Blue Square Conference North Table & Results


City ground bid set to be kicked into touch

7:10am Thursday 6th August 2009

Exclusive Photograph of the Author Exclusive By Steve Carley »

PLANS to demolish Worcester City Football Club’s stadium for housing look set to be thrown out by the council on the eve of the new season.

An application to build 98 homes on St George’s Lane, where City have played for more than a century and kick-off the new campaign on Saturday, have been recommended for refusal when Worcester City Council meets next Thursday. Without approval, City’s dream of moving to a new ground at Nunnery Way will be scuppered as the Blue Square South club needs to sell their existing ground to pay off debts close to £2 million.

Designs for Nunnery Way, between junctions six and seven of the M5, are still with developers St Modwen and have not yet been resubmitted following concerns about fans needing to cross a dual-carriageway to reach the stadium.

Senior planning officer Alan Coleman said: “If members accept the recommendations, I anticipate that the Nunnery Way scheme will just fall by the wayside. I will be expecting them to withdraw that application because it won’t be able to proceed.”

In documents being made public today, city council planners have been advised to reject Wembley-based Careys’ application on the grounds of over development.

This would be subject to appeal. Seven points have been flagged up for concern, including properties being too close together, gardens being too small and parking inadequate.

Some houses would be overlooked while others would not have enough space to store bins. As a result, the recommendation from the head of urban environment says public safety would be at risk should the development be approved.

It read: “In the opinion of the local planning authority the proposals would unacceptably compromise the interests of highway and pedestrian safety by reasons of the dimensions and layout of internal roads and footways, parking spaces, parking courts and communal private drives.”

The football club agreed a deal to sell the Lane to Careys New Homes in April last year for a fee reported to be £7.36 million. In October 2007, the club announced plans to move from their home of more than 100 years to an £8 million stadium with 6,000 capacity on the outskirts of the city. The ground was planned to be built on 7.5 acres of St Modwens’ 20-acre site, with the rest being taken up by car showrooms, restaurants and a hotel.

David Hallmark, director responsible for the ground, said: “We are in consultation with Careys who have the responsibility for the planning application.

“We are arranging a discussion with them before the planning meeting next Thursday so that a joint resolution and reaction to the recommendations of the planning officers can be decided.”

Careys were also contacted by your Worcester News but had not responded at the time of going to press.

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Comments (10)

9:16am Thu 6 Aug 09

brooksider says...

Did Careys and Worcester City FC expect the council to ignore planning regulations and just rubber stamp any scheme that was put before them?
The council planners even state they are suprised by the lack of consultation with the developers and there appears to be a 'take it or leave it' attitude by Careys.
Yet another setback for "The Project."
Did Careys and Worcester City FC expect the council to ignore planning regulations and just rubber stamp any scheme that was put before them? The council planners even state they are suprised by the lack of consultation with the developers and there appears to be a 'take it or leave it' attitude by Careys. Yet another setback for "The Project." brooksider

9:50am Thu 6 Aug 09

mooster says...

Or this could be a "get out of jail free" card for Careys. The land isn't worth £7.3M any more, why would they want to buy it for that amount? At least the quote "I will be expecting them to withdraw that application because it won’t be able to proceed.” means the club should stop throwing money at a project going nowhere. Time to concentrate on saving the football club not dream of building castles in the air.
Or this could be a "get out of jail free" card for Careys. The land isn't worth £7.3M any more, why would they want to buy it for that amount? At least the quote "I will be expecting them to withdraw that application because it won’t be able to proceed.” means the club should stop throwing money at a project going nowhere. Time to concentrate on saving the football club not dream of building castles in the air. mooster

10:26am Thu 6 Aug 09

Archie Claines says...

This whole ground move has been one big fiasco. The motives of Mr Hallmark have been called into question time and time again. The directors aren't interested in the club - just the land deal at Nunnery Way. It's time to throw not only this plan out - but the board as well. If Worcester is to have a football team in the future we need to start again with a fresh plan and fresh people at the helm. This mob of Boddy and co. will just destroy WCFC.
This whole ground move has been one big fiasco. The motives of Mr Hallmark have been called into question time and time again. The directors aren't interested in the club - just the land deal at Nunnery Way. It's time to throw not only this plan out - but the board as well. If Worcester is to have a football team in the future we need to start again with a fresh plan and fresh people at the helm. This mob of Boddy and co. will just destroy WCFC. Archie Claines

11:33am Thu 6 Aug 09

chris peacockpeacock says...

