SUFC: The Future RH Redevelopment

[SuffolkShrimpers]

It’s a shame we cannot knock down the flats in south stand. Part of south stand shouldn’t never been sold in first place.

 

[Hooly]

Does anyone know if there are plans for the other areas of the ground too? Can’t do that much with south and west though?

That was covered at the CEO forum as far as Tom could go at the time. There is intent to upgrade North & West where they can to add facilities but the initial focus for major development has to be the East to add the year round revenue.

Someone raised the idea of moving the pitch East when rebuilding to allow more development of the West but as was pointed out that wouldn't work as the South would then be out of line. I asked about the South & Tom's answer was basically that it is what it is & we are pretty stuck with it. I think most sensible people on here realise that.

 

[londonblue]

That was covered at the CEO forum as far as Tom could go at the time. There is intent to upgrade North & West where they can to add facilities but the initial focus for major development has to be the East to add the year round revenue.

Someone raised the idea of moving the pitch East when rebuilding to allow more development of the West but as was pointed out that wouldn't work as the South would then be out of line. I asked about the South & Tom's answer was basically that it is what it is & we are pretty stuck with it. I think most sensible people on here realise that.

That might be true, but i would at least explore the possibility of moving the pitch north which would give more room to redevelop the south. It would mean future planning as you'd need to build a new east stand slightly north of its current position, and work out how the west could be moved too. It might turn out to be impractical, or even too expensive, but it should be worth a look.

 

[Hooly]

Good news but, isn't it a little open-ended? No projected timescale and, of course, a feasibility study can determine it is not viable. I will keep my powder dry until I see planning passed, pennies found and diggers digging. The caveat, RH is a long way off being the assured future of SUFC.

Tom did give estimated timings at the CEO forum but obviously that is all dependent on planning approval apart from the design elements. His suggestion was that consultants would be engaged summer 2025, so all good there, & work to start May 2027 with completion for the 2028/9 season.

One would hope that with the better relationship we now have with the city council that they will be a more trusted part of the process than before, where they would have just been dumped some plans to accept or more often reject. I know that's simplifying the matter but you get the gist.

 

[Hooly]

That might be true, but i would at least explore the possibility of moving the pitch north which would give more room to redevelop the south. It would mean future planning as you'd need to build a new east stand slightly north of its current position, and work out how the west could be moved too. It might turn out to be impractical, or even too expensive, but it should be worth a look.

They will undoubtedly look at all options @londonblue but at circa £15-20m for the rebuilding of the East alone I personally think you are hoping for way too much with movement of the East to enable redevelopment on the other 3 sides.

We are a Div 5 team not a Saudi backed Div 1/Prem outfit after all.

 

[londonblue]

They will undoubtedly look at all options @londonblue but at circa £15-20m for the rebuilding of the East alone I personally think you are hoping for way too much with movement of the East to enable redevelopment on the other 3 sides.

We are a Div 5 team not a Saudi backed Div 1/Prem outfit after all.

I'm not hoping for anything. I don't mind what is done. I do, however, think all options should be explored. You're probably right that that is the case.

 

[sufc4life21]

Any knowledge interms of the new East stand potential capacity? Given the space behind the east stand surely it's feasible to build 5k capacity main stand.

 

[Supershrimper]

Any knowledge interms of the new East stand potential capacity? Given the space behind the east stand surely it's feasible to build 5k capacity main stand.

It's got to be a minimum of 5k with the availability to expand the non-match day into the car park. To be honest as there is a good 5 or 6 metres from the end if the East and the start of the car park you could only lose perhaps the parking along the fence and it would expand the inside capacity of the ground for the non match day. Especially if it was on 4 or 5 levels.

I'd love a tap room facility that opens on non-match days. Wouldn't have to be run by the club, but they could rent the space out with perhaps a share of profits or ability to supply other parts of the ground on match days.

Ideally a new north bank as well with steeper bank akin to Barnet to Dagenham with facilities underneath

 

[leeblue]

Any knowledge interms of the new East stand potential capacity? Given the space behind the east stand surely it's feasible to build 5k capacity main stand.

