New Stadium update

[WestyReturns]

Not sure that the ground will ever increase its capacity, if we reached the championship or premiershite,
In the statement it mentioned that Bournmouth and Brentford have a low capacity in the top flight and that we seem to be using them both as model of what we can achieve.

Which totally contradicts the concept of being self sustainable. Both of those clubs have had heavy investment from owners to reach where the current levels.

 

[Crawliano]

I would imagine that the hospitality in the other areas within the 3 sided bowl will be non pitch view lounges which will be converted in due course to their intended use.

Doesn’t take much to fit a padded seat and move it at a later date if totally necessary

 

[Strykr]

Its extremely strange feeling numb about such news given how much i love the club. Jaded after 30 years of broken dreams, a bit like watching england play .

Until its there i wont believe it, dissapointed about the reduced capacity. Probably makes sense in a lot of ways, but lets face it, we are never going to move again, i dont want 5000 fans rattling around in a 21k seater, but given our potential catchment area i liked that we were aiming high and maybe taking sufc to a totally different level.

Can anyone in the know clarify if there is the potential to expand?

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

At long last an update from the club frankly 17000 is probably adequate in the current situation hopefully with some capacity to increase if needed.
Not keen on a Oxford style stadium now long will we have to wait for the 4th side to be built.

Cant get over excited as this saga has been rumbling on for too long so any local supporters spot any JCB digging please let the Zone know

 

[HertfordshireBlue]

Would the safe standing be across the whole west stand?

 

[* ORM *]

Are we the only professional football club in the country that has had such a new stadium fiasco. At least Darlo built their white elephant.

 

[Marco]

Gillingham have been talking about a new stadium for decades. Usually linked to casinos, thousands of flats, or elusive investors in Dubai. Most of their sites usually go for housing.

 

[rigsby]

There has been new stadium models made in the early 80’s and going back to the 70’s under the Rubin’s plans for a new West stand. I remember being told as long as The Rubin’s went all our problems will be solved

Once again most have assumed it’s club rather than council who want the changes. Often it’s a case of compromise and meet in the middle.

I have been told a start on the new Training ground has been made. Does look like something is going on if you drive by.

A reduction from 21,000 is absolutely the right way forward. Bigger capacity will be easy if it’s ever needed.

 

[ESG]

After it was passed i thought Martin said work would be under way in April.

 

[Tommy2holes]

After it was passed i thought Martin said work would be under way in April.

He did..

 

[Ricey]

After it was passed i thought Martin said work would be under way in April.

He didn’t specify what year though

 

[Chairman Trigg]

More waffle giving no definite dates on anything.The cut in capacity shows that the ambition of the club long term now matches the decline of the town.....sorry city !!!! Have lost all enthusiasm for the project and with where the club is .....struggling to even look forward to next season.Like many don't expect to be alive to see it now and wouldn't be surprised if this is the club's feeble attempt to spin good news ahead of season cards becoming available on credit

 

[kentblues]

It is possible. We are literally redeveloping Portsmouth as we speak without any wholesale demolition - the only issue is that a redevelopment doesn't enable Ron to deliver the raft of commercial space which is needed to supposedly allow self-sufficiency.

It is not possible as in financially not possible. The club will simply not be viable or competitive at RH. Some don’t want to believe it but regrettably it will never make it any less true.

I see the first phase is to get the new training facilities built and then the stadium. This also makes sense. From here I am not sure the amendments make much difference- I think beginning 24/25 season would pretty much be it either way?

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

So that’s complete in roughly 2 years time. Surely that means we have to be on site fairly soon?

My mum used to joke that she would never see the new stadium in her lifetime and she died 3 years ago. I now feel exactly the same!

 

[kentblues]

Well I'm going to buck the trend that it's cool to cynical on this topic. The very fact that the club have released this after weeks/months of fans saying nothing is happening or Southend are ****e at everything stadium, gives me hope that it could now be near. And yes I'm a little excited purely because if we do get in there 2024/25 I should still be around to 'enjoy' it.

It not cool to be cynical about it….I struggle with some who seem just not to want it to happen (alarming) as opposed to those that actually do but struggle to believe it (obviously very much less alarming)…

The funding side has been explained many times but suffice to say Ron is providing the land at RH & Fossets but the £££ for the development is coming from elsewhere including Homes England and the development company where the partners are billionaire property developers.

By the way the value of RH and Fossets with planning permission someone might be able to estimate- but it will be substantial.

Anyway my glass has always been half full on this, uncool or not :-)

 

[Smiffy]

So that’s complete in roughly 2 years time. Surely that means we have to be on site fairly soon?

My mum used to joke that she would never see the new stadium in her lifetime and she died 3 years ago. I now feel exactly the same!

As @Sherif H has already mentioned. Building work would need to commence by May 2023 at the very latest if that timescale is to be met.

 

[kentblues]

Which totally contradicts the concept of being self sustainable. Both of those clubs have had heavy investment from owners to reach where the current levels.

I think it depends on what is meant by sustainable.

17k and good commercial income streams is probably very much sustainable in L2, L1 and lower half Championship.

I am afraid if we now want to Prem/competing for prem then that is not a dream built on sustainability- it’s built on huge amounts of owners cash almost irrespective of stadium capacity.

The only way we get there is if we are in Championship/L1 sustainable, near filling the stadium and then an investor with ££££ will as with Bournemouth and Brentford think we make a real opportunity for the next step..

 

[Jai]

I very much doubt whether the planning application can be submitted and sorted by the end of next season .

I appreciate that it's very fashionable to be cynical on this subject, but as long as there are no significant increases to the size and scale of the actual stadium buildings, it shouldn't actually need to go to the planning committee - it could be waved through by officers. The minimum time this would take after an application is submitted is about 6 weeks but at the moment with planning departments as stretched as every other industry in this country, I would say it would take longer, perhaps a few months.

Meanwhile the construction works already have planning permission. So work could still be going on on constructing access roads, training pitches, and other necessary work.

 

[Jai]

It’s a good point from Tommy. The reason Ron always gave for the 4th stand was the commercials. It’s unclear whether that’s cut here and redistributed to phase 1, or whether it’s just more commercials across the piece. If it’s the former, then what is the incentive for anyone to build stand 4?

This to me is the only negative point to these new amendments. The rest makes sense.

 

[Supa Shrimpa]

More waffle giving no definite dates on anything.The cut in capacity shows that the ambition of the club long term now matches the decline of the town.....sorry city !!!! Have lost all enthusiasm for the project and with where the club is .....struggling to even look forward to next season.Like many don't expect to be alive to see it now and wouldn't be surprised if this is the club's feeble attempt to spin good news ahead of season cards becoming available on credit

I agree. Seems like a spin just to appease the fans and bring in some season ticket sales. How many times have we heard "awaiting planning"..."build starts in Apr" etc etc...it's all kicking the can down the road.

I'm sorry, but he's had 20 odd years to come up with a new stadium and what are we being offered ? In 2 seasons time (if at all) we're being offered a 3 sided thingy with no guarantee of how it'll benefit SUFC financially. Is the funding actually agreed ? and what happens if Ron gets banged up in the meantime ?