Advertisement
Petition steps up stadium fight
Date published: 04 November 2009
DETERMINED campaigners have targeted 10,000 signatures after launching a petition against the proposed new Latics stadium in Failsworth.
Failsworth Residents’ Action Group says locals have become increasingly angry about the way they have been treated by Oldham Council and Athletic directors.
The 25-strong steering group met for the first time this week, ahead of a public meeting in about three weeks’ time, when they want representatives from the Boundary Park club, council leader Howard Sykes and chief executive Charlie Parker to answer questions.
They are also leafleting Failsworth, calling on residents to show their objections to the League One side’s £20 million, 12,000-seat stadium with community sports facilities on a 30-acre site off Broadway, by displaying posters.
The group was formed after a heated People and Communities Together (PACT) meeting in September when 80 concerned householders packed into Mather Street School to oppose plans.
Acting secretary Peter Batty, who lives a short distance from the site in question, said: “The group has a target of 10,000 signatures before the planning application’s comments and objections deadline, whenever that may be. We believe the stadium is neither needed, wanted or necessary for the benefit of the vast majority of Failsworth’s residents, nor the regeneration of the area.
“We are vehemently opposed and believe the stadium would have a tremendous impact on people’s lives.“There is also a conflict of interest with the Moston Brook Regeneration Project, the greatest regeneration project being undertaken on the Oldham-Manchester border, 10 per cent of which is on the Oldham side.
This is a 10-year project only in its second year. There is a lot of opposition from people living across the Manchester border as well.
“Numerous appeals have been made to Oldham Athletic and council members to meet residents and demonstrate exactly how this project would improve or regenerate the area and listen to residents’ concerns.
“No offer addressing the requests has been received.”
The group is setting up a constitution, appointing officers and appealing for help from experienced residents’ groups with their campaign.
Mr Batty can be contacted on jeanpete49@talktalk.net.
Comments
I wonder if the proposed 10,000 people actually did anything to support the original bid at BP when that was facing opposition from local residents? Do people not see the overall picture, if no one supports BP re-development then the other option is a stadium elsewhere in the borough.
Try to redevelop their own stadium? Locals moan.
Try to move elsewhere, to what must be now 3 different sites? Locals moan.
Its just a matter for time before the people of Oldham get their way and the town has nothing worth going to for, while their football team goes nose first into the ground.
the club, have not even submitted the plans for the stadium yet, and already the nimbys- are out to wreck it" i fear for the whole future of the club. the three amigos, must despair.
what's your issue with the new stadium? Oh you weren't privvy to the private discussions? well its tough and we all need to understand that the football club and community as a whole must come first
If the 10,000 do not want it on their doorstep, which is a valid argument, then there needs to be more support for the club and its plans elsewhere. A town of over 200,000 people should not be getting 4,0000 fans at home. The same can be said about the town hall, tommyfield etc however it does not happen. We seem to be very good at moaning in this borough but not very supportive about any possible plans.
I remember Oldham Athletic and Oldham Councillors holding a meeting at a chadderton school for all worried residents and parties involved, NONE of which turned up, so why should the Directors and councillors turn up for yours, and as for peter batty you could have built it cause you certainly look like bill of Coronation St
No wonder the counciol make glaring mistakes with development, sustainability etc becuse the people are not supportive enough to do so themselves. We dont even have a museum to celebrate our past. Biggest cotton spinning town the world has ever seen, seat of the industrial revolution, Annie Kenny,key suffragette, Winston Churchill first parlimentary seat - all celebrated by worn blue plaques and thats it.
you can not please everyone and there will be a majority who don't want the stadium to go ahead but unfortunately it has to go ahead for the future of Oldham Athletic. These people opposing are only thinking of themselves and how they might be inconvenienced on match days by congestion. They need to stop being selfish and think of others, jobs, keeping people in work etc and of course, the regeneration of a small town!
I agree if this doesn't go ahead this is the end of Oldham Athletic FC.
A town with no cinema, bowling alley and soon to be a professional football club.
Still wish the NIMBYS and council hadn't rejected the first option building on Boundary Park itself. Accepted second time round but was too late with the recession.
No doubt the planning application will be lodged the week before Christmas as has every other major latics application. They have planning permission at BP so let them get on with it.
A new stadium yes - at Boundary Park as originally promised. Why do supporters of the move have such blind faith in people (club and council) whose past record regarding promises and delivery is absolutely one of appalling failure?
A bit over the top don't you think Mark. Out of 200,000 people in Oldham only 3-4,000 watch Latics. So 98% apparently couldn't care less otherwise they'd turn up.
Therein lies the problem, not the stadium but the support. How many people stopped watching after Clayton? Lee Hughes? Sportsfarce 2000? and now Failsworth? The Club is killing itself.
Really wish you all the best with your petition, but I have to warn you that, once Oldham council have decided that they want to decimate something, then it seems nothing can stop them. Look at us in Derker, all we wanted to do was to stay in our perfectly well built homes, but STANTON & 'CALL ME DAVE' along with all the others had different ideas. Look where 5 years of stress and heartache have got us. In word word it's HOMELESS...!!!!!!!!!!
i for one would sign his petition. i am totally against this development. its is being bullied and forced through by our idiotic councillors who just want to get their grubby hands on cheap land for the stadium and free up boundry parks land which can be sold at a premium.
the residents or the fans feelings are not being taken into account yet again. they'll start going on about it being the key to regenerating the area next!
Being as it will be in Failsworth, change the name to Failsworth Athletic and change the badge to a griffin, or a hat, or the pole.
