Stadium Objection

[Behindu]

I can;t believe that they sat on their concerns for 6 months or more !!

I can.

At the same time I can also believe that RBC planners didn;t consult - whenever I've had dealings with the RBC planning dept I have been amazed at how little common sense / foresight / competance they display.

[Wycombe Royal]

At the same time I can also believe that RBC planners didn;t consult - whenever I've had dealings with the RBC planning dept I have been amazed at how little common sense / foresight / competance they display.

I think that goes for any council.

[royal goof]

This is what you wrote when plans were initially announced:

Posted: 21 Sep 2006 09:10 Post subject:

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Wycombe Royal wrote:
I just hope they also have a plan with regards to how they will get all the additional cars to and from the stadium and where to park them.

Yes I did, but the affect to the Wokingham area will be quite small. For the majority of matches I doubt the crowds will be that much higher. Some people are now using the buses that are provided from Bracknell, Wokingham, etc. There is a new park and ride being built on the south side of the M4. There will be a new train station at Green Park which quite a few people who come from south of the M4 will probably use (and I would guess that it is a lot of those people that park in the areas that Wokingham are concerned about. I also believe that eventually Grenn Park will be used for matchday parking.

I agree to an extent. A more detailed asssessment of that kind of thing should have been carried out and submitted with the planning application shouldn't it?

But also have you seen the amount of cars parking around Three Mile Cross? Have you experienced the congestion on Shinfield Road, Elm Lane and Basingstoke Road? It affects a lot of people that aren't football supporters..

[royal goof]

As I understand, the correct department at WBC was not consulted until late March and comments would have then been passed back to RBC within 2 weeks. As far as i'm aware RBC has made no attempt to contact WBC prior to this.

So WBC have deliberately stalled then ?

The plans have been around for ages (in fact since at least October) and the proposal has had widespread publicity. If WDC had such serious concerns about the impact 'across the district' would they not have been well advised to be actively seeking to ensure their concerns were addressed right from the start ?
I can;t believe that they sat on their concerns for 6 months or more !!

It's the responsibility of the Council whose patch the development is on to lead the planning process.. therefore WBC are only 'consulted' - Reading FC/RBC could have come to WBC prior to submitting a planning application and ironed out any problems beforehand but i'm guessing that they didnt and now the problems have to be sorted out along the way..

[Behindu]

I think you have misread what i wrote.. WBC responded within about 2 weeks of being consulted!

It's the responsibility of the Council whose patch the development is on to lead the planning process.. therefore WBC are only 'consulted' - Reading FC/RBC could have come to WBC prior to submitting a planning application and ironed out any problems beforehand but i'm guessing that they didnt and now the problems have to be sorted out along the way..

No, I read what you said correctly !

But you said earlier that WBC has a duty to it's resident's to raise this objection. I'd query whether a stance whereby they sit back and do nothing for months is actually doing that (or serving the interests of it's residents who are Royals fans !). I appreciate that the planning process is complex and there is a 'way' to do things, but in any other world if you were concerned about something you would get on the phone and raise that concern, not sit expect someone else to come and see you.

[Behindu]

Have you experienced the congestion on Shinfield Road, Elm Lane and Basingstoke Road? It affects a lot of people that aren't football supporters..

Those roads are just as bad on non football days though !

Not disputing the fact that transport is very important, and that having several thousand extra fans will add some cars to the roads !

[royal goof]

I think you have misread what i wrote.. WBC responded within about 2 weeks of being consulted!

It's the responsibility of the Council whose patch the development is on to lead the planning process.. therefore WBC are only 'consulted' - Reading FC/RBC could have come to WBC prior to submitting a planning application and ironed out any problems beforehand but i'm guessing that they didnt and now the problems have to be sorted out along the way..

No, I read what you said correctly !

But you said earlier that WBC has a duty to it's resident's to raise this objection. I'd query whether a stance whereby they sit back and do nothing for months is actually doing that (or serving the interests of it's residents who are Royals fans !). I appreciate that the planning process is complex and there is a 'way' to do things, but in any other world if you were concerned about something you would get on the phone and raise that concern, not sit expect someone else to come and see you.

