Stadium plans called in

[Yorkshire Blue]

Sounds like it won't be Ruth Kelly deciding - I'd anticipate a substantial reshuffle within the next 5 months,and even a snap election could be possible.

 

[Pubey]

no surprise

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Is it just coincidence that the councils happen to be Conservative-run or is that me being cynical? Planning should be a locally-organised issue and central government should have no business sticking their oars in after it has already been approved by TWO councils! :mad:

 

[CC51DAS]

I understand what you say, Cricko, but some of the issues weren't addressed to the satisfaction of the Council's professional officers. If I remember rightly, there was concern about the effect of the retail element upon the town centre and whether the highways proposals were adequate. The officers recommendation that there was insufficient info on these points would have been on the technical information available and therefore it is not unreasonable for the government to want to check these points further.

What is annoying is the length of time it takes to get an Inquiry arranged by the government. I can speak from personal experience that while Council planning departments are expected to make decisions quickly and efficiently, the government doesn't seem to be subject to the same regulations...

Hmmm , glad you used the word 'expected' - in my experience they don't comply but simply find a way around the timescales set down to them . Now I 've not had any direct experience of Government Departments in these situations , but 20 weeks sounds like lightning fast in Gov circles to me .

The person I feel most sorry for now in all this is King Kev who may have to wait another year for his testimonial in the new stadium .

And I apologise for bringing this back to Saturday's performance , but I just wonder if the club could have got a 'heads up' on this on Friday .( I would imagine that Savills would have a contact in the Department )

 

[JoshC]

Eh? Now that wouldn't be a particular very good idea, would it?!

:confused:

alright alright i really wish i didn't say that now, what an idiot i must have sounded :o ("think then type, think then type, think then type")

 

[Cricko2]

I understand what you say, Cricko, but some of the issues weren't addressed to the satisfaction of the Council's professional officers. If I remember rightly, there was concern about the effect of the retail element upon the town centre and whether the highways proposals were adequate. The officers recommendation that there was insufficient info on these points would have been on the technical information available and therefore it is not unreasonable for the government to want to check these points further.

What is annoying is the length of time it takes to get an Inquiry arranged by the government. I can speak from personal experience that while Council planning departments are expected to make decisions quickly and efficiently, the government doesn't seem to be subject to the same regulations...

Again I have to debate this ...There was a chance for opposing views from the Town Centre.The representative never bothered to show up at the meeting.. There was some concern about the roads which were put to rest during the 3 hour meeting. The Town Council Planner again did have some reservations, these too he quoted as saying ..."I am sure these are well able to be sorted between the club and my office" In Fact I will go as far as to say everything but the Ducks Ar$e was discussed. I still fail to see how a government in London or wherever, have the justification or Local Town knowledge of how Southend is, to put it to a public enquiry. If there was concern surely the councils would not have passed the plans. Of Course I have to admit you have greater knowledge of these matters than I and please do not take this as any other than an opinion. It just makes NO sense.

 

[CC51DAS]

Again I have to debate this ...There was a chance for opposing views from the Town Centre.The representative never bothered to show up at the meeting.. There was some concern about the roads which were put to rest during the 3 hour meeting. The Town Council Planner again did have some reservations, these too he quoted as saying ..."I am sure these are well able to be sorted between the club and my office" In Fact I will go as far to say everything but the Ducks Ar$e was discussed. I still fail to see how a government in London or wherever, have the justification or Local Town knowledge of how Southend is to put it to a public enquiry. If there was concern surely the councils would not have passed the plans. Of Course I have to admit you have greater knowledge of these matters than I and please do not take this as any other than an opinion. It just makes NO sense.

I was in the Chamber as well and couldn't understand a word that the nice Doctor of Asian background was saying . So I for one would not rule out that the 'Duck's Ar$e ' was discussed .

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

this government is the most bureaucratic and centralist in the history of British government. Stalin would be proud of them. They've perfected the art of spending more money than most other governments whilst geting less the other end than most governments.

I wish there was an election next month - I would vote Labours out straight away - Labours goverment's has to be one of the worst tax-money waster in our history. God help me when Gordon Brown become our PM!

