The Stadium Expansion

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

I know we should be concentrating on putting in our first good performance of the season this Saturday, but I was wondering what is happening with the stadium expansion. Is it starting this summer, throughout the season? Or the one afterwards? This is crucial in growth of Fulham FC, so fingers crossed we can get this started and completed as soon as possible. Hopefully Dimi's got some contacts in the building sector, him or Zverotic.

[Fulham76]

I know we should be concentrating on putting in our first good performance of the season this Saturday, but I was wondering what is happening with the stadium expansion. Is it starting this summer, throughout the season? Or the one afterwards? This is crucial in growth of Fulham FC, so fingers crossed we can get this started and completed as soon as possible. Hopefully Dimi's got some contacts in the building sector, him or Zverotic.

I'm not sure Al Fayed really intended to develop the ground. Planning approval was probably more of an added extra to help with the sale of the club.

[Berserker]

That's what i thought at the time

[..Kya.ffc..]

Well, from what I've read of ffp rules we need to increase our capasity if we are to have a future in pl. either by - yes I am going to say it, move ground - god forbid or by expanding the cottage.

The following link was posted on here earlier this month and if you have not read it, then I will recommend spending a few minutes on it:
http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2013/9/3/4690520/how-might-financial-fair-play-have-affected-fulhams-transfer-window

[ScalleysDad]

To commit or not commit to expansion will be another headache for Shah and the Board. A couple of seasons ago we were the nations favourite second team and even before that I could easily drag people up if I had a spare ticket or there were offers on. Post Europa and under Hughes I could still influence people a day out at The Cottage was a worthy trip. Now I can't shift my inadvertently spare WBA tickets, nobody wants to come to the Cardiff game and the midweek Spurs game, under lights at the Cottage, is a non starter because of general apathy or getting back late, about 3am on a good run. That used to be the last excuse. We are just not 'the package' we used to be and that starts with the buzz about the place which seems to have disappeared.

[Holders]

Well, from what I've read of ffp rules we need to increase our capasity if we are to have a future in pl. either by - yes I am going to say it, move ground - god forbid or by expanding the cottage.

The following link was posted on here earlier this month and if you have not read it, then I will recommend spending a few minutes on it:
http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2013/9/3/4690520/how-might-financial-fair-play-have-affected-fulhams-transfer-window

Spot on. Revenue expansion, through increased capacity or premium-priced seats, is essential under those rules - whether by development or the other thing.

[MJG]

I'm sure it will all start in the spring of next year and be finished for the start of 2015/16 season. I would have preferred it this year, but its now clear that just as you would not spend money on an extension and then sell your house before it was finished, we did nothing because of the sale of the club.

[MasterHaynes]

I'm sure someone posted  a while back that it would start Feb 2014, something to do with tides and timing the the roof replacement stage with the summer break which will be longer this year because of the world cup.

[Roberty]

As I understood it they still have planning issues to resolve - there were conditions attached to the permission - agreement with the sailing clubs for instance.

These may be out of the way by now but not in time to start in 2013.

[TonyGilroy]

Revenue expansion is crucial and it may well be the American (and Pakistan) connections that prove crucial.

Upping our profile in those two markets is where the real growth is - far more than another 4 or 5 thousand extra match attenders.

Real ground revenue comes from the extras though - the hospitality packages, restaurants and facilities that can be used for functions, conferences etc throughout the year. None of these are seriously possible at Craven Cottage because of size and parking issues.

[Joe McDonald]

As I understood it they still have planning issues to resolve - there were conditions attached to the permission - agreement with the sailing clubs for instance.

These may be out of the way by now but not in time to start in 2013.

please find the complete list of planning conditions that were attached to the planning permission here: http://www.idoxwam1.lbhf.gov.uk/WAM/doc/Planning%20Apps%20%7C%20Decision%20Notice-1084555.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=1084555&location=VOLUME1&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1&appid=1001

As you can see, there are lot of complex issues that the Council has to sign off, following submission of further details by the club/consultants, before work can begin.  A few of these have been cleared already, although the majority are still works in progress.

The issue with the sailing clubs wasn't planning related - we offered them some money, as a form of compensation, they argued and the club withdrew their offer (having been under no legal obligation to make the offer in the first place).

There are issues of ground contamination searches, environmental impact assessments based on waterside flora and fauna, detailed project plans of works to the river bank etc - all of which need specialists consultants and also have to be signed off by other organisations such as the Environment Agency.

I'm liasing with the Council, as the information is available to the public, to ascertain which conditions are outstanding and I'm looking to write an article/feature on it in a fe weeks

[The Equalizer]

As I understood it they still have planning issues to resolve - there were conditions attached to the permission - agreement with the sailing clubs for instance.

These may be out of the way by now but not in time to start in 2013.

please find the complete list of planning conditions that were attached to the planning permission here: http://www.idoxwam1.lbhf.gov.uk/WAM/doc/Planning%20Apps%20%7C%20Decision%20Notice-1084555.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=1084555&location=VOLUME1&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1&appid=1001

As you can see, there are lot of complex issues that the Council has to sign off, following submission of further details by the club/consultants, before work can begin.  A few of these have been cleared already, although the majority are still works in progress.

The issue with the sailing clubs wasn't planning related - we offered them some money, as a form of compensation, they argued and the club withdrew their offer (having been under no legal obligation to make the offer in the first place).

There are issues of ground contamination searches, environmental impact assessments based on waterside flora and fauna, detailed project plans of works to the river bank etc - all of which need specialists consultants and also have to be signed off by other organisations such as the Environment Agency.

I'm liasing with the Council, as the information is available to the public, to ascertain which conditions are outstanding and I'm looking to write an article/feature on it in a fe weeks

Superb work Joe! Thanks for sharing.

