letter in the extra.

[blueblood]

I found the letter from mr pete binding in the Extra very much to the point regarding the council and its dealings with the Club. When asked why the council had not asked the airport for a detailed business plan to go with the required planning permissions they said, business plans were not a requirement for planning applications. when asked why then was one needed for the GAAAAAAAAAATE.he was met with silence. One rule for one. One rule for the other. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bow.gif" alt="" />

[Cookie]

That was in last weeks KM surely. Have they repeated the letter in this weeks paper then? Having said that it is almost TRUE that this is the case.

[MargateFan]

I am just waiting to see how much due diligence as to financial matters, detailed business plans, traffic impact surveys, etc. etc. will be required to wipe Dreamland off the map.

Bet it won't take them 2 years and innumerable delays and moving goalposts to get that one through, although the window for objections will probably close 5 minutes before the next extended public holiday!

[blueblood]

Yes Cookie it was in last weeks. Do not recieve it until friday. and with working 14hour days over the weekend ihave not had time to mention it before. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bow.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

SATURDAY was a very emotional and special day for everybody connected with Southern League Division One East club Dartford, writes Stephen McCartney.

 

Over 100 fans packed into the clubhouse at Gravesend & Northfleet's Stonebridge Road ground to view the presentation by Dartford Borough Council on their new stadium at Princes Park - which should be ready in time for the 2006-07 season.

 

Club officials will be speaking to the council in two weeks time to finalise the arrangements but one thing is for sure, football is coming home to Dartford in August 2006.

 

It has been a roller-coaster ride for everybody connected with the club since the club were forced to withdraw from the Southern League after just four games into the 1992-93 season.

 

In the wake of the Bradford fire and Hillsborough disaster Dartford, like so many clubs, needed to relocate or upgrade their facilities at their old ground in Watling Street and the board went for the latter option.

 

Large sums of money were spent on planning and design fees, which burdened a manageable financial deficit with crippling interest charges.

 

At the same time Maidstone United, who had sold their own ground, needed a suitable home to launch their ill-fated foray into the Football League and the Dartford board at the time agreed to let the Stones ground share at Watling Street, the rent income providing a welcome boost for finances.

 

However, within a few years the Stones had gone into liquidation, most of their cash being taken up to gain the eagerly-sought Football League place.

 

Ground improvements, which Maidstone United had paid for, were sold to Dartford at a cost of around £500,000, which pushed Darts' debts at the time beyond manageable proportions.

 

Their ground at Watling Street was sold to pay off creditors and Dartford withdrew from the Southern League in the early part of the 1992-93 campaign.

 

However, the club's Supporters' Association, around 400 strong, came to the rescue. A private limited liability company was incorporated in November 1992 to manage affairs which meant, primarily, keeping the youth team operating, an action which was rewarded when the youth team beat Maidstone Invicta (the club rising out of the ashes of the old Maidstone United) in the John Ullmann Cup final 2-0 at Stonebridge Road in front of a gate of 562.

 

The contributing existence of the youth team enabled Dartford to maintain both its senior status and full membership of the Football Association.

 

In February 1993 former player and current manager Tony Burman was appointed manager and with the club being offered a groundshare arrangement with Cray Wanderers at their Oxford Road ground in Sidcup, Dartford were able to make a successful application to join the Kent League.

 

With a view to the future the Darts negotiated another groundshare deal, this time at Erith & Belvedere's old ground at Park View, adjacent to Belvedere train station, which is now a superstore, in time for the 1994-95 season.

 

In May 1996 came the welcome news that the Darts had gained promotion to the Southern League, exactly 100 years after the club first entered the competition.

 

However, in September 1997 a disastrous fire at Erith & Belvedere put the club's future and standing with the Southern League into serious doubt and with this in mind, a new ground sharing arrangement was met with Purfleet (now Thurrock) in time for the 1998-99 season.

 

Since the 2001-02 season, the Darts have groundshared at Stonebridge Road - which has been a burden on the club's finances - but they can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

But on Saturday, everyone saw the plans for their new stadium at Princes Park.

 

The club also attracted the division's highest attendance of the season with 348 flooding through the turnstiles at Stonebridge Road. The club are also the best supported in the division, averaging 250. Just imagine how many fans will flock through the turnstiles at Princes Park in August 2006?

 

"It was full of excitement and there was well over 100 people turned up for the presentation, which was well presented by the Council," said Burman - the club's current manager and director of the club.

 

"This was the first insight into their plans for the future and the ground and the facilities, to be fair, just look fantastic."

