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Post by Smithy Gas on Nov 30, 2023 21:23:09 GMT
More importantly, how have so many people got a direct line to Karl Robinson?! Can we ask him anything? Does he like curry sauce or gravy on his chips? Neighbours or Home and Away?
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Post by Smithy Gas on Nov 26, 2023 15:31:10 GMT
It’s not like it’s a permanent decision is it? We had a quartered shirt when we got promoted and that wasn’t that long ago.
I much prefer full quarters and think the reasons for not having it are crap but horses for courses - some people tend to like the blue backs. These people probably also wear socks and sandles.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Nov 23, 2023 22:10:27 GMT
Word on the jungle gym is some potential gaffers aren’t keen on working with existing staff.
Whilst the new owners comments in this regard are noble and absolutely the right direction, most if not all managers want to bring in at least a number 2. Might be legs in it?
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Post by Smithy Gas on Nov 20, 2023 21:12:26 GMT
hosted.southglos.gov.uk/callforsites/SG926.pdfNow that is interesting reading ...... Not as simple as building on the unused land it would appear. Love how they have redacted the clubs name in part of it then publish a letter with full info .... Jump to last Page of the document - it has the proposed site layout plan with training pitches moved, not using the phase 3 land ........ Basically building on the lovely pitches and starting again ...... to the right of current pitches. Must be some money in that land to do that. Plans drawn on 31st March 2023 .... Whilst I don't generally knock the owners you have to feel it is a poor planning to build the training pitches and then build houses on top of them having to redo pitches elsewhere .... I would have thought there was more mileage building it closer to the M5 perimeter as you wouldn't want footballs flying around that area. Clearly access is a problem on site (pretty sure there has been remediation works to footpaths to the perimeter etc.) so it makes perfect sense to site 70 houses as close as possible to the existing access on Hortham Lane. It might seem a bit profligate to have to redo the pitches but it depends what the end game is in terms of facilities for the club on the rest of the site.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Nov 15, 2023 21:56:01 GMT
The club statement said something about conditions. Any idea what they are? Presumably minor things Depending on if anything changed from the recommendation you will be able to see the conditions agreed in the “report to committee” document on the application. Pre commencement (bit of a misnomer in this case!) conditions include contamination reporting, ecology, soft and hard landscaping (including management), drainage details and most importantly installation of hedgehog homes! After that, there are conditions relating mostly to travel and event management planning to be submitted over the next 6 months and in time for the start of the next season. As I said, in the aforementioned document if you want to read the gubbins.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Nov 10, 2023 9:17:30 GMT
Gary Monk took over at Swansea when they were struggling in the Premier league. He safely avoided relegation with them and in the following season took them to an 8th place finish having beaten the likes of Arsenal and Man Utd home and away. The football he played was the “Swansea way”, which any football supporter he followed them in that league would know was excellent football. All the jobs he took on after that were “fire fighting jobs “ in his own words and did not do badly at any of them and none of those clubs were relegated. He had a distinguished career as a player and played in the Premier league and all the other divisions with Swansea in their rise to the top tier, captaining the side to the league cup final win and promotions. He was a centrehalf and knew how to defend, another attribute that could help us. He has always been my pick and would prefer him above the likes of CR. I'm slightly baffled as to why anyone has a major issue with Monk. We'd be lucky if he's willing to take the job and he's the only proper fit for us that I can see at the moment. Seems like the best person to build on what JB started and take it t the next level. My only concern is why he’s been out the game for three years? If he’s that good he’d have been picked up by someone in the Championship or L1? Certainly a question to be asked at interview!
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Post by Smithy Gas on Oct 30, 2023 20:11:33 GMT
If it goes to committee with a recommendation for approval by officers it would be incredible if it was turned down. Those recommendations are based on policy not politics. Not to say it won’t be (see Boardwalk development…) but political voting just doesn’t fly anymore in an austere age - it cost too much for the LPA in the long run and an appeal lost and the costs against on a case this big is crippling.
I’m not counting chickens yet but the fact it’s been allowed to be built regardless of planning, the second application is going to be dealt with well ahead of time and the officer is recommending approval should see this one home.
