Stadium Update 11/03/10

Wycombe District Council set capital budget and proposed timetable for New Stadium Development

“Executive Summary

Wycombe Wanderers Football Club and London Wasps Rugby Club share a constrained site which limits the scope of both clubs’ ambitions and does not reflect their potential contribution to the District’s profile, economy or community. The identification of an appropriate site for a new stadium and associated facilities raises strategic planning considerations that need to be progressed as part of the Wycombe Development Framework, and specifically a Core Strategy Alteration: this reports seeks approval for the work to be undertaken which will result in the Core Strategy Alteration.”

At a special Wycombe District Council Meeting on 25th February the Council resolved that:

(i) the commencement of work on a Core Strategy Alteration to identify a site and planning framework for a new stadium, and associated facilities and development necessary to achieve it, be approved

(ii) approval be given to the inclusion of a timetable based on that attached at Appendix 4 in the updated Local Development Scheme to be submitted to Government for approval (with any detailed adjustments delegated to the Head of Planning & Sustainability in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning & Sustainability); and

iii) the release of the identified funds (£500,000) within the major projects/ capital programme be authorised to enable this work to proceed. The proposed timetable (Appendix 4) is as follows:

Date Tasks

2010

Feb • Commence project

March • Finalise project plan/ procure necessary resources

April • Commence formulation of strategic options and evidence-gathering

Sep • Cabinet agrees options consultation

Oct-Nov • Public/stakeholder consultation on options (high level options + high level analysis and evidence)

May-Dec • Technical work continues, with focus on preferred option

2011

Jan • Cabinet agree preferred options consultation document

Feb-Mar • Public/stakeholder consultation on preferred option

Mar-May • Consideration of preferred option representations • Finalise evidence base

May • Local Elections

May-Jul • Finalise CSA submission document

Jul • Cabinet + Council agree pre-submission document

Sep-Oct • Public/ stakeholder pre-submission consultation

Nov-Dec • Consideration of representations • Preparation of topic papers

2012

Jan • Formal submission to Government

May • Public Hearing/ Examination

Jul • Inspector’s report

Jul • Adoption

The following is the full version of the Council Proposed Decision and Resolution of the Special Meeting of 25th February 2010

PROPOSED DECISION

That, subject to a positive decision on Item 7:

(i) the commencement of work on a Core Strategy Alteration to identify a site and planning framework for a new stadium be approved;

(iii) the release of the identified funds within the £500,000 authorised to enable this work to proceed.

Reason for Decision

In order to overcome the problems of the present stadium by allocating an appropriate site for a new stadium and associated facilities, in accordance with the vision for the District set out in the Sustainable Community Strategy.

Corporate Implications

4.1 £500,000 has been earmarked in the Council’s major projects capital programme to enable a Core Strategy Alteration (CSA) to be progressed. Costs would be principally incurred in relation to commissioning the necessary evidence base/ related work, engaging a temporary Planning Project officer for the duration of the CSA, Public Examination costs, consultation and publications.

4.2 The recently updated Sustainable Community Strategy makes reference to the need for a new Stadium. The CSA will follow the appropriate Local Development Framework procedures as defined in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Section 26(1) of the 2004 Act permits a local planning authority to prepare a revision of a local development document (LDD), but the required procedures for the preparation of an LDD in accordance with the local development scheme as set out in this report apply equally to the revision of an LDD. Legal Advice and representation will be sought as appropriate throughout the process which may necessitate seeking Counsel’s opinion and which will collectively have significant financial implications.

4.3 The potential wider community benefits underpin the case for seeking to provide the planning framework for new stadium facilities. The CSA process will itself incorporate full sustainability appraisal, incorporating an Equalities Impact Assessment.

Executive Summary

4.4 Wycombe Wanderers Football Club and London Wasps Rugby Club share a constrained site which limits the scope of both clubs’ ambitions and does not reflect their potential contribution to the District’s profile, economy or community. The identification of an appropriate site for a new stadium and associated facilities raises strategic planning considerations that need to be progressed as part of the Wycombe Development Framework, and specifically a Core Strategy Alteration: this reports seeks approval for the work to be undertaken which will result in the Core Strategy Alteration.

Sustainable Community Strategy / Council Priorities – Implications

4.5 The identification of a site for a new stadium is part of the vision for the District in the Sustainable Community Strategy, and supports the delivery of the ‘sustainable regeneration’ and ‘delivering for younger people’ corporate priorities.