Go 6 or 7k I say

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

That was covered at the CEO forum as far as Tom could go at the time. There is intent to upgrade North & West where they can to add facilities but the initial focus for major development has to be the East to add the year round revenue.

Someone raised the idea of moving the pitch East when rebuilding to allow more development of the West but as was pointed out that wouldn't work as the South would then be out of line. I asked about the South & Tom's answer was basically that it is what it is & we are pretty stuck with it. I think most sensible people on here realise that.

Thank you for the answer. Obviously the non match day income streams are the most important to get started asap. I was more thinking in terms of having no east stand for a season or more and fitting in 10,000 fans in the other areas of of the stadiums during that time, as without the east stand capacity will surely be reduced to about 8,000 at the most?

 

[rshepp]

Don't mind how they configure the East Stand as long as they keep the roof support post in front of my season ticket seat.
I have become used to not seeing the kick off and the swaying to view the rest of the play .

 

[Simon Templar]

It's got to be a minimum of 5k with the availability to expand the non-match day into the car park. To be honest as there is a good 5 or 6 metres from the end if the East and the start of the car park you could only lose perhaps the parking along the fence and it would expand the inside capacity of the ground for the non match day. Especially if it was on 4 or 5 levels.

I'd love a tap room facility that opens on non-match days. Wouldn't have to be run by the club, but they could rent the space out with perhaps a share of profits or ability to supply other parts of the ground on match days.

Ideally a new north bank as well with steeper bank akin to Barnet to Dagenham with facilities underneath

Agree on the Dagenham stand. Sitting there last season for our win against them. I found it very spacious, comfortable, easy access to the facilities and great visibility. I may be looking back through rose tinted glasses though, as the blues fans created a brilliant atmosphere that day.

 

[Shrimper]

Am I right in thinking for the West we might see a reprofiling but that's mostly it?

 

[Hooly]

Thank you for the answer. Obviously the non match day income streams are the most important to get started asap. I was more thinking in terms of having no east stand for a season or more and fitting in 10,000 fans in the other areas of of the stadiums during that time, as without the east stand capacity will surely be reduced to about 8,000 at the most?

IIRC Tom did float the possibility of a few rows of temporary seating on the East that would be in front of the work on the major part of the new back of house facilities on that side.

I think that however was very much reliant on H&S constraints so wasn't a given.

 

[Hooly]

It's well worth people either watching this again or just scanning the transcript until you see something relevant as Tom did cover a lot of the questions being raised here.

I would also encourage anyone to go to the next session. I realise there were limited numbers but I suspect they were unsure of the take up & also venues that hold more than a couple of hundred probably aren't that common?

 

[Smiffy]

Pretty sure Tom said the new East capacity would be something in the region of 6,000-8,000 depending on the layout they go with. So about 3-4x what it is now!

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Pretty sure Tom said the new East capacity would be something in the region of 6,000-8,000 depending on the layout they go with. So about 3-4x what it is now!

What will be really interesting is how many fans who currently sit in the south or west, will want to relocate to the shiny new stand. The facilities and views are terrible in the west (even though we still love it), so it will be intriguing how empty the other stands become. Especially if we are still in the NL or in league 2.

 

[The General]

What will be really interesting is how many fans who currently sit in the south or west, will want to relocate to the shiny new stand. The facilities and views are terrible in the west (even though we still love it), so it will be intriguing how empty the other stands become. Especially if we are still in the NL or in league 2.

The West stand brigade will soon change their mind.

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

It's well worth people either watching this again or just scanning the transcript until you see something relevant as Tom did cover a lot of the questions being raised here.

I would also encourage anyone to go to the next session. I realise there were limited numbers but I suspect they were unsure of the take up & also venues that hold more than a couple of hundred probably aren't that common?

@Hooly I could get a 300+ seater venue in Westcliff. It would be a 'dry house' though

 

[* ORM *]

IIam sure I’ve seen it somewhere before. A picture of all the land (and property)in and around the club owned by the club. I’m thinking revenue opportunities must extend beyond what could be offered in any rebuilt stand?