Rugby Club progress...

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
I think it is quite clear that the site is not on the Nature reserve. It is always helpful to deal in facts

I think its quite clear that it is part of the nature reserve as far as the wildlife is concerned. There's a proper fact for you.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
It's quite clear that migratory marsh dwelling wading birds aren't fans of floodlights, and putting floodlights right up against what they consider their space is extremely likely to move them away, it is always helpful to deal in facts.
 

PPPPPP

Well-Known Forumite
Bias - inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair.


2013 Newsletter... Club chairman Martin Lennon said: “It’s a desperately sensitive site. We will build the most environmentally sensitive facility we can.”


Is Blackberry Lanein Tillington


Read more: http://www.staffordshirenewsletter....tory-20157496-detail/story.html#ixzz416fbYBvJ
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I think it is quite clear that the site is not on the Nature reserve. It is always helpful to deal in facts

So nature reserves have an exact boundary, then?
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
I think it is quite clear that the site is not on the Nature reserve. It is always helpful to deal in facts
Remember that Yankee Doodle Dentist and the whole shooting a lion with a crossbow? That lion wasn't on a 'Nature reserve' either - crazy how dem Nature thingys don't respect boundaries, ain't it?

I think it is quite clear that the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust are extremely worried about the impact this development will have on this Nature reserve. You are obviously much less worried about it. Perhaps you could enlighten us as to why we should learn to stop worrying and love the bomb-shaped ball? Perhaps your expertise in this field glistens more than theirs?

After all, it is always helpful to deal in facts.
 
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Gareth

Well-Known Forumite
Yes I think Doxey, or at least parts of are tillington ward. Which is odd as tillington is known to be the other side (eccleshall rd).

Stafford is odd for wards, station is forebride, and st Patrick's street (near prison) is the rowley (park) ward*

* do not know if any boundaries have been changed recently. Anyway that's another thread I guess :)
 

Gareth

Well-Known Forumite
Does anyone know if the club at its potential new home will be allowed its annual bonfire display?

Wouldn't be a great for it, although they would have lots of access to wood :(
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Does anyone know if the club at its potential new home will be allowed its annual bonfire display?

Wouldn't be a great for it, although they would have lots of access to wood :(
On the contrary a lovely big Bonfire celebration would be fantastic.

Hopefully the council will show the club some much-needed generosity and allow it to use some of the scrubland surrounding its new location for parking all the fairgrounds rides and the huge numbers of cars that will be attending.

It'll be fantastic for the area.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
If the floodlights don't get rid of the wildlife then the fireworks certainly will!

If they do I'm never going again that's for sure, the rugby club will have no support from me.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
If the floodlights don't get rid of the wildlife then the fireworks certainly will!

If they do I'm never going again that's for sure, the rugby club will have no support from me.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
If the floodlights don't get rid of the wildlife then the fireworks certainly will!

If they do I'm never going again that's for sure, the rugby club will have no support from me.

If the floodlights don't get rid of the wildlife then the fireworks certainly will!

If they do I'm never going again that's for sure, the rugby club will have no support from me.

So right he said it twice.
 

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Often

In these situations

The applicant will ask for considerably more than it actually requires

Then, as a gesture of generosity and climbdown, it withdraws what it never wanted in the first place .
All parties feel they have achieved a compromise in the public guise when in fact the councillors have either been duped or are complicit in the sting

Lord RM
 

MAL

Disabled account
Does anyone know if the club at its potential new home will be allowed its annual bonfire display?

Wouldn't be a great for it, although they would have lots of access to wood :(
No there will be no bonfire night on the site
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
No there will be no bonfire night on the site
If there was less favouritism/corruption in this town there'd be no site there at all and the club would either upgrade it's facilities where it currently is or find somewhere more suitable and less damaging to our local environment.
 

markpa12003

Well-Known Forumite

MAL

Disabled account
Remember that Yankee Doodle Dentist and the whole shooting a lion with a crossbow? That lion wasn't on a 'Nature reserve' either - crazy how dem Nature thingys don't respect boundaries, ain't it?

I think it is quite clear that the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust are extremely worried about the impact this development will have on this Nature reserve. You are obviously much less worried about it. Perhaps you could enlighten us as to why we should learn to stop worrying and love the bomb-shaped ball? Perhaps your expertise in this field glistens more than theirs?

After all, it is always helpful to deal in facts.

I am sure nothing I say will be greeted as accurate - however let me try.

