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The Big Dady

¡Viva la Kevolución! ⭐️ ⭐️
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Bristol Rovers have scrapped plans to play home games at Cheltenham while they build a new £35 million stadium (Subject To Funding).

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Memorial Stadium


The club says it has "listened to the fans" and redesigned the construction project so that the Memorial Stadium stays open for business throughout the rebuilding.

The announcement came at a press conference at the ground yesterday.

It means fans will no longer have to take the 87-mile round trip up and down the M5 to Cheltenham Town FC's Whaddon Ground to see Rovers play.
"We've listened to the fans," said Rovers chairman Nick Higgs. "They didn't want to move away. No one wanted to drive up to Cheltenham on a rainy night in November.

"But I would like to thank the directors of Cheltenham Town for their help and co-operation in agreeing to accommodate us if we had needed a temporary groundshare agreement."

Mr Higgs said Bristol Rugby, which shares the Memorial Ground, was aware of the latest change of plan.

"They didn't want to move to Newport. That was always a bone of contention," he said.

"It will save both clubs, Rovers and Bristol Rugby, an awful lot of money."
A major rethink of how construction will be carried out has made it possible for the two clubs to stay put.

This includes work on the roof trusses which help to hold the stadium together.

These would now be lighter and erected piece by piece rather than in one piece, which avoids having to bring in giant cranes, said Mr Higgs.

The construction plan will be organised so that at no time does capacity fall below 8,500.

Jim Chappell, of the Bristol Rovers Supporters Club, said: "It's great news. I know fans will be delighted we don't have to go to Cheltenham. It would have been inconvenient and expensive.

"Originally, the ground had to be closed for structural reasons. But now they've got round that, I think it's a real achievement."

The club insists the new 18,500-seater stadium – which was put back a year by the credit crunch – will still be built, complete with a hotel and more than 500 units of student accommodation.

The whole project was in doubt after the company that was originally going to build the student accommodation pulled out earlier this year.

This part of the scheme is essential because it will provide most of the funding.

But Rovers chairman Nick Higgs said yesterday he hoped a deal could soon be reached with one of three possible backers.

Asked if the global economic downturn could still throw Rovers' plans into disarray, he told reporters he was "quietly confident".

Mr Higgs said Bristol City Council – which gave planning permission for the stadium and later alterations to the scheme in 2007 and earlier this year – had been told about the new construction plans yesterday.

But Rovers' planning consultants, Aztec West-based RPS, had assured the club that, as the model for the new stadium had not changed, there would be no need for a new planning application.

Mr Higgs said the credit crunch had benefited the project in some respects, including lower steel prices. But he would not be drawn on whether the total cost might eventually be higher than the planned £35 million.

He said an application for a "full grant" was being made to the Football Foundation.

"Due to the current turmoil in the financial markets, it is not certain that we will still be able to achieve the necessary funding in the manner we first planned," Mr Higgs said.

"The board are now exploring alternative proposals with various other parties." Mr Higgs said an announcement about funding would be made in the New Year.

Construction is expected to start in 2009, but Mr Higgs said he could not give more detail at this stage.

It is expected that the project will still take about two years as planned and be complete by the start of the 2011-12 season.

Bristol Rugby's chief executive, Steve Gorvett said: "Once we have had an opportunity to assess the impact on Bristol Rugby of what has been announced then we will make a more detailed statement."


Link to Story

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It is interesting that their amended proposed new stadium regeneration development programme has not yet been approved by Bristol City Council or the Football League although planning permission has been granted, and at the moment it will only proceed if they recieve final approval of the scheme, and when funding is in place. I think Fossetts Farm is a little further down the line than this development, but it is interesting that one of their problems is the credit crunch. I note also that they are about to make an application for a "full grant" to the Football Foundation, wonder if Ron is doing the same?

There is more info on the Bristol Rovers OS website

Bristol Rovers OS
 
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