Yesterday Cambridge United submitted an amendment to the planning application for redevelopment of the Abbey Stadium, responding to all of the questions raised by the planning committee following their deferral last month.

Club Director Gary Harwood stated today, "Along with answering the questions the Club, its architects and its planning consultants had been through the plans with a 'fine toothed comb' yet again. We had also had some constructive dialogue with Labour councillors, Lib Dem councillors, planning officers and a few representatives of the allotment society.

"As a result our plans have been slightly modified to offer a compromise that every interested party was asking us to. The compromise has not resulted in any reduction to the proposed capacity and nor has it reduced the size of the commercial areas and thus we have protected our revenue earning potential. Some of the access areas have changed and we have saved half a metre here and half a metre there. In total we have managed to reduce the length of the 'land footprint' required by between 7 and 9 metres approximately. What this means is that instead of requiring 18 allotment plots to carry out the redevelopment we now need between 4 and 6 less.

"Given that, of the 18 plots initially required, only 6 are cultivated the Club feels this compromise should go along way towards convincing everyone that the redevelopment should now be allowed to proceed. As a result of the changes to our application the Council does not have time to include our application on the agenda for the 9th February planning committee meeting and it will be put before the 8th March meeting.

"Please carry on ensuring your local councillors know your feelings with regard to the Club's proposed redevelopment - especially as we have now compromised further to ensure all interested parties are satisfied with our proposals. There is no room for further compromises."

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