dj350z 2,266 Posted February 12, 2016 From the CET for those who may be interested but can't access it: More details have been revealed about a potential new stadium for Coventry Bees speedway team. Stadium bosses say they have identified the “perfect site” as the Bees looks for a new home after 69 years at Brandon. Their existing track is set to be demolished in November and replaced with 250 new homes after it was sold by stadium owner Avtar Sandhu. But team owner Mick Horton told the Telegraph he remained “hopeful” a new home could be in place by the start of the 2017 season. Now, stadium boss Jeremy Heaver has called on Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and Rugby Borough Council to give their backing to plans for a new ‘eco-friendly’ stadium for speedway and stock car racing. Mr Heaver revealed the location was away from residential areas and neighboured a farm which produces meat. The land in question sits on green belt withing Rugby Borough Council’s boundary, but it owned by Coventry council. Sources say the site identified is not in Ansty, Coombe Abbey or on land around Coventry Gateway - which is predominantly in Warwick District. The Telegraph understands the new site is located somewhere on the Rugby side of the A46 between Binley Woods and Tollbar Island. Mr Heaver said: “The site we’ve identified is a perfect location, I’m sure when the public find out they will think it’s a perfect location too, and the geography of it makes it very user-friendly for what we want to do. “Government guidelines say one of the permitted things you can do with green belt is build outdoor sporting centres, providing there is a local need. “The difficulty we have now is that there is no local need, because we’ve got an existing stadium, so you go round in circles and realise the reason why places have closed and not been replaced – there’s no local need whilst the stadium exists, and once it’s gone, so is any future investment. “Brandon is closing. We don’t own the stadium any more, and we have until November to pack our bags and find a new home. “But until we close and it’s demolished, there is no local need, and until there’s local need it doesn’t get considered as being relevant to build a new one - that’s the way the planning law is structured. “We’re trying to break that circle, and we’re going to need some help. We need people to get behind what we’re trying to do, and fairly soon we’ll be appealing for people to write to Rugby to demonstrate that they do support a new stadium, and that they don’t want Coventry’s motorsport heritage to disappear. “We can cut through the red tape if we can show local need, and I believe we can do that.” Mr Heaver said the proposals would incorporate a renewable energy policy and earth mounds to disguise the stadium minimise the impact of noise. Methanol for the bikes would be created on-site, rain-water would be captured for internal use and the stadium would feature solar panels and LED lighting, whilst a neighbouring farm could supply meat for catering. Heaver said: “Nowadays, if you want to do anything that’s not 100 per cent environmentally correct, you have to start taking into account the activity you’re doing. “We are motorsport so we are noisy and we do contaminate the air, so we have to look at it in a slightly different way. “The site is absolutely the right one, we don’t want it to go wrong, and it’s time to start talking about it.” 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TesarRacing 1,825 Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) Thanks for that, sounds very positive - great news for once in speedway! Edited February 12, 2016 by TesarRacing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naffer 442 Posted February 12, 2016 It's like trying to undo the Gordian knot this planning thing then if you have to be homeless from one venue before you can build a new stadium. Does explain the need for a cut off point at least. Up the bees Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beesboybert 95 Posted February 12, 2016 Doesn't sound positive to me to be honest. Sounds like a load of pie in the sky, and the "local need" bit seems like this is where the plan will come falling down. Hope I'm proven wrong... I was about the BV stadium, so fingers crossed lightning will strike twice Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Woz01 3,589 Posted February 12, 2016 Surely its obvious to Rugby Council that Speedway and Stox cant use Brandon next year so local need must be there. I believe houses at Brandon is included in Rugbys local plan. If the developers put in a planning application for Brandon that'll probably help the case for a new stadium. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Leslie 3,213 Posted February 12, 2016 This "local need" stuff sounds like a load of cobblers to get away with demolishing the stadium with as little opposition as possible. Once the stadium is demolished, the plans for a new stadium will fall through. The common sense way of looking at it would be for the council to say "You can't demolish Brandon until you provide a new stadium to fulfill the local need" Has any planning permission been granted to build on Brandon? If not, I'd still be lobbying the council to refuse any planning permission until a replacement stadium is in place. 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbee 510 Posted February 12, 2016 Surely its obvious to Rugby Council that Speedway and Stox cant use Brandon next year so local need must be there. I believe houses at Brandon is included in Rugbys local plan. If the developers put in a planning application for Brandon that'll probably help the case for a new stadium.as far as I know there is no houses planned for Brandon . Rugby council are building 6.000 houses on the old BT site on the A5 plus schools and a new rail station just outside Hillmorton .if housing was needed in Brandon why was planning refused for the market garden opposite Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Woz01 3,589 Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) as far as I know there is no houses planned for Brandon . Rugby council are building 6.000 houses on the old BT site on the A5 plus schools and a new rail station just outside Hillmorton .if housing was needed in Brandon why was planning refused for the market garden opposite Just had a look but cant find it. I must be wrong! Edited February 12, 2016 by woz01 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