 

 

Those plans are:

 

* Council Leaders have commissioned a new kind of community stadium

 

* Princes Park will be one of the most ecologically sensitive stadiums ever built

 

* A new stadium for Dartford Football Club

 

* Venue for festival and outdoor events

 

* Community space and banqueting revenue generation for the Darts

 

* A home for Princes Golf and Dartford Road Runners

 

For Supporters:

 

* Fully covered terraces and stands

 

* Seating for 978

 

* Standing for 4,159

 

* Terrace tea bars

 

* Club bar

 

* Club shop

 

* Quality food and match-day dining

 

* Social facility for fundraising and leisure

 

* Easy access from a dedicated fastrack bus stop

 

For Players:

 

* Full sized all-weather training pitch

 

* Quality changing facilities

 

* Fitness and weights room

 

* Seminar and strategy room

 

* First aid and health facility

 

* Club and manager's office

 

* New links with the community

 

For Education and Young People:

 

* A commitment to junior soccer

 

* Summer schools

 

* Kids fitness/skills training

 

* A venue for schools finals

 

* New links to schools

 

* Building on football as a family activity

 

The Environment:

 

* A unique "living roof" reflects the park setting

 

* Sunken design will nestle into surrounding land

 

* A low-energy, sustainable design

 

* High quality lighting to reduce light pollution

 

* Enhanced parkland setting

 

* Green parkland setting

 

* Green transport plan to minimise traffic

 

For Golfers and Road Runners:

 

* A new home for Princes Golf Club and Dartford Road Runners

 

* Golf course protected and enhanced

 

* Quality locker and changing rooms

 

* Secure layout means no-pay, no-play

 

* Bar and dining

 

Special Occasions:

 

* Banqueting facility for 250 - a landmark location

 

* Catering and receptions, parties and celebrations

 

* High quality landscaped grounds

 

* Parking for 300+ cars

 

* Quality function room and bar

 

* Special views and quality environment for guests

 

Reflecting on the presentation, Burman added: "There were a few tears shed. A few of the older supporters looked in disbelief. I am just pleased for everybody involved."

 

Dartford are just months away from playing football matches in a stadium - they can finally call home.

 

"Its just so pleasing for everyone whose been involved with the club, financially, supporting and members of the council who WANT to see this project go through," said Burman.

 

"I think we will have the best ground in Kent and it will be fantastic for the community in Dartford as they will be there to use it.

 

"I've been told it will be run by Dartford Football Club but we want to help the community as well. We will talk to schools for them to use the Astroturf and the clubhouse will also be used for conferences and functions."

 

Dave Skinner, whose supported the club since the 1960s and has been chairman since the club went under 13 years ago, added: "Everyone was impressed by the presentation. I was talking to someone and it was similar to when the announcement was made last year before the King's Lynn game, which we won, and they were top of the league.

 

"There were a few tears shed by the fans in the bar and everyone was so happy that everything, our promises and thoughts for the future are going to come true."

 

Skinner, however, revealed club officials will be meeting with the council in two weeks time to finalise the details of the stadium, but one thing is for sure, Dartford will be playing at Princes Park in August 2006.

 

Skinner added: "It's a council built and council owned but we will have it on a long lease. The whole facility will be leased by Dartford Football Club.

 

"This will be one of the best stadium's in non-league football and the intension of the council will put Dartford on the map. People will come to the stadium and say "wow, Dartford must be a good place."

 

Fans, however, must be patient, as the chairman hasn't guaranteed a return to former glories in their first season back in Dartford.

 

Skinner added: "I am hopeful for one or two seasons of consolidation in the new stadium and we will then be able to work out what the finances are and push for promotion from there. From my own point of view, it will take a year or two to settle down."

 

To visit the presentation photographs, please visit the unofficial website:

 

www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk/ground

 

So whats the problem with our council?

[Guest]

Sorry the above's a long winded one guys but dont these proposals sound similar to ours.What does SE want us to do. Kiss his rotten feet. They're in a lower league to us with respect to them and all our council can give us is permission to build a 3000 capacity temporary stadium with a six year lease. I say up yours to tdc and lets take our football including Ramsgate to the fringes of Thanet out of there control.

Up the gate!

[TonyM]

Seems like the best thing we should do.

[michael]

Whats all that about Gary Levers company owning land at Richborough-any truth and mileage in that ?

 

Maybe the old power station?

[TonyM]

That is what Ive been told by a number of people MM.

[margateshot]

Whats all this about moving to the outskirts of Thanet with the club. I think the club will be cutting off its nose to spite its face. There would be no Hotel complex as nobody would want to stay out that way, and we would be in the same position as Ashford with a ground that is hard to get to with no public transport. We need to stay in Margate, that is where you pick up the casual supporters who can get there esily at the last minute.

[Cookie]

And that was what all this supporting the club and demonstrating and petitioning was all about. We have been fighting to STAY in the town. Not in the end go away from it. The club should be in the town of MARGATE and thats what we have fought for.

[Guest]

Look guys, that was only suggested as a last resort. Do you guys have powers to give planning permission? If you had and if in deed I had ,then mfc would have exactly what they wanted by now. If SE stays in power then expect the worse for the future at hartsdown. Hopefully it wont come to this and all will be sorted. I more than anybody DO NOT want to see margate fc leave HP and I know that the directors dont but unless SE stands down or Labour get into power then we can only expect the worse. SE has a personal problem with MFC. If travelling to Richborough is the only way forward then its dam better than travelling to ashford and dover for home games. Even with the new temporary stadium put in place it wont be good enough for Conference or league football.

I dont think that the campaigning is over yet for us.Not by a long shot.

Up the gate!