''The Lane' as it's known by supporters has great atmosphere on match days and the facilities are as good as any at this level. There are, however, plans to move to a new site away from the city centre in the near future.'

Forgive me for being a geek but that is in my 1984 non league grounds guide.

Shall we have a celebration- 25 years of faffing! We could make mugs and t-shirts and everything.

Haven't been down the lane in years, nothing changes, one groundhog day season after another.
''The Lane' as it's known by supporters has great atmosphere on match days and the facilities are as good as any at this level. There are, however, plans to move to a new site away from the city centre in the near future.' Forgive me for being a geek but that is in my 1984 non league grounds guide. Shall we have a celebration- 25 years of faffing! We could make mugs and t-shirts and everything. Haven't been down the lane in years, nothing changes, one groundhog day season after another. chris peacockpeacock

12:33pm Thu 6 Aug 09

Andrew Guy says...

Even if both of WCFC’s two interdependent planning applications were approved, the football club’s own business plan, prepared at the height of the boom, still projected a funding shortfall of £970,000 on relocation followed by four years of more losses over the next five years. So, this relocation project to secure the financial future of the club has always been destined to fail, even based on the good-times optimism of 2007, let alone the recessionary realities of 2009.

This application is not co-located and it is being heard separately, but is, in effect, for “enabling development”, in that it is intended to provide financial assistance for the development of Nunnery Way.

HM Inspector Clive Richardson considered the relocation of WCFC at Public Inquiry and wrote in his 2004 report:

“...it is not the purpose of the planning system to prop up an ailing business by freeing the Football Club from its accumulated debt and granting it a significant endowment in circumstances where, by definition, enabling development would be contrary to planning policy.”
Even if both of WCFC’s two interdependent planning applications were approved, the football club’s own business plan, prepared at the height of the boom, still projected a funding shortfall of £970,000 on relocation followed by four years of more losses over the next five years. So, this relocation project to secure the financial future of the club has always been destined to fail, even based on the good-times optimism of 2007, let alone the recessionary realities of 2009. This application is not co-located and it is being heard separately, but is, in effect, for “enabling development”, in that it is intended to provide financial assistance for the development of Nunnery Way. HM Inspector Clive Richardson considered the relocation of WCFC at Public Inquiry and wrote in his 2004 report: “...it is not the purpose of the planning system to prop up an ailing business by freeing the Football Club from its accumulated debt and granting it a significant endowment in circumstances where, by definition, enabling development would be contrary to planning policy.” Andrew Guy

3:17pm Thu 6 Aug 09

CityBlueBoy says...

Another exciting piece of work from Mr Carley, when will you pull your head from the shadowed place you have it and start to write something to give us hope.

This was never going to happen, but what now, help us with any suggestions you may have.
Another exciting piece of work from Mr Carley, when will you pull your head from the shadowed place you have it and start to write something to give us hope. This was never going to happen, but what now, help us with any suggestions you may have. CityBlueBoy

3:27pm Thu 6 Aug 09

TmP says...

This season they need to start playing better, the Nunnery Way project was a no go from day one really just mooted to give fans false hope for the future.
Give it up as a bad job and get down to the game in hand play better and thereby attaining bigger crowds and that will help the bank balance.
This season they need to start playing better, the Nunnery Way project was a no go from day one really just mooted to give fans false hope for the future. Give it up as a bad job and get down to the game in hand play better and thereby attaining bigger crowds and that will help the bank balance. TmP

5:40pm Thu 6 Aug 09

Avante says...

