I wonder when thje Club will start to consult with its members over the Ground Development? The last update on the website is undated but says:
"...development will commence on site in the next few weeks."
so I guess it was some months ago. It goes on to say
"Now that the first Phase can start the Club will now focus on its facilities which will form part of the next stage. Work will now start on reviewing the original plans to ensure that they meet our requirements in that we build the facilities that will serve the needs of the modern game, our members, sponsors and supporters."
Most keen cricket followers like to watch from position close to or behind the bowlers arm. From the fuzzy sketches on the website, the number of seats in the Tom Pearce stand and River Stand will be reduced to a small fraction of their current capacity and replaced by seats in or around the pavilion.
Overall, we are giving away a fair bit of freehold land and prime viewing seats in exchange for a new pavilion and executive suite. Not much in it for the members.
If anyone from the Club is reading this, I'd welcome some feedback.
It's incredible isn't it, Ian?
Sadly and all too predictably, when the Club have something to hide or the hype cannot be made to fit their agenda it all goes quiet. In my professional experience I have yet to see a development on this or any other scale, that is so reticent to display any
relevant information or images. If Better managed, consultative and inclusive this
should have been a showcase for the Club, and one where they could 'exploit' the situation to get their membership and support on their side. Unfortunately, the continued silence, indeed closely guarded state secret like status to this project is embarrassing. The closely censored images that have been allowed to seep out into the wider public domain, pay far more attention to the utilitarian, artless and environmentally unfriendly apartment blocks than they do to the actual spectator accommodation. I wonder why?
Additionally, I fail to see why any mere member will be consulted this time around than was patently not the case in 2007/8. The Club are run by the same uninspiring, second-rate, old boys & associates - who rather than consult, only display defensive belligerence whenever they're questioned.
Reading between the lines, the original scale model - depicted a single tier seating deck at the River End, re-sited to sit closer to the outfield than currently, thus creating more space for the apartment block wall that will be a feature(less) accompaniment to Division Two batting collapses of the future.
If and when this ever becomes public, perhaps the Club should start thinking about aspects such as how the acoustics, shadowing (from the blocks) and parking management, along with rather more serious aspects such as flood risk and massing.