The full Mem development? We may need a bit more tact.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Oct 30, 2023 15:54:42 GMT
I think I agree with everyone who interpreted HA words to mean we are going to build either side of the existing East Stand and the North end and I think in the meantime this is how we are going to cut our cloth. It'll be better than we have had in the 30 years since being at the Mem and he's just ending the dicking around and I applaud that. I don't think we are spending tens of millions so let's be practical and base the refurb on the South Stand and retrofitting what we have. Practically I think we can do something pretty tidy at the North end which could probably incorporate a standing terrace with seats over the top (concourse facilities below) using the modular build method of the South Stand but the East Stand is tricky. The trouble with keeping it is that it's been built wrong! the angle of the stand is wrong, the leg room is sh**e and the sight lines are awful. How is any good (or sh**e!) designer going to try and incorporate that base problem into a new stand without it looking awful?! I think they may try initially and end up binning it off and starting again. Lets see. Was waiting for your opinion as you seem to know what you’re talking about on this subject. The east stand really needs knocking down and starting again I think. If they do manage to polish the turd into something half decent I’ll be amazed! You chat enough rubbish someone eventually believes you
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Post by Smithy Gas on Oct 30, 2023 15:53:47 GMT
I could be wrong but didn't we once get planning permission for a new North Stand but it didn't go ahead as couldn't get a late night licence for it? I believe that is correct. Someone posted all the evening post articles fairly recently (I’d forgotten about it until then!). 2004 we applied for a 4900 all seater North Stand. Application was withdrawn though and we didn't go ahead as we just rolled into the whole stadium development about a year or so later.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Oct 30, 2023 10:44:20 GMT
I think I agree with everyone who interpreted HA words to mean we are going to build either side of the existing East Stand and the North end and I think in the meantime this is how we are going to cut our cloth. It'll be better than we have had in the 30 years since being at the Mem and he's just ending the dicking around and I applaud that. I don't think we are spending tens of millions so let's be practical and base the refurb on the South Stand and retrofitting what we have.
Practically I think we can do something pretty tidy at the North end which could probably incorporate a standing terrace with seats over the top (concourse facilities below) using the modular build method of the South Stand but the East Stand is tricky. The trouble with keeping it is that it's been built wrong! the angle of the stand is wrong, the leg room is sh**e and the sight lines are awful. How is any good (or sh**e!) designer going to try and incorporate that base problem into a new stand without it looking awful?!
I think they may try initially and end up binning it off and starting again. Lets see.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Sept 13, 2023 20:09:57 GMT
I’ve said it before and someone just alluded to it again but as long as someone can pay for it the Mem revamp with student accommodation is a decent option. Clearly at the time (and all previous and subsequent schemes) who funds our stadium has been the issue.
If the new guys have got cash then student accommodation is a decent ROI and there is still a chronic shortage in Bristol (see current press with students being shipped off to Newport etc.)
How that plays with Rovers I don’t know. Same as last time. The SA paid the debt to build the stadium but after that I don’t know what was left to fund the football club - I think there was a hotel, gym etc. but something needs to be in hands of Rovers to generate income.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Aug 30, 2023 19:30:03 GMT
Top shirt again. My only continued gripe, men or women, is a lack of availability if you’re tiny.
These midgets (otherwise known as sons, daughters, nieces and nephews) are the ones we need to indoctrinate and it’s bloody impossible.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Aug 30, 2023 19:24:49 GMT
Good luck to them, But as for playing at the mem they tried that and was watched by about 10-20 people it’s not worth the detriment of the pitch. If they get promoted I think they have to play in a stadium somewhere because of the league rules…. But at the last game at the Mem they had against Forest Green they had something like 1500 or more … I reckon they’d get decent crowds for the level if they were at the Mem… as many as we get for the pizza trophy games at least…. Definitely have to change ground if they go up one more level - need more “professional” infrastructure than Lockleaze currently provides.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Aug 18, 2023 7:06:23 GMT
Apparently I am bad at guessing. I've heard that it's been scheduled for one of the committee meetings in October. But Rovers do still apparently have 4 forms that need to be submitted, and probably checked by officers for completeness, before then. I believe they may be wild life survey, daylight survey as the new stand is taller than the stand it is replacing, and safety survey. I don't think I can be bothered to actually spend any energy making sure those are 100% accurate, as people are likely to call me names regardless. Considering this is all conjecture, let’s say it’s true for a second. What the f**k has it got to do with you? Even if Rovers do have to provide those documents, they (or their consultants) will do so and the planning department (or correct people within it) will make sure it complies with policy. Not you. Again, what the f**k has it got to do with you? Nothing. You can look at the documents and feel you know more than everyone else. But you won’t. Just sit this one out fella. I’ve not hidden the fact I think Rovers have f**ked up the planning process/timeline but the stand is being built and your party has shown itself up once again - only this time in the age of social media and just shy of local and National elections. Good move.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Aug 15, 2023 21:37:40 GMT
Moving on for one second from the he said/she said/ Lily Savage said…
I’m not convinced at all by Waels timetable (been pretty consistent on this thread in that regard) so what now?
Clearly the piling has been done (not exactly hidden by fencing) and therefore someone at the club needs to ascertain:
A. Timetable for determination. B. Make a decision on viability of return of at least one tent based on A.
More importantly, someone needs to step up and communicate properly, stop bullshitting the fans about “things out of our control” and start getting hold of the narrative again. Anyone heard from our CEO?
