The future of Coventry Stadium, Brandon

From the campaign group…. THE planning application submitted by Brandon Estates to replace our motorsports stadium with a housing estate and ancillary 3G football pitch will be taken to committee at Rugby Town Hall on Wednesday November 9, from 5.30pm. Despite assurances given to us that the new planning officer would be reviewing all of the information of the past six years with a clean slate, her revised Report still unbelievably recommends approval of the scheme. This is despite the biggest and most overwhelming consultation response in the history of RBC, and the fact that the application is clearly deficient in numerous ways – most pertinently, it conflicts with both the Local Plan and the Brandon & Bretford Neighbourhood plan (dismissed by the Officer), conflicts with Green Belt Policy, and conflicts with National Planning Policy Framework which it attempts to get around via a misapplication of paragraph 99c. The final decision rests with the 12 elected councillors who constitute the planning committee, who have the power to overturn the officer’s recommendation and reject the application. We would like to invite all speedway and stock car fans to join us at the Town Hall on Wednesday evening in a respectful show of support for our sports. Whilst attendance in the gallery at the planning meeting itself will be extremely limited, we can still send a powerful message outside on the night to those who will be attending, and therefore we would advise arrival from around 4.30pm. We have already had confirmation that Bees legend Chris Harris and Formula 1 stock car driver Nigel Harrhy will be in attendance. This could, in fact, be a landmark case for all the wrong reasons, because if RBC do proceed with approving the application, they will be sending out a clear message that there is no point whatsoever in holding any future consultations, either public or statutory, as views expressed will be completely ignored if they happen to differ with the officer’s own narrative. We should also point out that in our Briefing Paper 9, we made reference to the fact that, 23 weeks after the consultation period into our own application had ended, we had still not been afforded the opportunity to see the public response. Remarkably, this was forthcoming this week, and confirmed that there had been 943 letters of support and only eight against. 99.2% of the response was in our favour. Whilst the two applications are separate issues (and therefore reference to our own application should not have been included in the revised officer’s Report, as planning permission is not required to bring back the sports) it does highlight the incredible strength of feeling of the local and wider world. The reactions to these applications are almost diametrically opposed, and yet which one are the officers of RBC putting their weight behind? It is all the more distasteful that yet again, in the revised Report, the current condition of the stadium is used as a reason why the sports could never return. Let there be no doubt that this is a condition enabled by the shameful tactics of the applicants and their non-existent security and alleged failure to comply with a Community Protection notice – for which they will stand trial, in a case brought about by RBC, less than a week after the planning meeting! The treatment of speedway and stock car fans, and local residents, over the past six years, has been truly shocking. Wednesday evening is an opportunity for the committee members to do the right thing and block the planning application – and it is also an opportunity for a huge show of support for our sports.

Just heard the outcome - planning permission refused, well done all involved. 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

That was indeed a very nice piece of news on the local radio this morning. A few years ago Bev and I decided we'd like to start going to Brandon for the occasional Stock Car meet or Speedway race, and it was sadly within weeks of that that we heard it was to be closed for the foreseeable future. Let's hope that this decision by RBC is the first step to a rebuilding of the stadium.

From the Campaign Group… MEMBERS of Rugby Council’s planning committee have unanimously voted to REFUSE the application submitted by developers to replace the iconic Brandon Stadium with a housing estate. Despite a recommendation for approval from the planning officer, committee members carefully assessed the evidence during Wednesday’s meeting, and then threw out the Brandon Estates scheme. The prime reason for refusal was the failure of the plan to comply with Section 99c of National Planning Policy Framework, and the associated local guidelines, in that the ancillary 3G football pitch which was proposed in no way compensated for the loss of the world-famous motorsports venue. This was a point repeatedly made by the Save Coventry Speedway & Stox Campaign Group ever since the developers switched their focus away from a failed attempt to prove that the venue as a motorsports stadium was unviable and that it had no ongoing need, having closed it themselves at the end of the 2016 season and allowed it to fall into a state of disrepair. Following the initial presentation from the planning officer, confirming the recommendation to approve, committee members heard statements from Dave Carter on behalf of the Campaign Group (objecting), Gareth Hooper on behalf of planning agents DPP (in favour), and an impassioned address from Ward Councillor Tony Gillias which drew spontaneous applause from the packed gallery. Committee members were then invited to ask questions and debate the proposals – where it quickly became clear there was no appetite to back the recommendation to approve. A motion to refuse was proposed and seconded, with no hint of any motion to approve, and the vote to overturn the recommendation was carried unanimously. Campaign Group spokesman Jeff Davies said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the verdict of the Planning Committee, and we’re very grateful to the elected councillors of Rugby Borough for making this unanimous decision. “Six years of hard work has come to fruition tonight, and we couldn’t be more pleased. “We can only take each step at a time, and so far the developers have failed to get onto the Local Plan, they’ve failed with their original speculative application, and they’ve now failed with a second speculative application, this time at Committee. “Whatever comes next, we will fight that too, and if it’s an appeal on behalf of the developers we will fight it with the same enthusiasm and vigour as we’ve done with this one. “In the light of this decision, though, we would urge the current owners to come forward and do the right thing, and talk to Warren Hunter about selling the stadium to him, for the sports to be able to come back to Brandon. “We want to see the stadium reinstated to its former glory. We have always argued that a sports pitch in no way compensates for the loss of the motorsports stadium, and we’re very grateful too for the support of Sport England, who also reiterated that point recently.” The next key date is November 14, which is when the stadium owners are due to stand trial in a case brought about by Rugby Borough Council for their alleged failure to comply with a Community Protection Notice. The Campaign Group would like to send a massive thanks to everyone who turned out at the Town Hall and showed their support such an appropriate and positive way – including Bees legend Chris Harris and F1 stock car drivers Nigel and Jake Harrhy, as well as BBC Midlands Today and BBC CWR for their excellent coverage throughout the day.

Great news, MR, it just shows what can be done if you stand up to these developers.

Indeed it is, but it's not the end of the game, by a long chalk. There will be appeals, it will go on and on.

Good!

NOTICE OF MOTION

Council meeting - Fast forward it to approx 2hrs 28

Wow, that Tony Gillias can spin a yarn, can't he! Starting to sound promising, though, so let's hope that common sense prevails and we can soon go back to Brandon to watch what's it's actually famous for.

It was also good to hear the support from Councillor Gillias's fellow councillors, particularly the one who professed not to be a fan of either Speedway or Stock Car racing. They were concerned about protecting the future of the community sporting facility at Brandon but also the wider implications of protecting community sporting facilities at the other stadium in Rugby which is the home of the local football team.

Hi all, Birmingham speed-way is reportedly under threat in similar fashion. The fact remains that any venue, must be earning at least the equivalent of the land/property resale value for it not to be at risk.