Swindon Stadium

[Toady 231]

2 hours ago, Skidder1 said:

Anybody got the GI statement in the Adver?

Here is the statement 

The owners of the Blunsdon venue have been quiet since April last year, but broke their silence to provide a statement offering 'clarification' during an extraordinary meeting held by St Andrews Parish Council, prompted by the latest planning application.

 

The statement, spanning two A4 pages, said: "We wish to be absolutely clear that the request currently under consideration by the council does not seek to remove the planning conditions which mandate the completion of the stadium complex.

"We understand the council's planning portal refers to the "deletion of speedway and greyhound racing requirements* - however, and importantly. our request seeks to remove the existing covenant that requires 'continuous operation of speedway and greyhound racing throughout the period of the milestones'.

"This request is made because it is no longer relevant given that speedway racing ceased at the site several years ago."

It is reiterated that Gaming International is asking for an updated milestone programme, deletion of the ultimate longstop, deletion of the speedway and greyhound racing covenant, and an updated land ownership position.

It adds: "The Deed of Variation request ultimately serves to update the current project timeline, update the details of the site owner, and reflect the fact that • motorsports racing has now permanently ended at the site.

The statement then says that the borough council granting this changes will allow them to move forward with the next steps of the new stadium build.

"A revised S106 agreement will, in fact, ensure the delivery and implementation of milestones 11 to 15 and secure a pathway to the sustainable regeneration of the site.

This includes finishing the acoustic fencing, demolishing the old site, adding a new car park, landscaping and handing over a new youth training facility.

"We understand the widespread interest in the future of the site and regret any confusion around the purpose of the Deed of Variation request," it adds.

The extraordinary meeting concluded with St Andrews Parish Council choosing to oppose the planning application.

Edited March 30 by Toady

[ch958 2,396]

26 minutes ago, Toady said:

Here is the statement 

The owners of the Blunsdon venue have been quiet since April last year, but broke their silence to provide a statement offering 'clarification' during an extraordinary meeting held by St Andrews Parish Council, prompted by the latest planning application.

 

The statement, spanning two A4 pages, said: "We wish to be absolutely clear that the request currently under consideration by the council does not seek to remove the planning conditions which mandate the completion of the stadium complex.

"We understand the council's planning portal refers to the "deletion of speedway and greyhound racing requirements* - however, and importantly. our request seeks to remove the existing covenant that requires 'continuous operation of speedway and greyhound racing throughout the period of the milestones'.

"This request is made because it is no longer relevant given that speedway racing ceased at the site several years ago."

It is reiterated that Gaming International is asking for an updated milestone programme, deletion of the ultimate longstop, deletion of the speedway and greyhound racing covenant, and an updated land ownership position.

It adds: "The Deed of Variation request ultimately serves to update the current project timeline, update the details of the site owner, and reflect the fact that • motorsports racing has now permanently ended at the site.

The statement then says that the borough council granting this changes will allow them to move forward with the next steps of the new stadium build.

"A revised S106 agreement will, in fact, ensure the delivery and implementation of milestones 11 to 15 and secure a pathway to the sustainable regeneration of the site.

This includes finishing the acoustic fencing, demolishing the old site, adding a new car park, landscaping and handing over a new youth training facility.

"We understand the widespread interest in the future of the site and regret any confusion around the purpose of the Deed of Variation request," it adds.

The extraordinary meeting concluded with St Andrews Parish Council choosing to oppose the planning application.

what does this mean then?

 

[arnieg 3,673]

9 minutes ago, ch958 said:

what does this mean then?

 

It looks to me like an attempt to weaken the link between between the site and its (now) former usage as a speedway stadium, with the longer term aim of expunging it completely.

[Toady 231]

I think it means that Osbourne is trying his usual tactic to get the council to rubber stamp retrospectively his failure to comply with the s106 milestones so far with the new stadium buildings and painted containers for kennels and pits.

It all rests with a new administration in charge at SBC to  stand firm and insist he completes them as originally intended and more importantly completes the remaining site to original specs.

This is why it’s important for anyone who cares to submit an objection on the sbc portal

 

Edited March 30 by Toady

[frigbo 524]

1 hour ago, ch958 said:

what does this mean then?

 

It's the fruits of the nice Mr Russell's labours in playing the viability card and stepping aside to leave a clearer path.

Removal of the covenant leaves the greyhound position in their own gift and leaves them able to cease them and leave the stadium to rot until the council relent  - which they will.

[skydog 156]

Hes a clever mothertrucker I'll give him that. This has probably been the exact plan right from the beginning 

[Toady 231]

1 hour ago, skydog said:

Hes a clever mothertrucker I'll give him that. This has probably been the exact plan right from the beginning 

You give him too much credit, he got lucky and came up against SBC who allowed him to hoodwink them over and over again if had been someone like Oxford or rugby council he may have come unstuck.

[Pirates Of Poole 761]

The speedway stopped because Mr Russell decided to hold hands with Sir Osbourne and agree speedway was not viable!!

Make a noise about building a new stadium 'somewhere' in the Swindon area, we have heard it all before.

Osbourne has now created a real tail of not following through with his words - Reading, Swindon, Torquay and his involvement in the Coventry hearing all against our sport.

Oxford was a clear business opportunity, a 10 year lease by the new landlord and invest and look what happens. This is what should have happened when you have a greyhound investor wanting to work with speedway, and I hope we one day get a landlord at Poole like Oxford.

