size of the ground improvement scheme.

The club will continue to pay contributions to the council of £1.4 million in affordable housing, £90,000 for improvements to Cannon Hill Park, £250,000 towards public transport and is also promising to establish a liaison group with the local community.

Chief executive Colin Povey said: “We are trying to respond to issues raised by the committee. That is the scale of the development, the traffic impact and the need for further consultation. We have made material changes, we have responded positively and we hope this will get us over the final hurdle.”

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...5233-23459949/

[OperateOnMe]

Warwickshire Cricket Club will not leave Edgbaston, the club and the residents will not allow it. It would be like Wimbledon moving home -it just does not work!

The majority of the residents support most of the plans, especially for the stands, although they will be missed!

What they do not support is monstrous floodlight masts that would look ugly on the landscape and even in televised matches! Who in the ECB would want TEST cricket there if it becomes an eyesore! Currently it is used for Test matches because it is a good large accessable ground with a charm to it.

What the unsympathetic (stupid-cheapskate) planners need to do is:
1. Submit application without floodlights -FIRST
2. Submit a later/second application with redisigned and more expensive (!) floodlight system that would work with the landscape (probably needs to be designed by another team as this one has shown nothing but incompetence in this regard)

The stands and commercial space...scaling it down, was not the issue!!!! so its not for the benefit of residents but a cheaper project -sounds like SPIN! -Glad the planning department saw through that!

[morestoreysplease]

The more I read about this I find myself asking - so how would the local people design it?
So what if the main pavilion is 9 storeys high? It's a world class sporting arena. The floodlights could be angled like they are at The Hawthorns because the ones on the current design show them way too high. The traffic flow is always a problem at every rush hour - the only way to alleviate this is by making Priory Road and Pershore Road dual-carriageways, and that certainly ain't going to happen because the same protestors will complain!!!

[feltip]

Lord Morris warns Edgbaston Test status is on the line
May 5 2009 by James Cartledge, Birmingham Mail

FORMER union leader Lord Bill Morris has thrown his weight behind a proposed £32 million refurbishment of Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s Edgbaston ground.

Lord Morris of Handsworth, who chairs an England and Wales Cricket Board committee responsible for recommending venues for test matches, said Edgbaston needed “significant modernisation” because it had fallen short of the standard required.

His comments backed the club’s insistence that Birmingham may lose Test matches and one-day internationals if ground improvements do not go ahead.

But the refurbishment scheme – new stands, pavilion, media centre, hospitality suites, permanent floodlighting and a housing and hotel development – has angered residents’ groups who claim the scheme is too big and will make noise and traffic problems worse.

Birmingham council planning committee has refused to grant permission for the makeover, urging the club to scale down the scheme.

Members are expected to reconsider the matter next month after the club reduced the overall scale of proposed development by about 10 per cent.

Birmingham-born Lord Morris said: “Historically Edgbaston has been an integral part of the global cricket community, having hosted many iconic test matches, which will live in the memory of so many for years to come.

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/t...7319-23544152/

[feltip]

and the Post's take on it

'Redevelop Edgbaston or lose Test cricket' warns ECB's Bill Morris
May 6 2009 by Paul Dale, Birmingham Post

Former union leader Lord Bill Morris has thrown his weight behind a proposed £32m refurbishment of Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s Edgbaston ground.

Lord Morris of Handsworth, who chairs an England and Wales Cricket Board committee responsible for recommending venues for Test matches, said Edgbaston needed “significant modernisation” because it had fallen short of the standard required.

His comments back the club’s insistence Birmingham may lose Tests and one-day internationals if ground improvements do not go ahead.

But the refurbishment scheme – new stands, pavilion, media centre, hospitality suites, permanent floodlighting and a housing and hotel development – has angered residents’ groups who claim the scheme is too big and will make noise and traffic problems worse.

Birmingham City Council has refused to grant permission for the makeover, urging the club to scale down the scheme. Members are expected to reconsider the matter next month after the club reduced the scale of proposed development by about 10 per cent.

Lord Morris said: “Historically Edgbaston has been an integral part of the global cricket community, having hosted many iconic Test matches, which will live in the memory of so many for years to come. However, there is little doubt the facilities at this great ground no longer supports Warwickshire’s international reputation and not requires significant modernisation.

“Many established Test venues have redeveloped in recent times, while some new entrants to the market have built innovative and state-of-the-art facilities for spectators, broadcasters, the written media, players and officials.

“Edgbaston falls somewhat short of the required standard in a number of areas, particularly in relation to media and players.”Sparkbrook and Small Heath MP Roger Godsiff has written to the planning committee calling for the club’s application to be rejected.

Mr Godsiff said permanent floodlights were unacceptable and he believed there was no reason why the club could not continue with temporary floodlighting and still hold Test matches.

Mr Godsiff said he recognised the value Edgbaston brought to Birmingham, but added: “I do not think the club have been particularly well advised over the planning application and it would appear they have gone for the big bang approach whereby their architects and consultants have advised them to apply for just about everything possible to squeeze onto the site in the knowledge they would be prepared to scale back their proposals if objections were put forward by the council and residents.

“It is obvious why the club do not want to put in retractable floodlights because the cost is much greater than permanent floodlights but the fact of the matter is permanent floodlighting will not only have a very considerable impact on local residents but will change the whole aspect of the skyline.”

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...5233-23552106/

[morestoreysplease]

I love that statement about permanent floodlights being unacceptable, whereas temporary lights which give out more light pollution being ok. How many people notice floodlights that aren't on and in the daylight??? It's a pathetic reaction and it pisses me off that a very important sporting arena might not get an upgrade it so needs.

[woodhousen]

this is the worst case of nimbyism.... although as we found out with the proposed tram route through harborne.... the more affluent the nimbys, the more trouble they are

[U475 Foxtrot]

Didn't they complain about the air ambulance too