If they can't get land for 10,000 jobs then they won't get it for a stadium. (5 Viewers)

duffer

Well-Known Member
All true as stated - but this Govt has been pushing very strongly to reconsider designated green belt and greenspace land, hence the change in the planning laws and the watering down of environmental guidelines.

It may well be that there is good cause to rebuff these plans, but I remain somewhat cynical as to Pickles' intentions (re my previous post), as it goes against the grain of the last 5 years in regard to planning and Govt policy of driving development, growth and jobs e.g LEPs

Fair comment Monners - and I defer to your better knowledge here. When it comes to politicians national and local (or kleptomaniac collies), a little cynicism goes a long way. :)
 

Monners

Well-Known Member
Fair comment Monners - and I defer to your better knowledge here. When it comes to politicians national and local (or kleptomaniac collies), a little cynicism goes a long way. :)

Problem with politics and environmental stuff is that the policital cycle turns every 5 years or so, whereras my world involves planning for decades in the future. Having said that, I have met some very forward thinking types (including ministers), but they understandably end up towing the party (vote winning) line - fair enough.

As FP pointed out though, Pickles is a loose cannon (or words to that affect) - much like Prescot could be in a similar role in the past (and don't get me started on that idiot Owen Patterson -bizarrely environment secratary for a while - he almost cost me my job with his "cost cutting")
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Problem with politics and environmental stuff is that the policital cycle turns every 5 years or so, whereras my world involves planning for decades in the future. Having said that, I have met some very forward thinking types (including ministers), but they understandably end up towing the party (vote winning) line - fair enough.

As FP pointed out though, Pickles is a loose cannon (or words to that affect) - much like Prescot could be in a similar role in the past (and don't get me started on that idiot Owen Patterson -bizarrely environment secratary for a while - he almost cost me my job with his "cost cutting")

Agreed monners
I sometimes wonder how this country takes the path It does when Thinktank and Whitehall full of Oxbridge graduates are supposedly planning for fifty years hence
 

bigfatronssba

Well-Known Member
Absolutely fair point, Albatross. In truth Brighton did ultimately manage to build their stadium in green belt, and next to the very protected South Downs to boot. But it took them a very long time, as others here have pointed out. Even if everything else was in Fisher's favour, like having the money for example, a stadium in the green belt surrounding Coventry isn't going to get permission without an awful amount of effort you'd fancy.

Brighton's ground was built on greenfield not greenbelt land. That might sound like I'm splitting hairs but in the world of planning it makes the world of difference.
 

Monners

Well-Known Member
Brighton's ground was built on greenfield not greenbelt land. That might sound like I'm splitting hairs but in the world of planning it makes the world of difference.

I didn't know that - and it is a very importnat distinction re planning decisions. So not splitting hairs at all
 

duffer

Well-Known Member

bigfatronssba

Well-Known Member

bigfatronssba

Well-Known Member
Are there areas of outstanding to quote Pressa of Outstanding natural beauty that are not logged as greenbelt

Most of them looking at this. This is a map of areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Unlike greenbelt land, these do not exist to prevent development, merely unsympathetic development. The Falmer Stadium had to be built into the ground (so it doesn't appear so tall on the outside) to try and limit the impact on the view.

Greenbelt land is just about stopping individual towns/cities merging.


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Haigha

New Member
I used to live in Brighton and know that numerous sites were proposed and rejected before Falmer was even considered. After Falmer was identified as a potential site for a football stadium a referendum was held to allow the the residents of Brighton and Hove the chance to say if they wanted a stadium and, if so, if they agreed with the Falmer site. In the event, 68% of those who voted supported a stadium at Falmer. Do you think we can have a referendum too?
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
I used to live in Brighton and know that numerous sites were proposed and rejected before Falmer was even considered. After Falmer was identified as a potential site for a football stadium a referendum was held to allow the the residents of Brighton and Hove the chance to say if they wanted a stadium and, if so, if they agreed with the Falmer site. In the event, 68% of those who voted supported a stadium at Falmer. Do you think we can have a referendum too?

I suppose we could get it done now so when SISU are gone our clubs new owners will have something to aim at. We have no chance of CCC building another ground for our football club.
 

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
According to Maton in the CT today as they can just change the status of the land! That can't be right, doesn't that defeat the purpose of having green belt in the first place if the council can just change it at will?
 

The Gentleman

Well-Known Member
According to Maton in the CT today as they can just change the status of the land! That can't be right, doesn't that defeat the purpose of having green belt in the first place if the council can just change it at will?

If a nice building or one of national importance goes up, does it automatically become listed or is a decision made over time? Why can't areas become greenbelt after people make decisions on it? If a rural location has small trees that eventually become a forest and/or becomes habitat to wildlife are you saying it's wrong to turn that land into greenbelt? Or is this another dig at the council who initially passed this development?
 

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
If a nice building or one of national importance goes up, does it automatically become listed or is a decision made over time? Why can't areas become greenbelt after people make decisions on it? If a rural location has small trees that eventually become a forest and/or becomes habitat to wildlife are you saying it's wrong to turn that land into greenbelt? Or is this another dig at the council who initially passed this development?

No I'm not saying it can never change over time but that isn't what is happening here is it?

This plans have been rejected as it will be building on green belt land, Maton isn't saying maybe lets look again in 20 years and the area might have changed and if it has we'll revisit the plans, he's saying lets change the status of the land now so the plans go through. To me if land status can be changed to suit planning applications then it makes a nonsense of the status in the first place.

Of course if this is how people wish planning to operate then would it be unreasonable to expect the same for any new stadium location put forward by SISU?
 

Calista

Well-Known Member
No I'm not saying it can never change over time but that isn't what is happening here is it?

This plans have been rejected as it will be building on green belt land, Maton isn't saying maybe lets look again in 20 years and the area might have changed and if it has we'll revisit the plans, he's saying lets change the status of the land now so the plans go through. To me if land status can be changed to suit planning applications then it makes a nonsense of the status in the first place.

Of course if this is how people wish planning to operate then would it be unreasonable to expect the same for any new stadium location put forward by SISU?

I have a little bit of knowledge of the Planning system, and you are right to assume that the Green Belt is a very strong policy which (as this latest decision shows) is hard to overthrow.

However, many of the boundaries go back for decades, and circumstances change. The present Government has a growth agenda, which requires everything to be reviewed. There are new Local Plans in preparation which can indeed change those boundaries. It’s not a case of “changing it at will”, but through a long and careful process with democratic control.

As Cllr Maton says, Pickles didn’t seem to absolutely rule out this site - he just said it needs to be part of properly approved plans for the whole area. Coventry is tightly hemmed in by Green Belt, and I would think some of it is bound to change – so maybe there will be a site for the mythical “new stadium” on the edge of the city somewhere.

The fact that these planning matters take years is perfect for SISU. The only way I can make sense of their actions is that they intend to keep CCFC on indefinite life support, whilst hanging around waiting for a legal victory or a failure of Wasps. Barmy on both counts I’d say, and incredibly depressing.
 

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