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Sport and Politics
- Thread starter Bernstein
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Rikki
Well-Known Forumite
Maybe I can't say I really know. But I would admit I wouldn't like the idea of it. Regardless in my opinion the underlying reason is money and even if not the competition with stafford town, then that which beaconside would loose out on. It would certainly be worth a lot less to potential buyers if SCHC had it's planning permission.
Mikinton
Well-Known Forumite
Presumably this is the 3G stuff that's being talked of - the same as is being used in the Womens Soccer World Cup. These photos were taken at Birmingham Uni (and posted on this forum) about 4 years ago when it was fairly new. We use it for American Football, but I've seen lacrosse, 11-a-side and 6-a-side football played on it as well. And under-11s rugby. I've never seen hockey played on it though. They have other all weather pitches for that which need frequent watering.
I've also played soccer (11-a-side and 6-a-side) on the all-weather pitch at Beaconside and it was not a pleasant experience.
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It's football my friend, football.
Presumably this is the 3G stuff that's being talked of - the same as is being used in the Womens Soccer World Cup. These photos were taken at Birmingham Uni (and posted on this forum) about 4 years ago when it was fairly new. We use it for American Football, but I've seen lacrosse, 11-a-side and 6-a-side football played on it as well. And under-11s rugby. I've never seen hockey played on it though. They have other all weather pitches for that which need frequent watering.
I've also played soccer (11-a-side and 6-a-side) on the all-weather pitch at Beaconside and it was not a pleasant experience.
Mikinton
Well-Known Forumite
Yeah, I know. But having previously referred to American Football, I thought I'd remove any ambiguity by saying I'd played soccer at Beaconside. (And, yes - they did used to play American Football at Beaconside, though it was on grass rather than all weather.)
Nope...unfortunatley the Beaconside Sports Centre IS included within the sale for redevelopment - its clearly stated on the sale site. 'Tis a fact. Get ready for an awful lot more houses in the East end....and maybe a kids playground if that counts as leisure!
http://beaconsidecampus.gva.co.uk/
Jay
SCHC
Well-Known Forumite
For those of you following this thread, but may not have had the time or the inclination to read all the documents on the planning portal, can we ask that you take a look at the latest document (1889520). It is an excellent letter from David Parr, Chairman of Stafford Hockey Club, where he summarises and pretty much nails the whole situation.
Gramaisc
Forum O. G.
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
That's nothing to do with the documents.
It's the Council's new mission statement.
Noah
Well-Known Forumite
Wouldn't guarantee it, I've been having intermittent problems with it for several months.
I found the most recent letter from SBC leisure people more interesting. It says something along the lines of...
sorry for mistakingly saying a pitch would be lost if the application goes ahead when that isn't actually the case.
With this application having so much scrutiny you would have thought they would have been extra cautious not to make, what appears to be, a fundamental error.
sorry for mistakingly saying a pitch would be lost if the application goes ahead when that isn't actually the case.
With this application having so much scrutiny you would have thought they would have been extra cautious not to make, what appears to be, a fundamental error.
Withnail
Well-Known Forumite
It is hardly surprising that you are exasperated by the whole thing. As one who has been following this thread, one finds the proverbial 'piss' at boiling point.
I have compiled some edited highlights from the ^above letter for the tl:dr brigade (even though it is in itself a bit tl...) -
"Why would they (Sport England) not present both sides of the argument - isn’t that what’s supposed to happen with a consultation?
[on Cricket]
I would like to remind you that this is the second pitch on the ground and all 1st and 2nd team games take place on the other unaffected pitch.
The plans clearly state that a new wooden pavilion for that pitch will be created and a new Astroturf wicket will be laid. Both of these will provide a higher quality facility than that which exists. Also has there been a single objection from any member of the local community who plays cricket? Surely if it were to the detriment of their sport there would be a lot of cricketers against this development?
[on Rugby]
The Borough Council have known they need to provide a pitch for this club for 11 years now and have taken no action to resolve the situation.
Also there is no objection to this pitch coming from St Leonards RUFC themselves. If they wished to object it’s a very simple process. The fact they haven’t registered an objection should indicate the weakness of the RFU’s argument
If the RFU succeed in their argument that we can’t use this pitch for Hockey then a very worrying precedent could be set. If all sport clubs were aware that by hosting another sport on their land they are risking the ability to play their own sport on that land, cooperation between sports would reduce with the knock on effect of reducing participation in sport which goes against the entire raison d’être of Sport England.
The net result is they want to remove a Rugby pitch, refuse any increase in Hockey pitches and increase the number of Football pitches. Their reasoning for this makes no sense and is contradictory.
The objection from the RFU is effectively saying that we shouldn’t have helped out a fellow sports club who were in serious danger of ceasing to exist as they’re now using this against our members in refusing to allow us to develop our own ground to develop our club
The Leisure Department are willing to remove a Rugby pitch to make way for another Football pitch when the need for this is unproven at best. They then use the argument that the pitch on our land is too valuable to lose. If it is so valuable why are they so set in changing the use of the pitch across the road.
Our application doesn’t stop them in any way from developing the Evans Park site however they see fit. In fact it’s interesting that they’re prepared to back a pitch yards away on land they own and object to the pitch on land they don’t own
[on local support]
Going through the planning portal I can see that the local community is fairly unanimous in its support for this new facility yet the community are being ignored. Surely that goes against the ethos of local planning departments.
[ on and finally]
I would finally like to know who approved the Leisure Department’s response being originally hidden from the general public? If you cannot answer this question could you please tell me where I can get it from?
[on and a bit more finally]
Thank you ... also for the time and effort you and your colleagues have put into this application. ( * BOOM * ) "
Specifically on the 'Why would they not present both sides of the argument?', have Sport England actually had a proper 'field trip' - please be pardoning of pun - to assess the application, or has it been purely desk based on their behalf? I only ask because i'm still so shocked at their response, and can only assume it comes from a position of such ignorance only usually to be found behind well-appointed desks.
SCHC
Well-Known Forumite
Withnail....
Thanks for your efforts
And no, no-one from any organisation whatsoever has visited the site or attempted to discuss the application with us. (you will note in previous correspondence on the portal we have asked for them to help or find solutions to the problems they themselves have identified (whether they are problems that actually exist is of course debateable)
In a parallel universe a club is trying to do the same thing, and are encountering problems...they may be finance related, they may be land issues, they may be that it affects other organisations in some way. In that parallel universe, the leisure department, councillors and officers are actually trying to help this particular club in finding a solution. In that parallel universe these public servants and elected officials are actually doing the job they are paid to do!
Now then where has that 297k gone? Down the back of the sofa? Down the gap between the drivers seat and the handbrake? In the washing machine?
Thanks for your efforts
And no, no-one from any organisation whatsoever has visited the site or attempted to discuss the application with us. (you will note in previous correspondence on the portal we have asked for them to help or find solutions to the problems they themselves have identified (whether they are problems that actually exist is of course debateable)
In a parallel universe a club is trying to do the same thing, and are encountering problems...they may be finance related, they may be land issues, they may be that it affects other organisations in some way. In that parallel universe, the leisure department, councillors and officers are actually trying to help this particular club in finding a solution. In that parallel universe these public servants and elected officials are actually doing the job they are paid to do!
Now then where has that 297k gone? Down the back of the sofa? Down the gap between the drivers seat and the handbrake? In the washing machine?