After this, I hate Labour even more now. Under Tony Blair, they has turned London into "New York" of 21st Century - I should know that as New York (my homeland) used to be one of the dangerous city in the world in 70's 80's & earlier 90's - these days its safe to walk in street of New York in dark - unlike London, where you more likely to get beaten up, robbed or murdered.

Ruth Kelly & Goverment :flamer: SUFC

 

[ldnfatso]

Is it just me who thinks that the stadium will finally get approval just before the next General Election? Good old Labour trying to butter up the Tory stronghold or am i just being cynical?

 

[sussex by the sea]

Now I 've not had any direct experience of Government Departments in these situations , but 20 weeks sounds like lightning fast in Gov circles to me .

Clearly not - up to 20 weeks is just to find a date for an Inquiry. No decision is made at the Inquiry itself, after which the Inspector at the Inquiry will go away and file a report for Secretary of State. The final decision will be weeks, possibly months after the Inquiry is held. Rather longer than Southend BC took to make a decision in fact.

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Clearly not - up to 20 weeks is just to find a date for an Inquiry. No decision is made at the Inquiry itself, after which the Inspector at the Inquiry will go away and file a report for Secretary of State. The final decision will be weeks, possibly months after the Inquiry is held. Rather longer than Southend BC took to make a decision in fact.

Realistically therefore, it could be a whole year before a decision is made on the matter and who knows where the club will be at that time. :fury:

 

[sussex by the sea]

Again I have to debate this ...There was a chance for opposing views from the Town Centre.The representative never bothered to show up at the meeting.. There was some concern about the roads which were put to rest during the 3 hour meeting. The Town Council Planner again did have some reservations, these too he quoted as saying ..."I am sure these are well able to be sorted between the club and my office" In Fact I will go as far as to say everything but the Ducks Ar$e was discussed. I still fail to see how a government in London or wherever, have the justification or Local Town knowledge of how Southend is, to put it to a public enquiry. If there was concern surely the councils would not have passed the plans. Of Course I have to admit you have greater knowledge of these matters than I and please do not take this as any other than an opinion. It just makes NO sense.

It's a perfectly valid opinion, but the quote from the Council's planner is interesting as it implies that the issues in his view weren't sorted out but could be in the future. The irony is, therefore, had the Council taken a bit longer to make the decision perhaps after receiving more info from the Club, then it is more likely that the plans wouldn't have been called in. The Council planners report to the Committee did make it clear that a call in was a possibility, if they granted permission straight away.

I understand what you say by "if there was concern surely the councils would not have passed the plans" but there was concern from the professional officers and the plans were still passed by the councillors, hence why the government is getting involved. The Council planners had to assess the application against national and regional policies and these policies have to be applied consistently across all areas.

I am not necessarily trying to defend the planning system but can only try to explain how it works after the frustrating news of today !

 

[Smiffy]

So all being said, we are probably, realistically, looking at autumn/xmas before a decision is reached....

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

So all being said, we are probably, realistically, looking at autumn/xmas before a decision is reached....

Yep, it will be a long wait.

If the new ground ever gets built we are probably looking at it being ready for the start of the 2009/10 season at the earliest. So at least 2 more seasons at Roots Hall now.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Ruth Kelly would, frankly, have to be off her rocker to overturn the local councils' findings...

I reckon she will see an image of the virgin Mary on a slice of toast next Wednesday and interpret it as a divine signal to approve the stadium decision.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

i want to go back to no news is good news!

 

[Napster]

I reckon she will see an image of the virgin Mary on a slice of toast next Wednesday and interpret it as a divine signal to approve the stadium decision.

That gives me an idea for a poll

 

[Holy Joe]

So all being said, we are probably, realistically, looking at autumn/xmas before a decision is reached....

Think it will be longer - is it up to 20 weeks for a date to be announced, and that date could be another say 6 months in the furure, or is it up to 20 weeks before the inquiry is held?

 

[CC51DAS]

Think it will be longer - is it up to 20 weeks for a date to be announced, and that date could be another say 6 months in the furure, or is it up to 20 weeks before the inquiry is held?

Read back a bit on this thread

 

[Holy Joe]

Read back a bit on this thread

I have read the thread - its 20 weeks to find a date - but does that mean the date is within those 20 weeks or do they just have to announce when the inquiry will be within 20 weeks (and the date could be greater than 20 weeks)?