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Stadium insight on hold
Date published: 25/02/2010
TODAY’S meeting to reveal plans for Oldham Athletic’s controversial proposed new stadium has been put on hold.
The event, in Failsworth, was part of the football club’s bid to consult with the public on its plans.
And there was to have been an exhibition of the £20 million, 12,000-seater stadium with community sports facilities proposed for a 30 acre site off Broadway.
Latics chiefs announced today that the six-hour event, at the Lancaster Club, Failsworth, has been postponed and blames Oldham Council for dragging its feet.
Managing director Simon Corney said: “It is with regret that we have had to make the decision not to go ahead with the consultation, but, following legal advice, we have no alternative but to postpone it for the time being.
“There are wider issues relating to our plans that we have been waiting to discuss with Oldham Council and these remain unresolved.
“Officers of Oldham Council have been unavailable for a meeting with us since receiving undetermined notification from the Charity Commission about the status of the land at Failsworth two weeks ago.
“We were hoping that a meeting could have been arranged prior to the public consultation but that has not occurred. As such, we feel unable to continue to promote our scheme and raise expectations at this time.
“This is a major disappointment to us and we apologise to local residents and fans for matters which are beyond our control.
“We hope to have these matters resolved with Oldham Council soon and to be able to reschedule.”
Comments
'Pie in the Sky' springs to mind. Neither the council nor the three amigos instil confidence in anyone anymore.
Rubbish- the blame lies entirely with Latics. They are the ones who want to pinch our memorial ground. If they need land then buy it and don't expect it for nothing off us. For once this is nothing to do with Oldham Council
Twice in as many weeks the spectre of Clayton Playing Fields re-appears. I hate to disagree with youOld m as yours is often the voice of reason & sanity in this saga, but, on this occasion they are both as bad as each other though the bill is, once again, likely to be placed at the Councils door. Time for Sykes & Parker to look at their positions & consider why they are getting such rewards for such inefficiency.Watch out for next weeks headlines.
The Lib Dems know giving the go ahead for this before the elections would kill them stone dead at the polls. Why waste all this time and effort and council tax payers money on a scheme that was ill conceived and mis-judged from the start? Deja vu anyone?
I really fear that the new stadium will not be built. Another nail in the coffin of a town that is dead, with no leisure facilities and a council that is inept. Oldham is years behind other similar towns. It is not until you move away that people realise this. All I can see is an agonising further decline in Latics fortunes. I hope I'm wrong.
How about Corney ever coming out and speaking about the dire situation that the team finds itself in? Are TTA actually interested in football?
Oldham Council "unavailable for a meeting"? What discourtesy! One would have exected a meeting at least to explain the difficulties.
Parker and Sykes inept AND rude
Fragal - I see your point. Whats really gets me wound up is that Latics hand out the begging bowl to the council and expect it to be filled , then criticise the council if the bowl isn't filled quick enough. Talk about biting the hand that feeds.
Dearie me, Where did OAFC get the P R people from. 22/7/09. press release stating the "vision" - no mention about the residents, only "those affected"- Dynamos & allotmentees. Next a public "insultation" 4 miles from Failsworth with a price tag of £2 to boot. Constant rejection of resident & Council advice to meet IN FAILSWORTH. Sudden interest in doing this 2 days after FRAG forme. 30/11/09 Meeting, nothing to say but asked for suggestions - "your no wanted" 25Feb crowds at Lancie club. PR??
Nonsense Old_Mancunian and fragal: Once again the blame is rightly placed at the door of Oldham Council, who have had a full fortnight to arrange one meeting with the Latics owners. The postponed, not cancelled, meeting, in FAILSWORTH, would have been an ideal opportunity for supporters and opponents of the stadium plans to be given more details and be able to ask specific questions. However, whatever Latics do or say the enemies of progress will never be satisfied.
Please note that Oldham Athletic do not plan to, nor have they ever planned to, build on Lower Memorial Park. FACT.
Shouldn't be off to FAILsworth anyway. Full of plastic wannabe mancs. Oldham for Oldham i say!
Like I said neither the Council nor TTA instil confidence in anyone - the whole episode is a shambles.
Watcher, if the Latics have no building plans for the memorial ground, then why do they need it? They sound pretty desperate to get their paws on it. So much so that they cannot proceed without it. Its the same as the stadium at BP. On those plans they needed part of Clayton for an access to Broadway and an access to Chaddy Way (thats why the plans were initially refused - cos they pinched the emergency helicopter access). Here they need the memorial ground for access.
Old_Mancunian: I think you protest just a little too much. I repeat, Oldham Athletic do not plan to, nor have they ever planned to, build on Lower Memorial Park. FACT.The disputed land is land inbetween LMP and the edge of the BAe site. You really should check your facts, but like most of the NIMBYs and Luddites these get in the way of any argument.
With all the opposition to the Failsworth site, surely it is time the Latics gave serious thought once again to redeveloping Boundary Park. It must be a cheaper option than purchasing new land. With all the space available at BP they should be able to draw up plans acceptable to all parties without any overcrowding of houses and without tower blocks of apartments.
Dear Watcher. Here is a FACT for you. OMBC Public notice dated Thursday Dec 13th 2007. Notice is hereby given that OMBC intend to dispose of land for offers. Playing fields comprising of 4 hectares at Lower Memorial Park, Moston Brook , Failsworth, Oldham. Placed by Aileen Johnson, Solicitor to the Council --- CHECK IT OUT WATCHER GOTCHA WATCHER! Love & xxx's A Failsworth NIMBY
Poor, poor fragal! How desperate can one get. 4 hectares is less than 10 acres. The land from the bottom of the BAe site to the top of lower memorial park is at least 30 acres! Moreover, what Oldham Council planned to do in December 2007 does not mean Oldham Athletic plan to build on this site 2 years later! I can assure you that Oldham Athletic do not plan to, nor have they ever planned to, build on Lower Memorial Park. Honest! If you don't believe me ask Alan Hardy or Simon Corney. Cheers.
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"Unavilable for meeting" - this smacks of running and hiding!
By wazzarsa @ 25/02/2010 12:31:17
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