Blue Square Conference North Table & Results


Lane ground plans set to get go-ahead

7:00am Wednesday 31st March 2010

Photograph of the Author By Steve Carley »

PLANS to tear down Worcester City’s St George’s Lane ground and build houses have moved a step closer to becoming reality.

An application by Careys New Homes has been recommended for approval when it goes before Worcester City Council on Thursday, April 8.

It brings an end to months of design tweaks by the Wembley firm after they deferred the application last August.

Careys, who first agreed to purchase the Lane two years ago, had wanted to build 98 homes on the 100-year-old site but that has now been scaled down to 84.

In addition, affordable housing does not have to be included as part of the project as the initial application was submitted just 24 hours before such a requirement came into force.

If councillors follow the recommendation, Careys will buy the site for £3.5 million and the Blue Square South club will pay off a £1.5m debt to the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Careys have yet to sign the sale contract — stalling be-cause St Modwen want an assurance City have the funds to move to Nunnery Way — but it is understood an agreement is close to being reached.

John Wrightson, Worcester City Council’s head of urban environment, said: “Following lengthy detailed negotiations, the scheme has been significantly amended to address identified deficiencies in the original lay-out, culminating in the reduction of the number of dwellings proposed from 98 to 84.

“As now proposed, I consider the site has the capacity to acccommodate the development in an acceptable manner in terms of lay-out standards, density, residential amenity, design and appearance and the interests of highway and pedestrian safety.

“For these reasons, it is recommended that planning permission be granted.”

Careys’ proposal features 18 four-bedroom houses and 20 three-bedroom as well as 30 two-bedroom flats and 16 one-bedroom flats.

As part of the application being approved, Careys will have to pay the Worcester-shire County Council education authority £135,566, once more than 33 houses have been purchased, towards projects within the catchment area of Perdiswell Primary.

They will also pay the city council £72,244 to make improvements to playing fields in the area.

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Comments (3)

3:18pm Wed 31 Mar 10

stargazer says...

Lets hope this is the good news that City /supporters have been waiting for.
Lets hope this is the good news that City /supporters have been waiting for. stargazer

3:21pm Wed 31 Mar 10

Spetchley Dave says...

That is all well and good, but where exactly are WCFC going to move too? We already know that the Planners have slated the proposed development up at Nunnery Way and that that application (whenever it is due to be determined) is guaranteed to be refused.
So then what? Debts wiped out, but nowhere to play home games. Dave Boddy and Co really did screw this club over didn't they!?
That is all well and good, but where exactly are WCFC going to move too? We already know that the Planners have slated the proposed development up at Nunnery Way and that that application (whenever it is due to be determined) is guaranteed to be refused. So then what? Debts wiped out, but nowhere to play home games. Dave Boddy and Co really did screw this club over didn't they!? Spetchley Dave

4:55pm Wed 31 Mar 10

Avante says...

This is almost good news! The club have to sell the ground, and the fact that a sale looks like it will get the go-ahead is good. However, the number of dwellings seems to have dropped further, it was 94, then 90, then 88 and now 84. I hope Careys don't use this as a bargaining tool on the final price - after all the price has never been agreed.
Also, I hope that the payments to be made to Worcestershire County Council won't come out of the costs incurred by the football club, which according to Careys is around £500,000 already!
These payments to the County Council appear to be some sort of "overage" payments, so can Careys afford to pay both WCC and WCFC "overage" payments??
Taking the figures in the WEN article, there will be at best £2 million to build a new ground which will need to be at least to Conference Standards in accordance with the Local Plan and the desires of the City Council. I think the figures will be nearer £1.4 million only, based on costs incurred by Careys and other costs involved in a ground move.
I am inclined however to agree with the Chairman Anthony Hampson, that the ground must be sold asap, and other issues worried about later, its risky yes, but there really are no alternatives. Thank you Mr Boddy! Another club on your list of failures.
This is almost good news! The club have to sell the ground, and the fact that a sale looks like it will get the go-ahead is good. However, the number of dwellings seems to have dropped further, it was 94, then 90, then 88 and now 84. I hope Careys don't use this as a bargaining tool on the final price - after all the price has never been agreed. Also, I hope that the payments to be made to Worcestershire County Council won't come out of the costs incurred by the football club, which according to Careys is around £500,000 already! These payments to the County Council appear to be some sort of "overage" payments, so can Careys afford to pay both WCC and WCFC "overage" payments?? Taking the figures in the WEN article, there will be at best £2 million to build a new ground which will need to be at least to Conference Standards in accordance with the Local Plan and the desires of the City Council. I think the figures will be nearer £1.4 million only, based on costs incurred by Careys and other costs involved in a ground move. I am inclined however to agree with the Chairman Anthony Hampson, that the ground must be sold asap, and other issues worried about later, its risky yes, but there really are no alternatives. Thank you Mr Boddy! Another club on your list of failures. Avante
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Worcester City’s St George’s Lane ground has moved a step closer redevelopment. Worcester City’s St George’s Lane ground has moved a step closer redevelopment.

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