Radio Intrview with Colin Page this morning

[I am Spartacus]

On KMFM this morning Colin Page said that the pitch will be turned 90o and the new plans were going to the council. He also said that in the next 2 -3 weeks we should have 2-3 more players onboard.

 

With regard to the pitch at the match yeaterday someone (who will remain annoymous but speaks from authority) said the architets had measured the ground to switch round and there was not enough room for stands to be put behind the newgoal positions.

 

What is going on???

[jkmaskell]

Good God, they are actually going to do it.... Ill have to see the plans.

 

Basically planning permission will have the be granted like during the Summer...Planning and Full Council meetings. Itll probably have to go to GOSE as well as a departure from the Local Plan.

[Cookie]

I cant understand all this chopping & changing. Why wasnt all this originally thought out. WE all know what this council is like for stalling and this will play into their hands no-end but if this is true then to me its a definate own goal we have produced here. Lets face it, all things were supposed to be in place and accepted to start work NOW originally but with this change surely even at the close of this season a re-build looks unlikely now.I am sure the club have everything under control but for us looking in from the outside thats how things look to me.Promises made to players concerning the ground and its new stadium also have to be taken into some sort of consideration. I would hate to think that we have acquired "class players" on a fib!

Hopefully things arent as desperate as they seem to be or as much as I see them to be.

[Porka]

This seems like it will drag out again.

[jkmaskell]

As I said before the only reason why MFC would need to change the plans is because of trouble finding companies to support the development.

 

Planning applications take up to six months to go through Council. Basically, nothings happening this season and I would think it highly unlikely that work will be started before Christmas. Remember there were a number of conditions that had to be completed prior to any building work beginning. I think there might be more.

[Porka]

Agreed. It really is back to the drawing board if new companies want to come on board and they will have their own stamp on things. And wont turning the pitch round mean knocking trees down behind the current temporary stand? That could really please some of the green-obsessed Council members.

[jkmaskell]

About that area, knocking down the trees is a HUGE no no. The rules are basically, if you are going to take down trees like that, you have to put some similar trees elsewhere. Tit for tat I guess. I am not sure where we can find trees of that size and type around Thanet... Theyll move the ground down towards Tivoli Woods, but then it would mean the possibility that the development is going downhill and a whole range of problems come from that.

 

If the trees are under threat it means taking more time with getting the reports to Council, more delays, not to mention almost certainly more planning conditions.

[Boney Crisp]

We got planning permission so why go all the way back to the beginning and what will happen the current ground will be demolished the land will be cleared then the council will stop building work, then we will be left without a stadium and a club. At the moment TDC are winning the battle. Get a grip Board of MFC.

[JeremyJacobs]

I think you maybe jumping to conclusions. Rather than posting speculative comments here why not approach KP CP, or the developers directly?

[Porka]

The key issue is have the club ever had secure companies supporting the development, and if they are resubmitting a different plan are these companies secure enough to be trusted. Are there new companies just coming on board who want the pitch rotation? If so, will the council have objections over the companies. Then if we are going downhill this will affect the parking and the various things the club will have to do to reassess the impact on Tivoli Park Av and Hartsdown Rd.

[teamster]

I posted at the start of the season the money was ot there and the ground would not be completed All I got was a loa d of abuse. Althougg a good source who works for the council told me so.

[geoff pay]

yet to hear moaning from the council and i understand they know all about these plans and are workingb wioth the club funders etc. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

[Hornet]

Thought this had all been SORTED ALREADY.

We cannot go backwards again-perhaps some reassuring statements from the club what its' and the councils' positions are on this and what needs to be thrashed out and changed. Will it be on schedual or is there a possibility it's gonna overun ( JKM reckons by Christmas which is a year late ).

Keep us in the loop.

[Cookie]

It should be up to the club to inform US JJ and not the other way round.If only as a matter of courtesy to its fans who are waiying in anticipation of a rebuilt stadium. One that was supposed to begin this month but then put off till the end of the season.And now! Well anyones guess.

I still think however that KP and associates will have things under control but if it does all go tits up then bully for you Teamster!

[geoff pay]

well the funders were all there yesterday so i think they are still up fopr it dont you <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

[jkmaskell]

Before I say anything, JJ, you are right. My comments are just speculation. You dont have to trust anything I say. On the other hand, I genuinely want to see a great permanent ground at Hartsdown Park. I have visited most Planning meetings and every single Full Council meeting since Summer 2004 (its sad but its important to me!). I also attend other meetings connected to the Council and I am probably the MISA member most likely to know whats likely to happen. I know what to expect. Anything I say is speculation, but its probably worth listening to.

 

Hornet, that wasnt quite right, I think I wasnt quite specific enough...

 

Basically a planning application takes up to 6 months to pass through Council, which this one will have to do. If say it involves any change to the group of trees behind the temporary stand it means a longer wait for that report. Then there are the conditions that need to be fulfilled prior to any construction work. I explained the ones relevant to the application passed last year. If it means a change to those trees it means a wait of some time (dont know when but Im sure you dont see these trees at Homebase!). Im gonna go for Spring next year.

 

Im not rubbishing the idea of rotating the pitch. If it has to be done, if its the only option, then thats the way it has to go. I will support the club in doing so.

 

To those fans who arent sure how to treat my posts relating the Ground itself, PM me or post your questions here. If I dont know, Ill try to find out, but understand Im not a Planning officer and Planning law and policy isnt my specialty (though Im finding it rather interesting in recent times).

[JeremyJacobs]

My biggest concern is not that we wont get permission to go for the new "turn-around" ground (sounds like Turner Centre, sorry) it's the worry that we'll have to turn the pitch, extend the turf, sort out the drainage in 3 months.

[ooh!!bodyform]

ok i hate to say it but i do not post on here much anymore bcause there is alot of back biting and i do not want to get drawn into it, however, i mentioned on here pre christmas(date has eluded me sorry) that this was going to happen and was told that i was wrong and this was NOT going to happen, at the match on saturday i had a similar conversation with another fan and was told that i was totally wrong and that my knowledge was not good enough. So im sorry to say but......

I DID TELL YOU!!

[jkmaskell]

I know you did, bodyform. Ands Ill admit, I was one of the people saying it was unrealistic. I still think its a bad idea.

[Cookie]

I have just e.mailed the club asking for some up dates on proceedings.I think some things need clarifying. Have to wait & see now if they will get back to us or not.I think we need to know a little bit more about the facts concerning this before we get any more downhearted.I am sure things wont be as bad as they seem but hopefully something positive from the club may ease our minds on this subject anyway.