Royal Elm Park

[Yellowcoat]

Can't see how those plans can be made consistent with a future stadium expansion though, so that should give you an idea on priorities.

At the consultation presentation today planners were saying stadium expansion plans were still in the picture but promotion to the Premier League (and probably staying there) would be needed to trigger it. I doubt that this would happen at the same time as the other developments though.

[3points]

In terms of parking, I've never understood why the council don't make the owner of Green Park open up all the business car parks on the estate. These would more than cover the loss of spaces at the stadium and at HP

[6ft Kerplunk]

Maybe I've been here too long but does the aerial shot look like a cock and balls to anyone else?

Apparantly not...

Looks the nuts tbf.

tbf that's exactly the type of thing I'd do if I was an architect.

[Platypuss]

Can't see how those plans can be made consistent with a future stadium expansion though, so that should give you an idea on priorities.

At the consultation presentation today planners were saying stadium expansion plans were still in the picture but promotion to the Premier League (and probably staying there) would be needed to trigger it. I doubt that this would happen at the same time as the other developments though.

One would hope the plan is for Premiership football well before 2021, so it's very disappointing to not see at least outline plans on how future stadium expansion would be accommodated within REP as part of the PP application.

Obtaining the previous PP was still a struggle when the stadium was in a relative wilderness with only retail around.
Trying to get PP for a future expansion when you now have substantial residential usage on site, a convention centre and more retail AND you've slashed public car-parking provision (the residents for 600+ new homes have 900 spaces of their own too) without scope to improve the road infrastructure? Hmm...

[Dai Brainbocs]

The flats look crammed in and in themselves will probably create parking problems even when there's nothing else happening on site. The three big towers proposed for the BMW site (fortunately knocked back) were going to have 118 parking spaces for 350 flats. As far out as the stadium I reckon they'll need a minimum of one space per flat, but I doubt the council will accept that.

Who will want to live quite so close to a stadium anyway? Imagine trying to get home from work on a match or concert evening if you have a half-hour commute from a job with regular office hours.

[moonwalklikebas]

It looks brilliant - Looking forward to this!

[melonhead]

Personally I cannot see why there would be any objection to this from anyone. Park and Ride could still operate from the multi-storey. Only possible objection might be from the council on the additional housing and therefore the infrastructure that would be needed to support it.

Parking will definitely be an issue. It means the loss of over 1000 parking spaces, when we'll already be losing a fair number when the old Hewlett Packard site gets redeveloped.

It's fine saying use the shuttle buses, but they aren't really convenient for people from outside Reading.

I live in Bracknell, and It's a half hour journey door to door currently. If I can't drive in, I'd be doubling that at least.

they run busses from Bracknell, which cost less than parking, and get you home quicker than driving...just saying

[melonhead]

Can't see how those plans can be made consistent with a future stadium expansion though, so that should give you an idea on priorities.

stadium expansion was just going to come out to the lines on the pavement outside the ground

theres nothing on the pics ive seen that would interfere with that

[bobby1413]

Personally I cannot see why there would be any objection to this from anyone. Park and Ride could still operate from the multi-storey. Only possible objection might be from the council on the additional housing and therefore the infrastructure that would be needed to support it.

Parking will definitely be an issue. It means the loss of over 1000 parking spaces, when we'll already be losing a fair number when the old Hewlett Packard site gets redeveloped.

It's fine saying use the shuttle buses, but they aren't really convenient for people from outside Reading.

I live in Bracknell, and It's a half hour journey door to door currently. If I can't drive in, I'd be doubling that at least.

they run busses from Bracknell, which cost less than parking, and get you home quicker than driving...just saying

I used the Stage Coach bus for the Everton game back to Bracknell - really good service and can't believe I haven't used it before. Far better than driving, parking in Whitley and walking 25 minutes to the Stadium

[Platypuss]

Can't see how those plans can be made consistent with a future stadium expansion though, so that should give you an idea on priorities.

stadium expansion was just going to come out to the lines on the pavement outside the ground

theres nothing on the pics ive seen that would interfere with that

It's not the physical build, it's the surrounding infrastructure and obtaining PP.
It was an effort getting PP before; it would be magnitudes harder now.

[Greatwesternline]

Can't see any sign of a 10,470 sqm park in the pictures.

I am broadly in favour of it though. One nagging doubt though. The 'profit' of this development would probably not go towards the club.

As i understand the hotel profit was intended to go back towards the football side of the club, mainly because as far as i can see JM was a damn good egg.

I suspect the profit from houses and flats and office rental will not subsidise the football team, but just be a nice earner for the owners.

Which is fine, they seem to be doing us nicely for now, but puts the takeover into more perspective.

There long term plan could be as such:
Buy a club with good potential assets, i.e. land in the South East, put decent money into playing staff in first few years to win favour. Make millions out of property development. Stop putting money into football team as no longer needed.
Sell club, for nothing, consider it part of the cost of acquiring the land.

At least it shows they are thinking long term and are in it for the future. Rather than bankrolling a championship push and then fooking off with the Premiership proceeds.

How long term though, if the project is done and dusted and sold off by 2020-21 they would have been here 5-6 years. As I said, once the development is done and sold off they would have no need to stick around.

I'm not worried because it's only football at the end of the day but i'm not sure what interest they would have after they have executed the development which is why they bought us in the first place. The football club could be seen as a necessary initial cost of getting hold of the land. Why didnt the club under Madejski develop this land all along?

[ZacNaloen]

Only problem I see with buses at the moment, is that no one who gets buses seems to be able to stay to the end of the game?

[retro royal]

Just hope the stadium is expanded before this goes ahead, can't see staium expansion possible once all this is in place.

[melonhead]

the first two pages of this thread deserve HOF ing

its gone right downhill since then

[melonhead]

Can't see how those plans can be made consistent with a future stadium expansion though, so that should give you an idea on priorities.

stadium expansion was just going to come out to the lines on the pavement outside the ground

theres nothing on the pics ive seen that would interfere with that

It's not the physical build, it's the surrounding infrastructure and obtaining PP.
It was an effort getting PP before; it would be magnitudes harder now.

bah!

a pox on all your houses.

its not beyond the wit of man though is it.

[melonhead]

Only problem I see with buses at the moment, is that no one who gets buses seems to be able to stay to the end of the game?

never been a problem walking from NE corner. always have to wait ages once I get there for bus to move off.


its probably more panic/worry that they'll miss the bus, rather than actual risk of missing it

[Brum Royal]

Has there been any mention of where we're all going to park on matchdays if they're essentially removing the current Mad Stad car parks?

[Nameless]

Two points
1. Most of us will park where we park now as only a fairly small proportion of fans park on the stadium site
2. The plans include new multi-storey car parks

Whether the numbers stack up in terms of parking for the stadium plus parking for the other facilities I'm not sure

The plans also talk about subsidised local bus services, a dedicated bus hub ( presumably that means lots of bus stops) and the train link.
The 4 days of consultation are a pretty good opportunity to ask these sort of questions to Nigel Howe et al, although as we know with the stadium things don't always get built exactly as promised.

Still not convinced this impacts stadium expansion. There were no new parking spaces in the original expansion plans ( in fact there were fewer) . Whatever happens the transport needs work and the answer will be finding ways of getting people to the area via mass transit not I their own cars. Other clubs do it (Brighton, Southampton for example) so no reason we can't have similar things.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Why does everyone think we need a stadium expansion anyway? We're not Brighton.

[Dai Brainbocs]

Local TV last night said it will either cut 1900 onsite spaces to 800, or 1800 to 900. I can't remember which.