Background and Issues

4.6 In June 2008, Cabinet resolved that the Council would work with both the Wycombe Wanderers Football Club and London Wasps Rugby Club with a view to resolving the issues of the current stadium within the next 5 years. Discussions have continued since then and a separate report (exempt item 7) seeks approval to progress a collaboration agreement with the Clubs. Subject to that approval being given, this report seeks approval for the work to be undertaken to progress the Core Strategy Alteration to identify an appropriate site for a new stadium and related facilities/development.

4.7 The provision of a new stadium is sufficiently strategic that an allocation needs to be made through the Development Plan, i.e. the Wycombe Development Framework (WDF). To ensure that the most appropriate location and framework is identified, all potential sites need to be considered, including those that currently lie within the Green Belt. As the current Core Strategy (adopted in July 2008) does not provide the necessary context for such an allocation, a Core Strategy Alteration (CSA) is required.

4.8 Planning legislation requires that the first step in undertaking such an alteration is the identification of the necessary work within the Council’s Local Development Scheme (LDS), which is effectively the work programme for the Wycombe Development Framework. The LDS is about to be revised to reflect changes in the timetable for another WDF document, the Delivery and Site Allocations Development Plan Document, and the CSA can be added to the LDS before it is submitted for the requisite Government approval in February. Work would then proceed in accordance with the detailed timetable set out at Appendix 4, including one discretionary and two mandatory rounds of public consultation on the emerging proposals, and consideration of the Council’s final proposals at an Examination chaired by an independent Government-appointed Inspector. This timetable would work towards potential adoption of the CSA in July 2012.

4.9 The production of the CSA is beyond the existing, committed WDF work programme. Accordingly, additional funding of £500K is required to resource the project (including consultancy costs relating to evidence gathering, a planning project officer, statutory examination costs, consultation costs, and legal advice where needed), as outlined in the ‘Corporate Implications’ section.

4.10 It should be noted that, in order to deliver a new stadium in a timely fashion, work on the identification of a site through the planning process needs to start before the Council has taken its final decision to proceed with the project. Accordingly, there is a risk that, if the Council subsequently withdraws from the project as a developer, the planning work will have to be abandoned.

Consultation

4.11 Consultation would be integral to the CSA process; this includes three consultation stages as outlined above and in Appendix 4.

Options

4.12 The options for the Council, as a Planning authority, at this stage of this planning project are to:

• Take a pro-active stance and proceed as recommended

• Not be pro-active and, if the project proceeds, consider the matter through the submission of a planning application without the supporting CSA policy being in place.

4.13 Given that the issue has been identified in the Sustainable Community Strategy as a key issue for the District it is considered that the Council should be pro-active in its planning role, and seek to offer certainty and a sustainable framework for a stadium within the development plan. If the Council was not pro-active and merely responded to a planning application when it came in it is most likely that it would be contrary to the development plan and would be at risk of call-in by the Secretary of State.

4.14 At this stage it would be inappropriate for the Council to consider and decide upon specific site solutions as the WDF CSA process requires, as part of it, the consideration of all reasonable spatial options - and consultation on them.

Conclusions

4.15 The CSA route is considered the swiftest and most appropriate way to provide the context for the delivery of this strategic priority.

Next Steps

4.16 Subject to Cabinet’s approval, the next steps include the submission of the LDS to Government for approval, the appointment of a planning project officer/ coordinator and the commissioning of the necessary technical evidence. The first round of public consultation is expected to take place in Autumn 2010. The aim is for completion of the CSA in 2012, which would be expected to be followed by the consideration of any planning application, for determination in light of the new policy.