Sorry, I should have said that when the plans first came to light there was a scoping opinion submitted to RBC which WBC were also consulted on - i understand that WBC requested at this early stage that a full Environmental Impact Assessment would be required and these must include a thorough assessment of all the issues, including traffic & parking as these areas were of concern to WBC.

Therefore Reading FC/RBC would have been under no illlusion about what information should have been submitted with the application/or discussed prior - they have simply chose not to submit enough detail on this.

[Behindu]

OK, thanks, that clarifies it somewhat !

You would think that Nigel Howe would be fully conversant with planning, given that he is a property developer by trade and was originally employed specifically to oversee the new stadium development ...

[royal goof]

OK, thanks, that clarifies it somewhat !

You would think that Nigel Howe would be fully conversant with planning, given that he is a property developer by trade and was originally employed specifically to oversee the new stadium development ...

No worries! Yes indeed you would!

ps. Cynics would say that if John Madejski built a sports academy in Wokingham Borough then WBC would probably worry a little less about the problems associated with traffic & parking!

[Behindu]

ps. Cynics would say that if John Madejski built a sports academy in Wokingham Borough then WBC would probably worry a little less about the problems associated with traffic & parking!

Or redeveloped the town centre, or endowed a theatre, or spent any money there !!!

You certainly get the impression that Wokingham are looking to embarrass RBC at any opportunity, probably as a result of Reading wanting to remove the boundary anomalies as much as pure ideological differences (I'm no great fan of RBC by the way !)

[Wycombe Royal]

But also have you seen the amount of cars parking around Three Mile Cross? Have you experienced the congestion on Shinfield Road, Elm Lane and Basingstoke Road? It affects a lot of people that aren't football supporters..

Unfortunately that is one of the downsides of living in the vicinity of a football stadium. I used to live under half a mile away from Adams Park on the main road leading up to the ground. The inconvenience covered 2 or 3 hours on roughly every other Saturday - it wasn't really a problem and I don't think it is a really that much of a problem for the people who live in the areas you mention.

[royal goof]

But also have you seen the amount of cars parking around Three Mile Cross? Have you experienced the congestion on Shinfield Road, Elm Lane and Basingstoke Road? It affects a lot of people that aren't football supporters..

Unfortunately that is one of the downsides of living in the vicinity of a football stadium. I used to live under half a mile away from Adams Park on the main road leading up to the ground. The inconvenience covered 2 or 3 hours on roughly every other Saturday - it wasn't really a problem and I don't think it is a really that much of a problem for the people who live in the areas you mention.

It's a fact that people are affected. It's also a fact that many have lived there before the stadium was even built.

[Murtys Right Foot]

While I agree about the potential problems around the stadium, maybe WBC should put their own house in order before questioning planning applications from another borough.

The continual traffic chaos that is Wokingham has nothing to do with RFC.

I will be asking my councillor if he objected to the application, and at the same time asking what they intend to do about Winnersh crossroads, Loddon Bridge roundabout, Finchampstead Road, Station Road, Shute end, etc, etc.........

Pot, kettle and black are words that spring to mind.

[Behindu]

I have a friend who lives inbetween Highbury and the Emirates (and hates football!). He is allowed 1 car parked outside his flat (he and his girlfriend each have a car, the second one has to be parked about 2 miles away on match days) and they have no vehicular access on match days from about 6 hours before ko to 2 hours after. He says it was bad when they played at Highbury but is much worse now. He is trying to move but anyone who comes to see the flat asks about match days and loses interest.

I reckon that any problems at the Mad Stad pale into insignificance compared to this ! I also think the problems are no worse than they were at EP where residential roads were totally blocked, people parked all over the place and front garden were invaded by fighting fans !