Out of interest are the extremely endangered snails, whose natural habitat is located on the riverbank next to Craven Cottage, still being troublesome? Even though they've never been witnessed in their natural environment by anyone, or in fact have had any trace that they exist proven?

[The Doctor]

Many thanks for sharing Joe.  Won't get a chance to read that link until this evening but will definitely have a look.  Do please post your article here when it's ready - will be an interesting read

[SG]

As I understood it they still have planning issues to resolve - there were conditions attached to the permission - agreement with the sailing clubs for instance.

These may be out of the way by now but not in time to start in 2013.

please find the complete list of planning conditions that were attached to the planning permission here: http://www.idoxwam1.lbhf.gov.uk/WAM/doc/Planning%20Apps%20%7C%20Decision%20Notice-1084555.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=1084555&location=VOLUME1&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1&appid=1001

As you can see, there are lot of complex issues that the Council has to sign off, following submission of further details by the club/consultants, before work can begin.  A few of these have been cleared already, although the majority are still works in progress.

The issue with the sailing clubs wasn't planning related - we offered them some money, as a form of compensation, they argued and the club withdrew their offer (having been under no legal obligation to make the offer in the first place).

There are issues of ground contamination searches, environmental impact assessments based on waterside flora and fauna, detailed project plans of works to the river bank etc - all of which need specialists consultants and also have to be signed off by other organisations such as the Environment Agency.

I'm liasing with the Council, as the information is available to the public, to ascertain which conditions are outstanding and I'm looking to write an article/feature on it in a fe weeks

Superb work Joe! Thanks for sharing.

Out of interest are the extremely endangered snails, whose natural habitat is located on the riverbank next to Craven Cottage, still being troublesome? Even though they've never been witnessed in their natural environment by anyone, or in fact have had any trace that they exist proven?

I thought there were slow moving things on the pitch every other week.

[jmh]

As I understood it they still have planning issues to resolve - there were conditions attached to the permission - agreement with the sailing clubs for instance.

These may be out of the way by now but not in time to start in 2013.

please find the complete list of planning conditions that were attached to the planning permission here: http://www.idoxwam1.lbhf.gov.uk/WAM/doc/Planning%20Apps%20%7C%20Decision%20Notice-1084555.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=1084555&location=VOLUME1&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1&appid=1001

As you can see, there are lot of complex issues that the Council has to sign off, following submission of further details by the club/consultants, before work can begin.  A few of these have been cleared already, although the majority are still works in progress.

The issue with the sailing clubs wasn't planning related - we offered them some money, as a form of compensation, they argued and the club withdrew their offer (having been under no legal obligation to make the offer in the first place).

There are issues of ground contamination searches, environmental impact assessments based on waterside flora and fauna, detailed project plans of works to the river bank etc - all of which need specialists consultants and also have to be signed off by other organisations such as the Environment Agency.

I'm liasing with the Council, as the information is available to the public, to ascertain which conditions are outstanding and I'm looking to write an article/feature on it in a fe weeks

That is indeed a long list of conditions (53 of them in total) and well worth a read for the "WHY DON'T THEY JUST START ALREADY" crowd.  I didn't realize that there were residential units planned as part of the development.  Do you have a link with the drawings that are referenced in the permission?

[The Equalizer]

]That is indeed a long list of conditions (53 of them in total) and well worth a read for the "WHY DON'T THEY JUST START ALREADY" crowd.  I didn't realize that there were residential units planned as part of the development.  Do you have a link with the drawings that are referenced in the permission?

The 'why don't they start it already' crowd came into being because it was previously alluded that building work was going to start this past summer.

[Joe McDonald]

]That is indeed a long list of conditions (53 of them in total) and well worth a read for the "WHY DON'T THEY JUST START ALREADY" crowd.  I didn't realize that there were residential units planned as part of the development.  Do you have a link with the drawings that are referenced in the permission?

The 'why don't they start it already' crowd came into being because it was previously alluded that building work was going to start this past summer.

By whom?  It was all rumours, a 'friend of a friend works in the security team' bs

[Joe McDonald]

As I understood it they still have planning issues to resolve - there were conditions attached to the permission - agreement with the sailing clubs for instance.

These may be out of the way by now but not in time to start in 2013.

please find the complete list of planning conditions that were attached to the planning permission here: http://www.idoxwam1.lbhf.gov.uk/WAM/doc/Planning%20Apps%20%7C%20Decision%20Notice-1084555.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=1084555&location=VOLUME1&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1&appid=1001

As you can see, there are lot of complex issues that the Council has to sign off, following submission of further details by the club/consultants, before work can begin.  A few of these have been cleared already, although the majority are still works in progress.

The issue with the sailing clubs wasn't planning related - we offered them some money, as a form of compensation, they argued and the club withdrew their offer (having been under no legal obligation to make the offer in the first place).

There are issues of ground contamination searches, environmental impact assessments based on waterside flora and fauna, detailed project plans of works to the river bank etc - all of which need specialists consultants and also have to be signed off by other organisations such as the Environment Agency.

I'm liasing with the Council, as the information is available to the public, to ascertain which conditions are outstanding and I'm looking to write an article/feature on it in a fe weeks

That is indeed a long list of conditions (53 of them in total) and well worth a read for the "WHY DON'T THEY JUST START ALREADY" crowd.  I didn't realize that there were residential units planned as part of the development.  Do you have a link with the drawings that are referenced in the permission?

Full list of submitted documents: http://www.idoxwam1.lbhf.gov.uk/WAM/showCaseFile.do?action=show&appType=planning&appNumber=2012/00038/FUL