Background Papers

None

APPENDIX 4

Stadium Planning Project - Core Strategy Alteration – Summary Timeline

The key stages within this timetable are set out below (statutory planning milestones are shaded):

Date Tasks

2010

Feb • Commence project

March • Finalise project plan/ procure necessary resources

April • Commence formulation of strategic options and evidence-gathering

Sep • Cabinet agrees options consultation

Oct-Nov • Public/stakeholder consultation on options (high level options + high level analysis and evidence)

May-Dec • Technical work continues, with focus on preferred option

2011

Jan • Cabinet agree preferred options consultation document

Feb-Mar • Public/stakeholder consultation on preferred option

Mar-May • Consideration of preferred option representations

May • Local Elections

May-Jul • Finalise CSA submission document Jul • Cabinet + Council agree pre-submission document

Sep-Oct • Public/ stakeholder pre-submission consultation

Nov-Dec • Consideration of representations Peparation of topic papers

2012

Jan • Formal submission to Government

May • Public Hearing/ Examination

Jul • Inspector’s report

Jul • Adoption

Minutes of this Council meeting issued subsequent to the Meeting on 25th February resolved as follows

117. STADIUM

Cabinet had before it a report on the progress made since the in-principle decision of Cabinet in November 2009 to enter into negotiations with WSDL in respect of proposals for a new Community Stadium within the District. Tabled at the meeting were elements of an initial Community Needs Assessment and a summary of draft Heads of Terms for a collaboration agreement, which was returned after the meeting. Both documents were read by Cabinet and the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Property & Procurement and the Head of Property Services explained the proposals and answered questions raised.

The following decision was made as, following the Cabinet decision in November 2009 to negotiate with WSDL, terms were nearing agreement for a Collaboration Agreement which required completion.

RESOLVED: That (i) authority be given for the Council to enter into a collaboration agreement with WSDL based broadly and aspirationally on the heads of terms referred to in the report (but without final commitment by the Council to the project under the terms of the agreement) with the detailed terms (including any amendments to matters included in the heads of terms) being approved by the Head of Property Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Property and Procurement and the Section 151 Officer;

(ii) an external law firm (to deal with the drafting and negotiation of the collaboration agreement and to advise as appropriate) and financial and other consultants (to advise as appropriate) be appointed, in all cases within budgetary provision; and

(iii) the balance of the budget provision in the Major Projects Programme be approved for release in pursuance of (i) above.

118. PLANNING PROCESS FOR A NEW STADIUM The report before Cabinet set out the planning process required in order for the Council to be pro-active in its planning role and to seek to offer certainty and a sustainable framework for a stadium within the development plan, given that the issue had been identified in the Sustainable Community Strategy as a key issue for the District.

It was considered that the provision of a new stadium was sufficiently strategic that an allocation needed to be made through the Development Plan which would require a Core Strategy Alteration (CSA). In order to deliver a new stadium in a timely fashion, work on the CSA would have to commence in advance of the Council reaching a final decision on the project but if the project did not proceed, the work on the CSA would be abandoned.

The CSA would consider all potential sites in order to identify the most appropriate location and framework. Consultation would be integral to the CSA process, which included three stages which were outlined in the report and in

Appendix 4 to the report. Members noted that the proposals were not just for a Stadium but included

associated facilities and enabling development.

The following decision was made in order to overcome the problems of the present stadium by allocating an appropriate site for a new stadium and associated facilities, in accordance with the vision for the District set out in the Sustainable

Community Strategy.

RESOLVED: That (i) the commencement of work on a Core Strategy Alteration to identify a site and planning framework for a new stadium, and associated facilities and development necessary to achieve it, be approved;

(iii) the release of the identified funds within the major projects/ capital programme be authorised to enable this work to proceed.

posted in new-stadium-update | 11.03.2010. 18:02

Comments:

#1 tommy true blue 15.03.2010. 08:00

Timetable looks just like the timetable the trust was given last summer at Rugby Mansions with an associated ultimatum to 'take it or put the club in Administration' by Hayes, Beeks and Kane. There will be the same 'hidden' plan with the details of press releases, photo opportunities and lawyers meetings.

Consultation - don't make me laugh! Railroading - maybe. Bullying - definitely. The Trust need to take a long hard look at themselves and ask - "who will benefit from a new stadium?".

- and who will benefit in the Trust from the glare of publicity during the negotiations? Hmmmm

#2 Concerned for WWFC 15.03.2010. 16:28

Mr Hayes made it clear on a number of previous occasions that any move to a new stadium will only happen if the move is proven to be beneficial to WWFC. We now seem a long way down the raod towards this move happening regardless, and still no sign of any evidence that a new stadium will benefit WWFC. So Mr Hayes, where is the proof? If WWFC is set to lose currently exclusive revenue and profit from non match day conferencing and functions etc., how will WWFC benefit from any move?

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Stadium Update 11/03/10

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