I was stating earlier that the site is NOT on the nature reserve as others had indicated; debates and discussions on the precise nature of boundaries and where and when migratory birds cross them is indeed an interesting discussion. I was simply trying to start the discussion from a basis of actual fact. There are houses bordering the Nature reserve and car parks and play area - all closer than this site. I am sure there is plenty of detail on the use by wading birds etc. near these developments.

The chat about floodlights is interesting as the light spill shows that there is no light spill from floodlights onto the nature reserve - this has been agreed by Natural England. For those who do not know who NE are I took this from their website "We're the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England, helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy and for the services they provide." So I ask you to accept the opinion of the national body responsible for these things - this seems reasonable to me.

A review of the plans shows that the development will create a new wetland area at the end of the site. This provides enhanced environment for waders etc. actually increasing the area of wetland for the species that use the area. This is of course outside the Nature Reserve. The proposed site is not wetland. You do not tend to find wetland migratory birds in the middle of dry grassland.
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
Can I ask how many of your board members or people connected to this hold senior positions at the council, you dont have to name names, just a figure?
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
I am sure nothing I say will be greeted as accurate - however let me try.

I see you have already spotted that the majority on here seem to be against the proposals. However, well done for coming on here and setting out your position.

I was stating earlier that the site is NOT on the nature reserve as others had indicated; debates and discussions on the precise nature of boundaries and where and when migratory birds cross them is indeed an interesting discussion. I was simply trying to start the discussion from a basis of actual fact. There are houses bordering the Nature reserve and car parks and play area - all closer than this site. I am sure there is plenty of detail on the use by wading birds etc. near these developments.

As I have already mentioned earlier, wildlife tends not to pay any attention to arbitrary lines drawn up by humans. The proposed development will both take away an area the wildlife currently uses and increase disturbance to the adjoining areas. You are right to point out the houses etc. bordering the reserve; I'll throw in the M6 and railway as well. These have all squeezed the wildlife into an ever decreasing area. However, that is no excuse to destroy part of what remains. I would counter that it makes it more important to protect what is left.

The chat about floodlights is interesting as the light spill shows that there is no light spill from floodlights onto the nature reserve - this has been agreed by Natural England. For those who do not know who NE are I took this from their website "We're the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England, helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy and for the services they provide." So I ask you to accept the opinion of the national body responsible for these things - this seems reasonable to me.

Light spill is an inevitability from floodlights (unless they are within an indoor (roofed) stadium. Yes, the impact can be mitigated, to a degree, but studies have shown that artificial lights significantly impact on wildlife. http://www.bats.org.uk/pages/bats_and_lighting.html as an example.

You mention Natural England. Initially they also objected on multiple grounds. When they withdrew their objection, with conditions, on 2 April 2015 they stated:
Withdrawal of objection The withdrawal of Natural England’s objection to this application does not necessarily mean that all natural environment issues have been adequately addressed, but that we are satisfied that the specific issues that we have raised in previous correspondence relating to this development has been met. Natural England, as stated in previous correspondence, is not in a position to give a view on issues such as local sites, local landscape character or the impacts of the development on species or habitats of biodiversity importance in a local context. We would therefore urge you to have strong regard to the comments of the local wildlife trust in relation to wider biodiversity impacts.
So, their stance was to say that the best body to comment on the impact, from a wildlife point of view, is Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. Staffordshire Wildlife Trust have objected to the proposed development. So, by effectively delegating their detailed response to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England have objected, by delegation, to the proposed development.

A review of the plans shows that the development will create a new wetland area at the end of the site. This provides enhanced environment for waders etc. actually increasing the area of wetland for the species that use the area. This is of course outside the Nature Reserve. The proposed site is not wetland. You do not tend to find wetland migratory birds in the middle of dry grassland.

This smacks of someone mugging someone for their wallet, taking all the notes and throwing a few loose coins back at the victim, expecting them to be grateful. And yes you do find wetland migratory birds in the middle of dry grassland:
large.jpg


Just to restate my, and others, position. I fully support the development of improved facilities for the rugby club, just not in this location.
 
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tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Why can't they use Beaconside? Its flat, it has infrastructure, its on a main road, its about to be mothballed, the only reason I can see that the marshes were considered is that Lord Stafford owns it and he wants to redevelop the current rugby club grounds into housing for a nice profit - which he can't unless they vacate. I can't see a single other issue, other than Lord Staffords profits, that make the marshes a viable choice.

If it goes ahead the rugby club can expect ill will from many locals for a long time to come.
 
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