Friday 30th June 2000 : General Manager on Council decision, and planning update

General Manager Colin Davies has spoken about yesterday's formal approval for the sale of the allotment land required for the stadium redevelopment.

Talking to me this afternoon, Davies was understandably very pleased with the formal approval for the sale and change of use of the land, which was granted by the City Council's Property and Leisure Committees.

"Yesterday's news was yet one more step along the way and was very well received," he said. "The next stage is for the Allotments Professionals of the Leisure Committee to prepare the relevant documentation for the DETR, which will include all the legal documentation so it will take a few weeks to prepare. The Club is fully behind the Council in getting this application to the DETR as soon as possible.

"Once we know the documentation has been sent, we will follow up by sending the all the petition signatures within 24 hours."

The final number of signatures is unknown at present as petition forms are still being received by the CUSA and the Club, however Davies added, "It looks like a brilliant response, around 10,000 signatures, and full details will follow next month."

Giving an general update on the proposed redevelopment, he added, "We are progressing on all fronts regarding details of the stadium, talking with disabled groups, details of the roadway and so on. If the DETR approve our application then the land will be passed to us at the end of March next year, and at that point we are able to start the building - if everything else falls into place.

"We must have an environmental study done on the brook. That is underway and will be complete in plenty of time for the allotment holders to take over their new plots. We also need an archaeological survey, which is part and parcel of what must happen in any building project, whether you're building a new bread shop, a kids' playground or a football stadium.

"The fans would not believe the things we are having to look into!"

He concluded by saying, "The DETR is absolutely the last step along the way to securing total and irrevocable building approval for the redevelopment, which is vital for the football club."