Close the club and switch out the lights as the people of Oldham don't care about sport in the town. Too many armchair Red and Blues.
Anyhow, the 'Nimbys' always get their way and our council hasn't got the nous to do any forward thinking.
The entire town and borough is a complete joke!
May i say we are not all NIMBYS in Failsworth,i happen to beleive that a new stadium will be a boon to the area,and the town needs a prosperous succesful Oldham athletic i remember the times when the town went latics mad,and with a new stadium the good times can return,if i have any reservations it is that it will not be big enough i feel it shoud be along the lines of darlingtons with a 25,000 capacity.
Yours faithfully
Failsworth Latic
Will the petition say Nimbys and Luddites sign here? A new stadium, for the borough's only professional football club, is very much needed and fully supported by the club and the vast majority of its fans. This regeneration project is for the benefit of the whole borough. It is not the exclusive preserve of a minority of Failsworth residents.
What is the point of this fultile attempt to put a stop to something which appears cut and dried to me !....By signing this petition your are registering your attempts to spoil what is PROGRESS for the future generations of your children and grandchildren....For what reason ?...no one knows other than change ! from the norm - shame on you all !
Fortunately things changed, forced subjugation of others by force is not acceptable.
Are these people for real? how can anybody say a new stadium is not needed?. A trip to Boundary Park and a pair of eyes are all thats required to show how ridiculous that statement really is. Every single town in this Country which has invested in new stadia and community facilities has benefited enormously both socially and economically. Finally, after all these years, OMBC are finally doing something right. Roll on the new stadium.
You may as well give up Mr Batty, remember OMBC built Cllr Battye's rubbish tip on Beal Valley. I hope for one that Latics build a new stadium in Royton, Chadderton or Oldham, but I doubt you care where, so long as it is not in your back yard. There will be a football ground there anyway,Latics or not, so what is this Moston Brook nonsense?
I fear moving to failsworth will kill the club anyway, moving 4 miles away from the town centre only 4 miles from two of the richest club in the world, we are close enough already.Please find an alternative, what about Slattocks, i know its Middleton but its only a short hop from BP. We could even possibly have a joint scheme with Hopwood College,anything is better than with those plastic mancs down Failsworth
Our country did have an Empire but how many descendants of the colonies do you see supporting O.A.F.C.
Compared to major football clubs attendances football in Oldham seems to have a minority following and there appears to be more signatures going on the petition than the total attendance figures at a game.As for the town going to die I think it will take more than a football club to sort that problem out.
NIMBY'S near Boundary Park and NIMBA's in Failsworth. (Not in my bloody allotment). TTA's should build the ground on the old Matalan site, the council should go cap in hand to the European development fund for the deprived Mumps. We will be in Oldham, near pubs not full of Mancs, etc.
Happy days!
IM AFRAID THE EMPIRE HAS COME HOME ROOST
please remember this is the same council who think supermarkets are the key to regenerating areas, force through closures of public facilities without actually consulting the public (broadway library), cannot provide decent roads everywhere, think that the metrolink will regenerate oldham, £200,000 of flowers will cheer up the people here. and they think this project will help latics.
anyone who believes them must have the same rose tinted glasses that ombc have bought in bulk!
Hollyoaks, did you actually think about your comment? Residents need to stop being selfish because of matchday congestion? Look at it from their point of view. Congestion and disturbance 7 days a week (the stadium will have shops restaurants banqueting etc.etc) just so you can have your two hours of fun once a fortnight. You're the selfish one.
I also am from Failsworth,and i am no NIMBY and like a lot more people in the area are lifelong latics supporters who look forward to the new stadium on our doorsteps.
I should like to apologise to the three amigos for the nutcases in the area,and press ahead with the plans it will be the best thing that has ever happened to Failsworth and will mean better times ahead for the latics,roll on that first game against the team from Bradford road pit
Failsworthian
Old_Mancunian- you need to look at the congestion already around the area of boundary park, Elk mill retail park causes an unbelievable amount of traffic and we also have the motorway just to throw a few extra cars into the mix. The levels of traffic caused by a few five a side pitches will never match what we have to put up with in Royton, granted every other Saturday will see a rise in traffic but this is nothing compared to what we face week in week out.
Thank you BrierleyofRoyton. That was my point exactly. The football impact is negligable. It is all the ancilliary services that cause the trouble. Failsworth would have God knows what else apart from the football. That is the issue and it all ties back to money and not football. Some fans can't see past the 90 minutes a fortnight, and frankly don't give a damn about anybody but themselves.
Sorry BrierlyofRoyton, I went off your point. I live next to BP and our congestion is caused by Elk Mill and not Latics. Move the club and we'd still have congestion plus Failsworth would also have congestion cos you dont believe Latics and the Council will stick to their word do you and only build training pitches. This is a massive land grab and mega development. The sharks can already smell the money.
Old Mancunian, you're against Latics redeveloping Boundary Park, and you're against the move to Failsworth. You wouldn't be happy wherever it was built
Chaddyender. I understand why you think that but you're wrong. I don't care where they build the stadium, but I do care when they continually try and pinch public land. The plans put in last year tried to steal part of Clayton and the failsworth plans involve pinching the war memorial land. The club is incapable of doing an honest job. That's one reason why so many people walked away.
Have Your Say
I hate to say it if it doesn't go ahead I'm very fearful our club and probably our town will die, our country once had an Empire but unfortunatly things change
By Mark Hotte @ 04/11/2009 12:11:31