TmP's comments could have applied a few years back, but not anymore. Bigger crowds can't repay a debt of £800,000 to the bank, due to be repaid in December 2009. Bigger crowds can't repay a debt of £950,000 to the bank in the form of an equity payment without selling SGL. Bigger crowds can't pay the undisclosed debts to both Careys (who seem unlikely to want to go through the whole process again to buy land at £7.36 million, when its probably worth no more than £5 million to them now) and also St Modwen, who have loaned the club money to assist cashflow, against the sale of SGL, which now won't happen.
The Nunnery Way "Project" had nothing to do with giving fans any kind of hope, false or otherwise, it was carefully planned to provide for a huge development opportunity alongside the M5 corridor from Junction 6 to Junction 7 - a development plan where the football club would act, in the words of Anthony Glossop (CEO St Modwens) as a "catalyst", to enable firstly the £30 million development of Nunnery Way (75% enabling development, 25% unfinished football ground) and then via planning precedence, the remainder of the land along Swinesherd Way up to Whittington village. Landowners along this area would see their land value catapult as it became development land and not agricultural land - probably 10 times the value it is today. Agents for the landowners such as their legal representatives would benefit very handsomely from this. It had nothing to do with football, other than the fact that a local football club could appeal to the emotions of planners and the community in providing the catalyst for the reaction.
Sordid, grubby little dealings, I just hope that none of those involved in this fiasco get any kind of recognition from the burghers of Worcester.
As a shareholder and former supporter of Worcester City FC it really is very sad, but what is sadder is the fact that many people were "telling it as it is" over a year ago, yet most supporters turned deaf ears to those showing serious concerns.
TmP's comments could have applied a few years back, but not anymore. Bigger crowds can't repay a debt of £800,000 to the bank, due to be repaid in December 2009. Bigger crowds can't repay a debt of £950,000 to the bank in the form of an equity payment without selling SGL. Bigger crowds can't pay the undisclosed debts to both Careys (who seem unlikely to want to go through the whole process again to buy land at £7.36 million, when its probably worth no more than £5 million to them now) and also St Modwen, who have loaned the club money to assist cashflow, against the sale of SGL, which now won't happen. The Nunnery Way "Project" had nothing to do with giving fans any kind of hope, false or otherwise, it was carefully planned to provide for a huge development opportunity alongside the M5 corridor from Junction 6 to Junction 7 - a development plan where the football club would act, in the words of Anthony Glossop (CEO St Modwens) as a "catalyst", to enable firstly the £30 million development of Nunnery Way (75% enabling development, 25% unfinished football ground) and then via planning precedence, the remainder of the land along Swinesherd Way up to Whittington village. Landowners along this area would see their land value catapult as it became development land and not agricultural land - probably 10 times the value it is today. Agents for the landowners such as their legal representatives would benefit very handsomely from this. It had nothing to do with football, other than the fact that a local football club could appeal to the emotions of planners and the community in providing the catalyst for the reaction. Sordid, grubby little dealings, I just hope that none of those involved in this fiasco get any kind of recognition from the burghers of Worcester. As a shareholder and former supporter of Worcester City FC it really is very sad, but what is sadder is the fact that many people were "telling it as it is" over a year ago, yet most supporters turned deaf ears to those showing serious concerns. Avante

5:55pm Thu 6 Aug 09

scottleecraig says...

the start of the end for city i think.
scott kendrick,malvern
the start of the end for city i think. scott kendrick,malvern scottleecraig

7:15pm Thu 6 Aug 09

Doogie 46 says...

brooksider, Andrew Guy, mooster, Archie Claines and Avante have jointly summed up City`s situation perfectly - leaving the football club with nowhere to go - literally.
The outcome of the meeting of all interested parties (referred to in a separate article) will be a major concern to all of us who still care about the football side of whatever business WCFC Ltd is in.
I find it difficult to believe that a comparatively straightforward process of selling one property, paying off debt and building another property, can have stretched over twelve years and arrived at the current disasterous situation.
Even if the existing proposals had sailed through, apparently only half the debts would have been paid off.
I notice the chairman and his predecessor are saying very little lately!!!
brooksider, Andrew Guy, mooster, Archie Claines and Avante have jointly summed up City`s situation perfectly - leaving the football club with nowhere to go - literally. The outcome of the meeting of all interested parties (referred to in a separate article) will be a major concern to all of us who still care about the football side of whatever business WCFC Ltd is in. I find it difficult to believe that a comparatively straightforward process of selling one property, paying off debt and building another property, can have stretched over twelve years and arrived at the current disasterous situation. Even if the existing proposals had sailed through, apparently only half the debts would have been paid off. I notice the chairman and his predecessor are saying very little lately!!! Doogie 46
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