From PC to KC. 25 Posted February 12, 2016 If Coventry council are involved, lets hope we don't have a rail link built into the plans after the Ricoh fiasco. If Sandhu finances the new stadium/track in field, how long before he sells that for houses ? How many of the Stox fans went to Brandon because it was a half decent stadium ? Will they travel in the same numbers to a Somerset type setup ? Maybe if we called ourselves the " Coventry Student Accommodation Bees" we may stand a chance of getting it built. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Woz01 3,589 Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) This "local need" stuff sounds like a load of cobblers to get away with demolishing the stadium with as little opposition as possible. Once the stadium is demolished, the plans for a new stadium will fall through. The common sense way of looking at it would be for the council to say "You can't demolish Brandon until you provide a new stadium to fulfill the local need" Has any planning permission been granted to build on Brandon? If not, I'd still be lobbying the council to refuse any planning permission until a replacement stadium is in place. Sandhu no longer has anything to do with the stadium, he sold it in 2014. One condition of the sale was for the stadium to continue until November 2016. All sports are getting kicked out then by the new owners/developers.If Coventry council are involved, lets hope we don't have a rail link built into the plans after the Ricoh fiasco. If Sandhu finances the new stadium/track in field, how long before he sells that for houses ? How many of the Stox fans went to Brandon because it was a half decent stadium ? Will they travel in the same numbers to a Somerset type setup ? Maybe if we called ourselves the " Coventry Student Accommodation Bees" we may stand a chance of getting it built. The rail issue was down to London Midland saying they didnt have the carriages but now all of a sudden they've found some now Wasps have stumped up cash to help run a Matchday service. The new site it seems cant have houses built on it. The last point about a Somerset type stadium, it could be but doubt it. They want a stadium that can hold crowds for the big stock car meetings and Heaver has already spoken about needing better facilities for sponsorship and regular fans. It won't be a Belle Vue thats for sure! Would be interested to know how much Sandhu sold Brandon for. Edited February 12, 2016 by woz01 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,823 Posted February 12, 2016 Sandhu no longer has anything to do with the stadium, he sold it in 2014. But isn't he on record saying he will do everything in his power to ensure the bees fans will have a new track? One would assume this site and move has his backing unless he was just giving a smoke screen to the bees fans to look good? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Woz01 3,589 Posted February 12, 2016 But isn't he on record saying he will do everything in his power to ensure the bees fans will have a new track? One would assume this site and move has his backing unless he was just giving a smoke screen to the bees fans to look good? Yes the new stadium is being funded by him it seems. We only learned yesterday he did in fact sold the stadium in 2014 with a promise that Bees and Stox can run at Brandon until 2016. Now it seems fairly certain the new owners/developers want us out by November so they are now pressing ahead with the new site. I'm sure they've known the site for a while as it seems plans have been drawn up, next for them is to announce where exactly it is and show us the plans. As we know there is a long way to go but at least it seems there is a will to get a stadium built. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingbee 510 Posted February 12, 2016 Sandhu no longer has anything to do with the stadium, he sold it in 2014. One condition of the sale was for the stadium to continue until November 2016. All sports are getting kicked out then by the new owners/developers. The rail issue was down to London Midland saying they didnt have the carriages but now all of a sudden they've found some now Wasps have stumped up cash to help run a Matchday service. The new site it seems cant have houses built on it. The last point about a Somerset type stadium, it could be but doubt it. They want a stadium that can hold crowds for the big stock car meetings and Heaver has already spoken about needing better facilities for sponsorship and regular fans. It won't be a Belle Vue thats for sure! Would be interested to know how much Sandhu sold Brandon for. I thought I read some where that Sandu had bought it himself and formed a new company with his family ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stoke Potter 242 Posted February 12, 2016 This "local need" thing just sounds like a load of BS which will give them a get-out clause to not build a stadium. And if the stadium was sold in 2014 why hasn't anything been done about a new one until now? Proceed with caution Bees fans. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midland Red 2,383 Posted February 12, 2016 Who said nothing's been done until now? Plenty has gone on behind the scenes, as shown by this latest news release 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