Let the politicians and the press crack on throwing mud but own the situation and get it back to football. If we have to wait until next year now so be it.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Aug 6, 2023 20:34:11 GMT
You don't need pp for temporary stands? As far as the new stand I guess if TG could see into the future then he would have applied for pp last summer. Excuse my ignorance ( I know nothing about planning permission regulations) but what is the definition of a temporary stand? If Rovers argue it's temporary until 🤞 we move to the fruit market or stated it'll be removed in say 5years is that not suffice? Temporary is a bit of a misnomer when it comes to stadia - there is no real conceivable way we can put up a stand that would meet the rules and be viable. Rules (or most important rules) being the thing would only be there for under 28 days in a calendar year, less than 5M tall and under 200m2 to be temporary. When people refer to temporary stands (Glos cricket previously in this thread, Party Stand at Old Trafford or even the South/SW Stand) they all needed planning permission because they fall foul of the above rules.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Aug 4, 2023 20:53:37 GMT
You Clearly do ! Why shouldn't I , anyway that isn't the point, the point is the determination date hasn't been altered and planning have a duty to get applications sorted as quick as possible A report went to parliment in 2022 stating that planning authorities must complete most applications within the statutory timeline and that lack of staff is not an excuss . In view of this BCC planning could be in trouble with the government if they don't pull their socks up and they will not want to put the determination date back. How many times do I have to say it… the determination date isn’t worth the paper it’s written on at current! I know it’s at a different scale of project but just for reference, my last planning approval: Submitted - December 14 2022 Determination Date - 8th February 2023 Decision Issued - 19th July 2023 We currently have over 30 applications in with the LPA in a similar situation so I very much hope BCC do pull their fingers out but this is getting worse not better… if Rovers get a decision by determination deadline I will be tapping you up for Tom Goringes number so I can find out how!
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Post by Smithy Gas on Aug 3, 2023 12:00:30 GMT
Just for reference by the way, its only BCC thats catastrophically f**ked... South Glos, BANES and North Somerset planning running pretty much to statutory limits.
BCC have been in disarray since last Autumn, Rovers (or their agents) should have known this and scheduled it into their thinking.
I think they needed to dot the Is and cross the Ts on the Waelodrome before committing to this project hence only pushing the button in the spring after the announcement about the new stadium and knowing it would be worth doing.
With that in mind, they clearly rushed it to make sure the investment would pay back for this season but are now finding out it's a poor decision and they are watering off many stakeholders along the way - not least the fans who have spent their hard earned to buy a ticket in an imaginary stand which doesn't exist.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Jul 30, 2023 13:01:34 GMT
The planning applicatioin was submitted in April, this would have been done after consultation between the clubs agents and the planning department , so that any issues would be sorted before submission. It should take about 2 weeks for the application to be validated , there is then another 21 days for consultation and a decision should be made within 13 weeks of the validation. So the club should have had a decision by now. There have been many comments that there is a backlog at planning with applications, any delay is very likely to have been caused by the BCC planning and not the club, who were expecting to have everything sorted by the 12th August. I worked for a council as a senior government officer and like to think i know a bit about these matters. BCC are a mess, well parts of them are anyway. TG says there will be an anouncement shortly, so we will have to wait a bit longer, but if everything was fine for the 12th then I would have thought there would be no need for an announcement. But the point i am trying to get accross to those that listen is that the club had submitted the application in time, they were confident everything would be on track and diden't expect any issues, this would have been after taking advice from their agents and the deligated planning officer. Hopefully some kind of stand will be in place for the 12th but it is looking a bit doubtfull. Werton you keep saying this and I don’t doubt your past experience. But: It took until June for the application to get validated, not two weeks, so there was something missing from the initial application for the LPA not to validate straight away (hence we lost two months straight off the bat; Notwithstanding that, you are correct that in a normal climate decisions should be made in 8-12 weeks but that isn’t the case currently at BCC. We are talking 6 months and counting for decisions. People are still taking the determination date as gospel where I take it with a pinch of salt! As I say, I don’t discount your past experience but at current I just don’t see how even an application starting in April was going to be determined in time and still don’t. A statement to clear all this up is forthcoming and certainly needed - the lack of communication, as always when things go wrong, is something the club needs to sort.
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Post by Smithy Gas on Jul 29, 2023 10:32:21 GMT
If only someone has mentioned all the way through this process there wouldn’t be a cat in hells chance of getting planning in time due to planning delays…
Even when it was submitted in April and we were told “planning was in” and clearly it wasn’t as it wasn’t validated until June.
It’s a cock up between Rovers and their planning agents for submitting something so late in the current planning climate in Bristol. Nothing more, nothing less.
We will get permission (always have) but as I have always said since the start is when?
Look forward to the statement and who Tom blames…
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