Fisher Arena - potential locations (1 Viewer)

[chiefdave]

Right then, rather than all the doom and gloom lets have some fun and get excited about our fantastic shiny new stadium Assuming Timmy is serious where could it be? I've not lived in Cov since 1992 and pretty much the only place in the city I visit these days is the Ricoh so for those are you more local what are the potential sites.

Think they will fall into 2 categories, those within the city boundary (thanks to OSB you can see where that is here http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/100003/in_my_area/1472/boundary_maps/4), and those outside but would still be considered within the Coventry area.

Lets start with these:

Butts Arena - from my intensive research (aka a quick look at Google Maps) there appears to be enough land on the remaining 3 sides to put up stands, temporary or otherwise. City centre location a bonus

Courtaulds site - was pretty huge, what's there now? room for a stadium?

Peugeot (Humber Road) site - again pretty huge, same question as the Courtaulds site.

Bagington - wasn't there talk of money being up for grabs for regeneration? certainly enough room, might be a nimby problem.

Ryton - something nice and close to the training ground, is any of the old Peugeot site still up for grabs? similar nimby problems to bagington.

Warwick Uni - do they own much land up there, could there be some sort of joint venture?

Harriers - again not sure how much of the land they own but it's already a sports facility which may make planning permission easier.

what other options does Timmy have?

 

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[Brighton Sky Blue]

Putting it next to or close to a train station would be a start.

 

[chiefdave]

Putting it next to or close to a train station would be a start.

you could always build a stadium next to a rail line and then wait for a station to be built

 

[torchomatic]

Any of those locations seems good, though obviously not the butts as a permanent solution, but any of the others. Ideally, as discussed widely, stay at the Ricoh while you build your new stadium. Best for everyone.

 

[Delboycov]

The thing is though Chief, if they had any intentions of building a ground on any of the those sites he would have legitamately been able to say the ground will be IN Coventry and not "in the vicinity of Coventry" and in the "coventry local area" as he has consistently said .

 

[Godiva]

It won't be called Fisher Areana, but Stadium of Joy.

 

[fernandopartridge]

What about the former Dunlop site in Keresley or Holbrooks (not sure what the area is)?

The former Peugeot site in Humber Rd is now a housing estate. No room there.

No room around Warwick Uni as far as I can see.

 

[valiant15]

How about in some sewage works?

 

[Tobias Fünke]

I didn't realise there were plans to move to Leicester?

 

[ohitsaidwalker king power]

Would any planning application for a new stadium not have to go before the City Council... and at that point has it not turned full circle.. as in...

Timmy: "Dear Mr Council planner.. can I build a new stadium?"
Planner: "Oh dear oh dear oh dear....":facepalm:

 

[fernandopartridge]

Would any planning application for a new stadium not have to go before the City Council... and at that point has it not turned full circle.. as in...

Timmy: "Dear Mr Council planner.. can I build a new stadium?"
Planner: "Oh dear oh dear oh dear....":facepalm:

Is there a specific area of the Council's planning framework related to SISU then?

 

[chiefdave]

Would any planning application for a new stadium not have to go before the City Council... and at that point has it not turned full circle.. as in...

Timmy: "Dear Mr Council planner.. can I build a new stadium?"
Planner: "Oh dear oh dear oh dear....":facepalm:

Plan A would be to move just outside the area the city council has control. Plan B would be to fight the council, they can't refuse permission based on the fact they've fallen out with SISU and it would eventually move higher up the chain than the council. I'm pretty sure while all that was going on the FL would extend the amount of time we could play outside the city as it would be out of the clubs control.

 

[Manchester_sky_blue]

Much of the former peugeot plant at Ryton has been built on now as part of a new science and technology park whilst a section has been set aside as a nature reserve which was part of the conditions for granting the building works there in the first place.

There are only two open plots remaining on the park as shown here - http://www.prologiscoventry.co.uk/availability.php - I doubt that would be sufficient land for a stadium and car parking plus a lot of the businesses there operate 24 hours so I can't imagine them being happy about the road being clogged up every saturday. The road layout would need to be changed as well and its only just been completed for access to the park so cant see that being looked on kindly by the planners either.

Aside from all of that its still only just within the boundaries of the city and its not close to a railway station or even a decent bus route so it wouldn't help with our attendances.

For me, the only locations that make sense are the Butts or the Old dunlop works. Not that either will happen. One way or another we will be playing at the Ricoh.

 

[ajsccfc]

Warwick Uni - do they own much land up there, could there be some sort of joint venture?

