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KevH

Lakeside Future In Serious Doubt

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In summary  Cooks comments were ,-

The Woodroffe family that owned the site sold it to developers last year but remained as tennants rather than owners, They now want to move out completely. It was disingenuous  of them to try to blame falling Speedway attendances in their press releases based on last years National League crowds because since coming up to th e CL attendances have trebled.

The site has provisional planning permission for houses but that is conditional on the being a  Speedway track as well as schoolsetc incorporate,d on the site.

The new owners are interested in retaining motor sport on site and Cook will be talking to them a bout this. If some othe t motor sport development is involved  ok will try to strike a deal with them for the continuation of Speedway. 

Cook cant guarantee Speedway next year but there are avenues still to be explored and he and Stuart Douglas will continue fighting for it.

It seems to me the biggest obstacle is probably Rob Godfrey.

 

 

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2 hours ago, liam said:

Move out of where? I thought the whole stadium was empty unless an event was taking place unless you mean the house near the go kart track?

Yes, i was under the impression the stock car promoters lived on site.

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1 hour ago, cityrebel said:

Yes, i was under the impression the stock car promoters lived on site.

You could be right mate, let’s be honest their isn’t much to take though lol.

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It seems that 2500 homes are  to be built on the site between the services and the go-kart track, if it gets all the necessary planning permission.  This link shows all phases of the proposed development: https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/lakeside-shopping-centre-become-new-1840782

Let's just hope that Jon, Stuart and the rest of the Hammers management and helpers can find a way to help us continue to race for many years to come at a new stadium or venue in the local area.  Fingers crossed everyone!

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2 hours ago, Cliv Clav said:

It seems that 2500 homes are  to be built on the site between the services and the go-kart track, if it gets all the necessary planning permission.  This link shows all phases of the proposed development: https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/lakeside-shopping-centre-become-new-1840782

Let's just hope that Jon, Stuart and the rest of the Hammers management and helpers can find a way to help us continue to race for many years to come at a new stadium or venue in the local area.  Fingers crossed everyone!

It won't be stopped, the government has taken away funding for commercial projects such as Schools and hospitals and are focusing on residential new build housing. They will put by a small budget for the refurbishment of schools and hospitals but they are concentrating on residential new build housing, this government switch has been on the cards for well over a year now and this short sighted policy will not change.

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Yet another stadium apparently under threat. What with the demise of Coventry and my team (Oxford) as well as Reading plus Dudley Wood and the recent demolition of Plough Lane speedway's future looks bleak to say the least.

Edited by steve roberts

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41 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Yet another stadium apparently under threat. What with the demise of Coventry and my team (Oxford) as well as Reading plus Dudley Wood and the recent demolition of Plough Lane speedway's future looks bleak to say the least.

The insatiable demand to house an ever increasing population will put a lot of venues at risk. It's strange how these problems don't affect professional football.

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1 hour ago, steve roberts said:

Yet another stadium apparently under threat. What with the demise of Coventry and my team (Oxford) as well as Reading plus Dudley Wood and the recent demolition of Plough Lane speedway's future looks bleak to say the least.

Eastbourne as well is under threat I hear.

As far as Lakeside is concerned the development is probably still some way off because, as I understand it ther3 still has to be risk assessment for environmental impact and pollution. As the was previously a sand pit or quarry it seems quite possible there will need to be  clean up of the site which could be expensive, even prohibitive. 

Things are very much in the air at the moment and could go either way, but Jon Cook seemed very adamant that he wants to keep Speedway alive in the South East.

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54 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

 It's strange how these problems don't affect professional football.

It's not really........football is a multi billion pound business, while speedway certainly isn't.

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25 minutes ago, KevH said:

It's not really........football is a multi billion pound business, while speedway certainly isn't.

It's not multi billion in the lower leagues though is it. Even the likes of cash strapped Leyton orient were never in danger of losing their ground. 

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28 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

It's not multi billion in the lower leagues though is it. Even the likes of cash strapped Leyton orient were never in danger of losing their ground. 

Torquay may be though

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29 minutes ago, cityrebel said:

It's not multi billion in the lower leagues though is it. Even the likes of cash strapped Leyton orient were never in danger of losing their ground. 

I believe the Orient ground is owned by Barry Hearn's Matchroom pension scheme so not in danger.

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When it comes to football you will be surprised, not the very big clubs who attacking five figure crowds but lower down certainly,  I understand one of the Thurrock teams, was recently in danger of losing their ground, Truro are having to ground share this coming season after losing the ground and apparently Weston Super Mare is now sharing with the rugby club, and many will have heard the problems affecting Dulwich Hamlet who for a non league teams had a fan base that some in League 2 clubs would be envious of.

Look at the amount of brown field sites that you would never have expected housing to be put on because it would make no sense or very appealing because its slap bang next to a motorway or busy A road, no where is safe.

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I was chatting to a couple from Oundle on a recent flight and was told that the Showground is under threat too.

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43 minutes ago, TonyE said:

I was chatting to a couple from Oundle on a recent flight and was told that the Showground is under threat too.

It's been a threat for years , it's not a matter of will it close to speedway it's a matter of when as parts of the land are sold of and houses are moving closer in year by year .

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