Future of Essex Cricket and the broader cricket landscape...

[SirChef26]

If we were to move, I can't see it being further away from East London than we currently are. Brentwood isn't a bad suggestion, as it's on the Elizabeth Line so retains easy access for Stratford/East London based fans. Shenfield is the terminus and is also on the main Great Eastern railway line, but moving to a town with a population of around 5k isn't the smartest idea. Either way, this now needs to be the club's next step. They've presented their plans for Chelmsford, so now members need to know what alternate locations are on the table rather than Chinese whispers.

Way back in prehistoric times when Peter Edwards first floated the idea of a new ground in the Boreham area (presumably now vanished beneath monster traffic interchanges and the new Beaulieu Park Station) the City Council said there was no way they would ever approve large scale housing development on the present ground, hence the great David East White Elephant Scheme of blessed memory. From what was said at the Forum that attitude seems to have changed and bearing in mind the limitations of the present site-the plan produced at the meeting admitted there wasn't space for any enlargement on the public side or Hays Close End-I'd seriously consider a move to somewhere with more space, parking and good public transport access (but not Garon Park!!). The time to achieve this will probably see me out anyway but I suspect this may be the only viable future. It would be different if we had a bigger footprint where we are, like Somerset or Kent have, but we can't alter that.

This is pretty much my opinion as well. In a perfect world, we'd own all the land in and around the county ground to do what we please, but we don't and will be restricted for as long as we stay. Kent are seemingly making their play with the purchase and redevelopment of Beckenham. I've never been but I'm assuming Beckenham has significantly more space for Kent to do what they need to do facility wise. We can't let that mob get the jump on us.

[nat]

Beckenham is a dump and would need large investment.

[Cartero]

Beckenham is a dump and would need large investment.

Agreed it's a bit bleak, and Kent members living outside Great London don't much like it, but their plan is to enlarge it with a view to getting a Hundred team to play there. We just need to escape from the cramped and probably not greatly improvable site we have, in order to survive as a club.

[bwildered]

 Is there an advantage of keeping the Option 2 site a secret ?  One presumes the land owner is aware of proposed development and the club know the value of the land, or are the club worried of potential counter bids and end in a future bidding war .

[essexfan548]

Is there an advantage of keeping the Option 2 site a secret ?  One presumes the land owner is aware of proposed development and the club know the value of the land, or are the club worried of potential counter bids and end in a future bidding war .

I aslked when we would know and got the impression the numbers hadn't yet been finalised.

[afinetickletoleg]

Both 'BAME' (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) and 'BME' (Black and minority ethnic) are often used when making comparisons with the white population in the UK and reflect a common way of gathering and collating statistics, for example, by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and in company diversity monitoring

So is it being proposed to have a team made up of non white players?

They?ve let you out, Mr Tickle?

Not answering what you mean by a BAME team?

Stop baiting.

Who?s baiting?  You typed it

You?re the only one who commented on it.

So what did you mean when you typed it?

[Valentines Park]

Beckenham is a dump and would need large investment.

Kent have invested.

The facilities are on a par with Chelmsford I'd say.

[Mog]

Forum notes. Master plan to complete by 2030 World Cup .

Opinions 1-2
1-  Computer generated plan of upgraded Chelmsford , rework has previous.  Building upwards fromPremier suite around to spinners bar . 10k capacity with Hotel and Plaza .
Funding from City Council, ECB grants , private investment  club schemes and bonds , and Hotel  which is not owned by club.
 Finished by 2030 , built in phases no move away .

2 - New ground still option - in Essex but NOT in Chelmsford .

Just catching up on this thread after a winter away.

Do you have a link to the 'computer generated plan of upgraded Chelmsford'? Whoever has muted a '10k' capacity clearly has no idea about sports stadium planning/urban planning/design criteria or indeed SGSA. Sorry, to go over old ground, but ECCC County Ground does not have the infrastructure to either implement nor sustain a capacity any larger than its capacity now - circa 5,000. Seems as though it's the same old boys attempting to rehash their laughable, undelivered 'redevelopment' plan from circa 2008.
I hate to suggest this, but Garon Park, would fulfil many of the criteria for a 'new site'. Unfortunately, as anyone who had the misfortune to endure this venue, will atest it is completely unsuitable from a spectator perspective, for all the reasons you will all be well aware of.

[Mog]

When Mr East was looking for planning consent for his scheme, Southend Council offered to help develop everybody's favourite venue if Chelmsford turned down the plans. There's plenty of space there but minimal transport links. Southend FC now don't appear to be moving to that area. If they had there might have been a case for a multi sport approach. I'd be minded to develop the current ground because of its excellent bus and rail links, including the park & ride

Indeed. The architect of the decision to abandon the much valued Southchurch Park, without any member consultation. What a success!
SUFC are staying at Roots Hall, with the planned housing being relocated from there to the now abandoned Fossets Farm stadium site - with Roots Hall getting a compensatory financial amount to upgrade RH.

[nat]

Apparently there is to be a meeting on Friday 12th April after end of play. Neighbours of the ground have been invited by letter. Sounds like a presentation of ground re-development proposals.

[mawallace]

Interesting article on the ground development

https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/essex-40m-chelmsford-redevelopment-host-england-3076812

[SirChef26]

The club will of course favour the cheaper solution of option 1. With respect to the city though, we are Essex County Cricket Club, not Chelmsford County Cricket Club. We cater to the just under two million people across the county and the six million plus across the East region, not just the 110 thousand good folk of Chelmsford.

Do we know what area the alternative venue would be in? Or was this not mentioned yesterday?

I haven't heard of an exact area and it's crucially important that the club reveal a concrete location/locations for any new facility lined up before the vote, rather than just saying "vote to redevelop Chelmsford or leave even though we don't know where to". Because any chosen location could prove a significant vote-swayer, especially if they were to nail down somewhere with good public transport links and easy access to car parking, not to mention general members facilities.

I rest my case m'lud. 40 million doesn't account to any more than a lick of paint these days. If we're going to do something, do it properly!