Quite a bit, but nah. It'd only make sense here if we had an equivalent to US College Football where universities have a case to build big stadiums. It's all automotive driving the new buildings here recently and in future (JLR, TATA)

 

[BrisbaneBronco]

Brandon is already a stadium so would only need to apply for change of use and expansion. Don't know whether the site is big enough to redevelop. Is close to railway also. Question is what would happen to Speedway and Greyhounds whilst ground is being built.

 

[Sky Blue Dal]

As its going to be a sub standard shiney new SMALL stadium for £30m.... Primrose Hill Park, Berry street would be a big enough location.

A stones throw away from the good ole LARGER Highfield road stadium we all used to have fond memories of.

As SISU are taking our club backwards... can't think of any other location that will be well suited.

At least some of the Highfield road spirit will be with us on match day.

 

[Oz Howie]

Brandon is already a stadium so would only need to apply for change of use and expansion. Don't know whether the site is big enough to redevelop. Is close to railway also. Question is what would happen to Speedway and Greyhounds whilst ground is being built.

The Brandon residents would have plenty to say about getting a football club in the village. They have a history of complaining about the inconvenience caused by the current stadium and crowds lord knows how big the protests would be if a football ground were atually proposed!

 

[Seyeclops666]

The City Council will never grant planning permission - never - and have all the necessary tools at their disposal to justify that decision. I also believe that there is no chance one of the district councils around Coventry (in Warwickshire) would ever grant planning permission either (at there are not any genuinely suitable sites)!! Simples - Timmy is talking out of his Joy hole!!

 

[Manchester_sky_blue]

The City Council will never grant planning permission - never - and have all the necessary tools at their disposal to justify that decision. I also believe that there is no chance one of the district councils around Coventry (in Warwickshire) would ever grant planning permission either (at there are not any genuinely suitable sites)!! Simples - Timmy is talking out of his Joy hole!!

As things stand yes - but councils change. Give it a couple of years and there could well be a very different set of people in charge. Plus they will have to have a very concrete reason for refusing the permission, they cannot simply do it because they dont like SISU because they would be challenged in court for unfair bias.

 

[SkyBlueHomer]

Any new ground will be a similar location to where Ricoh is at the minute, ie - a site on the outskirts of town. Any dreams of moving back to a City centre location forget it.

Remember the hassle from locals when we were at Highfield Rd & the ground was there 1st their choice to move there! Repeated arguments with them when you came back to your car to this effect.
Once planning permission was applied for, for example The Butts, I'm sure there would be plenty of people against it not to mention CV1 who run the city centre.
This would be more than enough for the council to reject the application, on grounds of noise & congestion maybe.

 

[Seyeclops666]

Hi Manchester_sky_blue - you are correct in one sense - namely that the council have to have reasonable grounds to refuce PP but planning laws have changed recently and any proposals need to fit in with the Councils Strategic Local Plan. By being clear about the priorities for development the council have an even stronger case when faced with requests for planning permission that go against the strategy set out in the plan - ie the plan won'tr say that the city needs another stadium. Furthermore the fact that the Ricoh exists means that even without a clear local plan the council would easily be able to justify a deciision to refuse permission on another stadium. Finally labour will be in charge of this council for many more years - that is not a statement in support of Labour or Tories - it is just fact and even if the tories got back in they would not make a different decision to labour - the council have too much to lose from a defunct white elephant. Seriously there is not a chance that a new ground will be built in the City - and in my opinion not a chance it will be built just outside the City either.

Cheers and PUSB

 

[Sky Blue Dal]

Hi Manchester_sky_blue - you are correct in one sense - namely that the council have to have reasonable grounds to refuce PP but planning laws have changed recently and any proposals need to fit in with the Councils Strategic Local Plan. By being clear about the priorities for development the council have an even stronger case when faced with requests for planning permission that go against the strategy set out in the plan - ie the plan won'tr say that the city needs another stadium. Furthermore the fact that the Ricoh exists means that even without a clear local plan the council would easily be able to justify a deciision to refuse permission on another stadium. Finally labour will be in charge of this council for many more years - that is not a statement in support of Labour or Tories - it is just fact and even if the tories got back in they would not make a different decision to labour - the council have too much to lose from a defunct white elephant. Seriously there is not a chance that a new ground will be built in the City - and in my opinion not a chance it will be built just outside the City either.

Cheers and PUSB

Agree!!

What I have been saying.

 

[Jack Griffin]

Name one building project SISU have undertaken? Ermmmm... there are none.