The roads affected at the Mad Stad are (largely) non residential. Doesn;t mean the transport mustn;t be sorted, but there is a need for perspective IMHO

[royal goof]

While I agree about the potential problems around the stadium, maybe WBC should put their own house in order before questioning planning applications from another borough.

The continual traffic chaos that is Wokingham has nothing to do with RFC.

I will be asking my councillor if he objected to the application, and at the same time asking what they intend to do about Winnersh crossroads, Loddon Bridge roundabout, Finchampstead Road, Station Road, Shute end, etc, etc.........

Pot, kettle and black are words that spring to mind.

They have a responsibility to address anything that has an impact on their district.

[madmickb]

I am no great fan of WBC either i live in Lower Earley and for year we have been the poor relation to Wokingham Council I agree that the parking is poor, Thats why RBC have wanted a Railway station by the Mad Stad and that surley got to help. But if we want a Premiership Football club in the area than we must all work together and quickly to find more parking or better way of getting supporters to the stadium or we all might as well give up and go back to supporting a 3rd division team

[Murtys Right Foot]

While I agree about the potential problems around the stadium, maybe WBC should put their own house in order before questioning planning applications from another borough.

The continual traffic chaos that is Wokingham has nothing to do with RFC.

I will be asking my councillor if he objected to the application, and at the same time asking what they intend to do about Winnersh crossroads, Loddon Bridge roundabout, Finchampstead Road, Station Road, Shute end, etc, etc.........

Pot, kettle and black are words that spring to mind.

They have a responsibility to address anything that has an impact on their district.

Couldn't agree more, but maybe they should put their own house in order first.

I live in Wokingham, and I'd like them to spend their valuable time and effort sorting out the problems that already exist IN their district.

[royal goof]

I have a friend who lives inbetween Highbury and the Emirates (and hates football!). He is allowed 1 car parked outside his flat (he and his girlfriend each have a car, the second one has to be parked about 2 miles away on match days) and they have no vehicular access on match days from about 6 hours before ko to 2 hours after. He says it was bad when they played at Highbury but is much worse now. He is trying to move but anyone who comes to see the flat asks about match days and loses interest.

I reckon that any problems at the Mad Stad pale into insignificance compared to this ! I also think the problems are no worse than they were at EP where residential roads were totally blocked, people parked all over the place and front garden were invaded by fighting fans !

The roads affected at the Mad Stad are (largely) non residential. Doesn;t mean the transport mustn;t be sorted, but there is a need for perspective IMHO

I agree mate. Personally I am not that concerned as I don't live in a road thats directly affected and will just tailor my travel arrangements to deal with any more problems. After all I want them to expand the stadium! Other people who have no association with football whatsoever have a different opinion and the Council has a responsibility to address the issues.

Say Ikea planned to build a new store by Wycombe Royals house and then said 'we wont be putting in any parking, but will rely improve bus services and in any case there's lots of parking at WR's driveway to use' - i'm sure there would be uproar!

[Wycombe Royal]

Say Ikea planned to build a new store by Wycombe Royals house and then said 'we wont be putting in any parking, but will rely improve bus services and in any case there's lots of parking at WR's driveway to use' - i'm sure there would be uproar!

There is nothing like a good old hypothetical situation that has no relation to the situation being discussed.

[royal goof]

While I agree about the potential problems around the stadium, maybe WBC should put their own house in order before questioning planning applications from another borough.

The continual traffic chaos that is Wokingham has nothing to do with RFC.

I will be asking my councillor if he objected to the application, and at the same time asking what they intend to do about Winnersh crossroads, Loddon Bridge roundabout, Finchampstead Road, Station Road, Shute end, etc, etc.........

Pot, kettle and black are words that spring to mind.

They have a responsibility to address anything that has an impact on their district.

Couldn't agree more, but maybe they should put their own house in order first.

I live in Wokingham, and I'd like them to spend their valuable time and effort sorting out the problems that already exist IN their district.

cool, me too! but where you and I live we have different opinions on what should get priority in sorting out. someone who lives in three mile cross could see the stadium's impact as the most important issue and this IS IN their district.