Clearly he has no intention in investing in any sites he leases, and just wants to run all his sites down until they are in a state of financial difficulty and then try and push through for building. 

He has now shown his card so many times and if he comes for Poole, rest assured he will have a fight on his hands as I wouldn't trust a word the man says now. BCP will meet a wall if they try and force anything under hand, they tried it in the winter of 1995 and very quickly backed down. People may say they don't have any money but this is one site and you can't keep selling all your assets to balance your books.  What happens when you have no assets to sell? I know central government get more involved in councils over selling assets which we have seen in Bournemouth, Southampton and Portsmouth in the past 12 months. 

For Poole I hope he ends his lease early and gives to a consortium of local business people that actually have the future of Poole Stadium at the heart, and know the local area and what it needs to prosper. But why would he? he gets money from parking (NHS) and normal parking, kids nursery, ambulance HQ and speedway for doing very little, but the lack of investment in the site is starting to show. The stadium could be transformed into a local hub with the right people involved.

I feel for all Swindon supporters we need you back in the league but with Osbourne no-where to be seen in the setup, the man cannot be trusted.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30 by Pirates Of Poole

[skydog 156]

6 hours ago, Toady said:

You give him too much credit, he got lucky and came up against SBC who allowed him to hoodwink them over and over again if had been someone like Oxford or rugby council he may have come unstuck.

Not really, he's got a pretty good record for getting what he wanted. I know he failed with Oxford years ago but he was nothing to do with it this time around. And he was only involved in Cov because BE knew he was good at closing Speedway tracks down! Dont get me wrong  I'm not a fan of his, in fact I'm  Reading fan. If I saw him on fire I'd go fill a jerry can and make sure the job was done properly! But hes obviously a devious bastard and very good at it.

. 

[mikebv 10,355]

17 hours ago, skydog said:

Not really, he's got a pretty good record for getting what he wanted. I know he failed with Oxford years ago but he was nothing to do with it this time around. And he was only involved in Cov because BE knew he was good at closing Speedway tracks down! Dont get me wrong  I'm not a fan of his, in fact I'm  Reading fan. If I saw him on fire I'd go fill a jerry can and make sure the job was done properly! But hes obviously a devious bastard and very good at it.

Weak locally elected bodies allow such things to happen all the time..

Often, due to saving the cost of going to court..

And with virtually zero protestations from the Swindon fan base, and zero fight back, we are where we are..

In fact, the lack of a vocal response and clear protest targeted action taken, could help the cause of Osbourne who can turn around and say "it wont be missed"..

[skydog 156]

17 hours ago, mikebv said:

Weak locally elected bodies allow such things to happen all the time..

Often, due to saving the cost of going to court..

And with virtually zero protestations from the Swindon fan base, and zero fight back, we are where we are..

In fact, the lack of a vocal response and clear protest targeted action taken, could help the cause of Osbourne who can turn around and say "it wont be missed"..

Exactly,  he knows how to play the long game. If they had finished Speedway at Swindon after 2019 saying it wasnt coming back, there would have been uproar. So they string people along for a few years first, then when they announce it the support has dwindled and the councillors no longer care and are probably fed up of the whole thing.

[Technik 509]

It is the sad case that Mr O is holding all the aces, As he has in previous cases (Milton Keynes, Reading, & Torquay among others) Whilst supporters have passion & desire to see their beloved club & sport continue at the venue adopted by GI with Osbourne at the helm they have never had the finances to oppose him or the local councils that are required to provide land for housing projects as our country is so over populated & growing year on year.

[Toady 231]

The point here is that Osbourne owns /owned that land he never did at Reading,Torquay,Poole.The local council never cared about opposing any of his plans. Since around 2008 they just rubber stamped the sale and subsequent development each and every parcel of land he released and of course no new Stadium ever materialised.When they eventually awoke in 2019 they passed plans that would see the new stadium built but due to the poorly worded s106 conditions he is still in the driving seat showing the inept local council for what it is.

Oxford councillors and Rugby councillors showed how it should be done against these chancers and of course well organised protest groups something that has always been missing from Swindon

[speedwaysliders 176]

On 4/1/2024 at 10:46 AM, Technik said:

It is the sad case that Mr O is holding all the aces, As he has in previous cases (Milton Keynes, Reading, & Torquay among others) Whilst supporters have passion & desire to see their beloved club & sport continue at the venue adopted by GI with Osbourne at the helm they have never had the finances to oppose him or the local councils that are required to provide land for housing projects as our country is so over populated & growing year on year.

SO OSBOURNE had a hand in MKS closure as well!!!,what doent this man get up to.seems its working though looking at his house and plot of land in Bristol may he will let speedway be given the go ahead at his gaff, there is plenty of land and he is the only home owner on site its that big.Lets crack on and do this!!!

[Ray Stadia 1,071]

On 4/4/2024 at 1:15 AM, speedwaysliders said:

SO OSBOURNE had a hand in MKS closure as well!!!,what doent this man get up to.seems its working though looking at his house and plot of land in Bristol may he will let speedway be given the go ahead at his gaff, there is plenty of land and he is the only home owner on site its that big.Lets crack on and do this!!!

But, can you blame Osbourne for:- Lakeside, Rye House, Wimbledon, Hackney, Wolverhampton, Stoke, Boston, Eastbourne, Newport, Exeter, Cradley Heath..........etc etc!