Meanwhile.. this is what they do

Sisu moves to block Welcome Break bailout bid

Miles Costello
26 Feb 2004

Sisu Capital, a little-known distressed company investor, has hired Lazard to help it block a controversial £381.5m ($572.2m) refinancing proposal for Welcome Break and launch a takeover of the struggling UK motorway services provider.

Sisu Capital, led by Joy Seppala, chief executive, is planning on Thursday to use its controlling stake in the junior bonds of Welcome Break to thwart the refinancing proposal tabled by Investcorp, the UK investment group. Advised by Lazard and law firm Bingham McCutcheon, Sisu Capital will pursue a full takeover of Welcome Break in a joint venture with Swayfields, a private company which operates rival motorway services brand Extra.

Seppala said Sisu Capital had secured a "comfort letter" from a "well-recognised financial institution", which has agreed to supply financial backing for a bid subject to gaining access to Welcome Break's books.

Sisu believes a takeover of Welcome Break would cost about £345m, and has also pledged to invest fresh capital into rejuvenating the group's run-down motorway service areas.

Seppala said: "This is not a negotiating tactic, we mean it. We want to own this business, we think it is an attractive business that has not been managed well. It is attractive at an operative level and there is very attractive real estate value.

"We have been working on this since last summer. This is a business I could get very excited about."

Seppala will block Investcorp's proposal at an emergency meeting of both senior and junior bondholders in the London offices of Allen & Overy on Thursday morning. Sisu Capital holds "comfortably in excess" of 25% of Welcome Break's junior debt - enough to stop the Investcorp package been voted through.

Towards the end of January, Sisu Capital and Swayfields sent an outline offer to Welcome Break bondholders, in which they pledged to take out senior noteholders at par, or 100p in the pound, and offer junior noteholders between 50p and 60p in the pound.

Sisu Capital and Swayfields are also offering junior debt investors the chance to convert their stake into equity if they are able to pursue their bid.

Investcorp's offer also gives senior noteholders 100p in the pound, while the junior investors were offered 55p.

However, Investcorp - which is unlikely to allow Sisu Capital access to Welcome Break's books - has threatened to shunt Welcome Break Finance, the bond issuing vehicle, into administration if bondholders reject the terms of its sweetened offer.

A spokesperson at Investcorp on Wednesday night indicated that Investcorp would carry out the bankruptcy threat, but declined to comment further.

http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2004-02-26/sisu-moves-to-block-welcome-break-bailout-bid-1

 

[Manchester_sky_blue]

Hi Manchester_sky_blue - you are correct in one sense - namely that the council have to have reasonable grounds to refuce PP but planning laws have changed recently and any proposals need to fit in with the Councils Strategic Local Plan. By being clear about the priorities for development the council have an even stronger case when faced with requests for planning permission that go against the strategy set out in the plan - ie the plan won'tr say that the city needs another stadium. Furthermore the fact that the Ricoh exists means that even without a clear local plan the council would easily be able to justify a deciision to refuse permission on another stadium. Finally labour will be in charge of this council for many more years - that is not a statement in support of Labour or Tories - it is just fact and even if the tories got back in they would not make a different decision to labour - the council have too much to lose from a defunct white elephant. Seriously there is not a chance that a new ground will be built in the City - and in my opinion not a chance it will be built just outside the City either.

Cheers and PUSB

I tend to agree with you and I certainly hope it proves to be the case. I only make the point about it because I work for the Government and countless times I have seen seemingly impossible situations come to pass and bizarre decisions made seemingly to the benefit of no one. You can't rule anything out completely because if someone can see a way of making a quick buck off it they will make it happen by hook or by crook.

 

[Seyeclops666]

I tend to agree with you and I certainly hope it proves to be the case. I only make the point about it because I work for the Government and countless times I have seen seemingly impossible situations come to pass and bizarre decisions made seemingly to the benefit of no one. You can't rule anything out completely because if someone can see a way of making a quick buck off it they will make it happen by hook or by crook.

Mate - let's keep out fingers crossed that this is the case and some underhand/bizarre decisons don't slip through the net. Maybe Pickles and Joy are best mates and she is relying on the SoS to intervene. As I attend meetings with him on a regular basis I shall make my feelings known if it ever comes close to that!!

 

[chiefdave]

Name one building project SISU have undertaken? Ermmmm... there are none.


Meanwhile.. this is what they do

So what was the outcome then? This is from 2004 something must have happened since then, even SISU can't stall things for that long surely!

 

[deanocity3]

fisher park arena

 

[ajsccfc]

Let's set up a picket at a motorway services. Bagsy the KFC, you can get the toilets.