Gloucestershire County Cricket Club plans submitted to Bristol City Council
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club's plans for a major revamp of its Bristol home have been submitted to the city council.
The club wants to redevelop the County Ground to create a 20,000-capacity stadium, with the project partly paid for by building student accommodation on the site.
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Gloucestershire County Cricket Club plans submitted to Bristol City Council
Some residents have protested at the plan for student flats and questioned whether a ban on tenants parking within a mile of the site could be enforced.
The club says reaction during the consultation process which followed the announcement of its plans led to the number of student homes being cut by 200, from 550 to 350.
It says it will now look for alternative funding to make up for the shortfall.
In a statement yesterday, the club said: "We have received some very positive feedback to our plans from the majority of those consulted.
"Their input has helped to shape proposals that will enable Bristol to continue to compete with cities across the UK as a destination for world class sport.
"These proposals are crucial to retaining our One Day International status beyond 2011 and essential for the future viability of the Club.
"We have hosted international matches at the County Ground since 1999 and have recently announced that we have secured an international match for 2011."
Also included in the plans are a new media centre for journalists and broadcasters covering matches, improved conference facilities, an upgraded public gym, including a swimming pool, which could also be used by City of Bristol College, and an educational facility for local school children to take part in cricket-related programmes.
The club also hopes its improved facilities would help the County Ground to be a potential training site if Bristol were named as a host city for the 2018 Football World Cup.
In July, the club invited its members and 2,500 neighbouring households to view its plans at public exhibitions and comments submitted led to the drawing up of revised plans, which went on show last month.
Bristol City Council must now list the application for consideration by a planning committee within 13 weeks.
22 Comments
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by Concerned Local, Bishopston
Saturday, October 17 2009, 8:16PM
“Well Mark, if we locals put the boot in, it will be for sound reasons, so be thankful you don¿t live near the ground. And Nikki didn¿t know that GCCC wanted their ground to be something like the size of Lords in a densely packed residential area whose narrow roads are already used to capacity.
And it¿s all very well for Kitteh to support the plans except for the student accommodation, it has to be included to finance the expansion. At least that¿s what the GCCC think. Don¿t be surprised if student accommodation replaces buy-to-let as an idea whose time has gone, especially as UWE¿s new accommodation will more than soak up any demand there might be.
As for the club¿s plans to control student parking, they¿re having a laugh. Residents will have to report cars to the warden who will ask the DVLA for the owner¿s name. Unless the student is completely stupid, that name will be one of their parent¿s, so nothing will happen. If the student is stupid they will no doubt be warned not to be found out again. The GCCC will not want to lose a tenant, and it is legally questionable whether the courts would uphold a decision to make someone homeless just because they parked their car legally. So again, nothing will happen.
Further bad news on the parking front is that the new school will occupy the City of Bristol College¿s overflow parking area, forcing their students to park in nearby streets. The negative effects of the expansiojn are not just 10/365, they would be 24/7.”
by Bigger picture, Ashley Down
Wednesday, October 14 2009, 11:22PM
“The plan is to turn a cricket ground with 3886 permanent seats into a 20,000 seat sports stadium that could eventually be used for any sport every weekend of the year with no need for additional planning permission. Verbal assurances that this won't happen from cricket club officials who will move on to other jobs mean nothing without proper legal agreements.”
by wibble, Nevil rd
Wednesday, October 14 2009, 10:51PM
“Everytime there is a county championship game there are parking cones outside my house and evertime they get ignored because to be honest nobody goes to the games. Come home from work, park up as normal.
Maybe six, seven times a year there are big games on where a decent volume of people wander down the street and on the way home I usually get some drunk(s) pssing in my garden. Am I outraged of Bishopston ? Is the world going to end ? Nah course not .. and on the plus side I get home a minute after the cricket ends.
The new development of the ground will bring better facillities and better sport while hardly adding anything to the existing distruption to traffic and parking. (What I'm saying is the capacity for big games is hardley raised from what it is at the moment)
The county ground is not used to its capacity 24/7 ... it's more like 10/365 and as an immediate neighbor, you know I can live with that. Go for it.”
by Arthur T, Bishopston
Wednesday, October 14 2009, 9:18PM
“I live beside the ground and attend many county games, the proposed development is not a 'world class' stadium as the best seats in the house behind the bowler's arm are reserved for 350 students in 7 storey blocks at the Ashley down end and corporate boxes at the other. Get rid of the students and build a balanced attractive stadium. And another thing why does it have to be a 20,000 seater - this will ruin the atmosphere at county games and far exceeds the minimum ECB requirements.”
by MB, Bristol
Wednesday, October 14 2009, 5:04PM
“Cricket ground was there before most of the houses wasn't it?”
by Natalie, Bishopston
Wednesday, October 14 2009, 4:41PM
“@Jon
Yes you are right - apologies.
The initial planning application had one objection - a document from GCCC complaining about more cars and noise IF a 30 intake primary school was built next to the ground!
Hypocritical in the extreme.”
by Jon, Bristol
Wednesday, October 14 2009, 4:25PM
“Ned, Bishopston - that is untrue. It is not possible for a third party to appeal against a grant of planning permission.
I assume you mean that they objected to the planning application by the school?”
by Paul, bs3
Wednesday, October 14 2009, 4:04PM
“People will always complain. If you want to build in the city there are complaints about traffic, noise etc etc, you want to build on the outskirts other people complain about ruining the countryside, noise,traffic. Nothing will ever get built in Bristol at this rate.”
by I.R KITTEH, Bristol
Wednesday, October 14 2009, 3:28PM
“The schools going ahead now. But I'd rather have the parking.”
by Ned, Bishopston
Wednesday, October 14 2009, 3:21PM
“So this is why GCCC have managed to get into bed with Bristol city Council and stop the building of a badly needed new local primary school. They put in an appeal against the school planning consent & have used the land for parking (charging each £60 for free land loaned by BCC).
I presume they will try and stop the new school plan as they need land and parking for their own redevelopment.
Something stinks at the Council House, we will not forget the champagne reception held at GCCC for Council leaders -
it seems democracy and planning consent is just one canape away........”