racers and royals 8,730 Posted January 27, 2023 Thurrock councillors have unanimously backed a motion calling for Thurrock council to use the local plan to support the retention of Speedway in Thurrock and identify a new home for Grays Athletic FC. 11 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,989 Posted January 27, 2023 Sounds good, but Thurrock must be one of the worst Councils in the whole country. How they can be making decisions on such things at this time ? Thurrock Council announced this week that it was effectively bankrupt, issuing a section 114 notice to bar itself from making any non-essential spending as it grapples with a £469m funding black hole. It emerged recently that Newcastle City Council was among a number owed money by Conservative-run Thurrock, which it has been reported has amassed a vast total of £1.5bn in borrowing debt – including £900m in short-term loans from other councils. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marko 956 Posted January 27, 2023 The council don’t really need to spend any money, just force the developer into making changes to their plans. Simple solution would be to give the speedway stadium and large part of car park back, volunteers and sponsor backing could handle the rest. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,989 Posted January 27, 2023 Ok, i thought this would involve financial support from the Council, at least in finding a suitable site for the football club etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fireblade2022 13 Posted January 27, 2023 4 hours ago, iris123 said: Ok, i thought this would involve financial support from the Council, at least in finding a suitable site for the football club etc No it’s a decision to help the football team fins a new site and to retain speedway. It has zero cost! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goldhawk 76 Posted January 27, 2023 Great News. Well done to all concerned Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris116 756 Posted January 27, 2023 Great to hear that the Council are backing the idea but I have heard of other Councils who have made all the right noises about finding a site for a new track but they then never seem to be keen on giving any sites that are found the required planning permission. A very good first step but still a long road ahead before racing is possible. My best wishes to all involved. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ray Stadia 1,071 Posted January 27, 2023 Have they built anything yet on the old Arena Essex site? I bet the demise of the stadium, caused Chick Woodroffe to turn in his grave! It was his creation and baby when bangers and stocks were lost, when Rayleigh Stadium was lost! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racers and royals 8,730 Posted January 27, 2023 https://www.thurrockhammers.com/2023-news/council-backing-for-speedway-return/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arnieg 3,643 Posted January 27, 2023 2 hours ago, Chris116 said: Great to hear that the Council are backing the idea but I have heard of other Councils who have made all the right noises about finding a site for a new track but they then never seem to be keen on giving any sites that are found the required planning permission. A very good first step but still a long road ahead before racing is possible. My best wishes to all involved. Not always the case. Reading Borough Council provided a site (Island Road) and granted planning permission. But still we got nothing. That's Gaming International for you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,989 Posted January 28, 2023 (edited) 11 hours ago, racers and royals said: https://www.thurrockhammers.com/2023-news/council-backing-for-speedway-return/ What i find strange is the football club have found a site and put another planning application in a few days before this meeting. Ok the Council it seems have rejected applications for this site before. So are the Council basically saying this new application will also fail … I guess one thing going for both is that the Council must be hoping for something positive to report after all the negative news Edited January 28, 2023 by iris123 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bryce 349 Posted January 28, 2023 The local MP is trying to get housing developed on the Arena Essex site, even asking about it at PMQs a few weeks ago. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marko 956 Posted February 3, 2023 On 1/28/2023 at 8:04 PM, Bryce said: The local MP is trying to get housing developed on the Arena Essex site, even asking about it at PMQs a few weeks ago. Yes I know I replied to her letting her know exactly my thoughts on the matter. Basically came down to leave Arena Essex alone! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,845 Posted February 3, 2023 (edited) I don’t think there is anymore mileage in the old Arena site. The stock car club owned it of course and it was never going to be financially sustainable with just Speedway. I’d like to think a new track can be found but given that a lot of fans came from South of the Thames it has to be near the Dartford bridge. Therein lies the problem because there will be so much redevelopment for both Tilbury Docks and Housing the available land will be very scarce . Jon Cook used to say you can’t just have land for houses and offices and nothing else but apparently the local council, or more precisely the Government think you can To be fair to the local MP Jackie Doyle- Price she did come to a couple of meetings and was very enthusiastic and supportive at the time, which is more than can be said for the local council but she is really under pressure now. When the club closed the local council had been told by the Government to build 37,500 houses in the area, and that’s without other infrastructure. This seems to be one of those impossible targets Governments give out so they can say they are doing something then leave others to pick up the pieces. I think Jackie - Doyle- Price has to be seen to be doing something although the site of the track is probably still contaminated from its old days as a sand pit. This sort of thing is I fear going to be the gradual death of Speedway over time. My final point is that realistically Stuart Douglas and Jon Cook really were Lakeside and saved the club from closure when they took over in 2006/7 Duggo , as far as I know still lives in America and apart from not wanting to own a club he is rarely able to watch, he lost a lot of money when he was stitched up by Rob Godfrey in particular, and the BSPA , as was . I very much doubt that a decent bloke like Stuart would want to get his fingers burnt by that shower again. So much as I hate being negative , and much as I would like to say otherwise I think the Hammers future is very bleak. Edited February 3, 2023 by E I Addio 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss 10,781 Posted February 3, 2023 57 minutes ago, E I Addio said: I don’t think there is anymore mileage in the old Arena site. The stock car club owned it of course and it was never going to be financially sustainable with just Speedway. I’d like to think a new track can be found but given that a lot of fans came from South of the Thames it has to be near the Dartford bridge. Therein lies the problem because there will be so much redevelopment for both Tilbury Docks and Housing the available land will be very scarce . Jon Cook used to say you can’t just have land for houses and offices and nothing else but apparently the local council, or more precisely the Government think you can To be fair to the local MP Jackie Doyle- Price she did come to a couple of meetings and was very enthusiastic and supportive at the time, which is more than can be said for the local council but she is really under pressure now. When the club closed the local council had been told by the Government to build 37,500 houses in the area, and that’s without other infrastructure. This seems to be one of those impossible targets Governments give out so they can say they are doing something then leave others to pick up the pieces. I think Jackie - Doyle- Price has to be seen to be doing something although the site of the track is probably still contaminated from its old days as a sand pit. This sort of thing is I fear going to be the gradual death of Speedway over time. My final point is that realistically Stuart Douglas and Jon Cook really were Lakeside and saved the club from closure when they took over in 2006/7 Duggo , as far as I know still lives in America and apart from not wanting to own a club he is rarely able to watch, he lost a lot of money when he was stitched up by Rob Godfrey in particular, and the BSPA , as was . I very much doubt that a decent bloke like Stuart would want to get his fingers burnt by that shower again. So much as I hate being negative , and much as I would like to say otherwise I think the Hammers future is very bleak. I'm trying to remember the circumstances and I'm struggling, can you remind me please? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
