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Stow_judge
30 Oct 12 19:12
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Date Joined: 10 Mar 01
| Topic/replies: 10,953 | Blogger: Stow_judge's blog
5:40pm Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News By Joe Curtis


Walthamstow Stadium
WALTHAMSTOW Stadium will be demolished and turned into a housing estate.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson approved housing developer London & Quadrant's (L&Q) plans to build a 294-home development on the site in Chingford Road, Walthamstow, this afternoon (October 30).

He said: "I share the sadness of many about the demise of dog racing from this historic corner of London.

"However, I believe this proposal will provide a major boost for Walthamstow, creating new jobs and new homes, many of which will be affordable and attract desperately needed new investment into the area.


"Whilst no viable plan has been put forward to bring racing back I am pleased the new development will preserve many of the historic elements of the stadium including a sprint circuit along the route of the old track. In addition a huge £2 million contribution to the surrounding community has been secured from the developer which will deliver vastly improved local sports and leisure facilities for generations of east Londoners to enjoy."

More to follow.

http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/10....ans/?ref=twtrec
Pause Switch to Standard View WALTHAMSTOW Stadium will be demolished
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Report patrick starr October 30, 2012 6:15 PM GMT
Cry
Report Stow_judge October 30, 2012 6:16 PM GMT
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/10015998.Boris_Johnson_approves_Waltha...
Report Jack Bauer '24' October 30, 2012 6:22 PM GMT
There's a report on BBC London news in 10 minutes.
Report Czechbet October 30, 2012 6:23 PM GMT
well done Boris Sad
Report bbc2 October 30, 2012 6:24 PM GMT
thats that then
Report gwladys street October 30, 2012 6:29 PM GMT
Cry sad day, I was a stow regular in the late 90's. Sad
Report SlippyBlue October 30, 2012 6:37 PM GMT
The story is on BBC news shortly Cry
Report SlippyBlue October 30, 2012 6:39 PM GMT
I can rememeber queuing to get in from 6.00 pm. It's all very sad and the chances of me ever owning a greyhound again with this news are pretty much zero.
Report Catford Toteboard October 30, 2012 7:20 PM GMT
Sad dayCry
But well done to all those who campaigned to keep it open.
Wimbledon next.
Report larrence October 30, 2012 7:30 PM GMT
The good old days of the stow, very very sad indeed. Sad
Fair play to all who tried to save it.
Report the.mad.dog.man October 30, 2012 7:40 PM GMT
r.i.p greyhound racing
Report casemoney October 30, 2012 8:03 PM GMT
Was never going to be any other outcome just biding their time till it suited them ..

Still the new inhabitants will no doubt add to the diversity
of the area ...
Report woodmanchester October 30, 2012 8:56 PM GMT
Well tried campaigners but fighting a losing battle against the inevitable. Not a good sign for the sport Sad
Report SlippyBlue October 30, 2012 8:57 PM GMT
Wimbledon next indeed, imagine saying in 1980 that by the end of 2013 there would be not a single greyhound stadium in London. You'd be put in a straight jacket and thrown in a padded cell.
Report wondersobright October 30, 2012 9:10 PM GMT
horrible **** of a man, really hope the worst happens to him and pray to god he is never let loose on this country
Report Addy_D October 30, 2012 9:13 PM GMT
yep. a traditional UK leisure activity with decades of history enjoyed by most people in the UK at some point or another being flushed out to provide social housing where the majority of people will have a non Uk heritage.

Welcome to the UK, and in particular, England.
Report wondersobright October 30, 2012 9:20 PM GMT
housing usually wins hands down Sad

glad I am well away from it all addy Laugh
Report eyeball October 30, 2012 9:54 PM GMT
It's all about money and all politicians are the same . Will be a khazi within two years....
Report Stow_judge October 30, 2012 9:54 PM GMT
Iain Duncan Smith MP and Stella Creasy MP said in a joint statement:

"We are deeply disappointed in the Mayor of London as we understood him to be in support of the dog track and our constituents voted for him partly on this basis. This isn't over yet - we are taking the matter to Eric Pickles now."

Eric Pickles is the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
Report Stow_judge October 30, 2012 10:00 PM GMT
Ms Creasy, speaking in parliament last Thursday, said: ‘Will he [Mr Pickles] meet me to discuss what more can be done when the settled will of local people is so clearly in favour of an alternative solution, to help them to make sure that developers are not the roadblock to reform?’

Mr Pickles said: ‘Of course I will meet her again, and it would be good if we could work towards a solution, because she has a very strong interest — I do not mean financially — in getting it right. As someone who spent an ovening there when it was a dog track, I recognise how important it is to the local community.’
Report the.mad.dog.man October 30, 2012 10:01 PM GMT
greyhound racing still got crayford kingsley peterborough and sunderland last man out please close the door Laugh
Report seanjames October 30, 2012 11:52 PM GMT
duncan smith is the worst kind of douchebag
Report seanjames October 31, 2012 12:00 AM GMT
running track along the old stadium = muggers paradise
Report seanjames October 31, 2012 12:04 AM GMT
dont bet with vic
Report woodmanchester October 31, 2012 5:38 AM GMT
Think there are still about 29 greyhound tracks currently left in England. Numbers have dwindled but it could be a case of the strongest surviving, as with Premier League football. True, the loss of Sky greyhound coverage would be a bitter blow to the sport but these high-powered executives sitting in offices, contemplating their navel, should establsh a think-tank to promote the sport and safeguard their investment, rather than sell out to make an easy quick buck
Report irishone October 31, 2012 9:23 AM GMT
prey enlighten us woody .... which are the strongest tracks ?  Wimbledon ? Laugh
Report woodmanchester October 31, 2012 10:04 AM GMT
Just my opinion but i'm still a believer greyhound racing could be very big and lucrative. Many who go racing know nothing about the sport but always say they enjoyed it. If they could be tempted to attend a bit more often, there would be huge scope to boost coffers. Enter the promotors who sit on their back-side all day, getting paid a fortune to drink coffee. The tracks remaining at the upturn would be the strongest tracks. There are tracks with great potential in the Midlands, North West, Yorkshire and North East etc, all over the country. Just because it looks like Wimbledon are selling out, like all the other London tracks, doesnt mean the sport cant survive elsewhere in the country
Report ososhot October 31, 2012 10:32 AM GMT
Oh well we can now look forward to the construction of a taliban stronghold in place of our english culture - I have never been to a more non sensical planning meeting than that about Walthamstow stadium - it honestly sickens me that the stadium is being taken away, but when it is just being done using public money to provide profit for a private company on the basis of supplying virtually non existant social housing - it's the biggest stitch up I've ever seen. All hapilly signed off by four bent labour councillors and a blonde public schoolboy. Nobet Victors family undoubtedly had their finest hour in this entire sorry mess - like rats on a ship to Gibraltar the main man couldn't even be trusted with his nephews wife. Sums it all up really - let's just hope to god we keep the sky coverage and get some good news at Wimbledon.
Report ebulGery October 31, 2012 1:31 PM GMT
very sorry to hearSad
Report seanjames October 31, 2012 5:40 PM GMT
im wrong about smith johnson will do just about anything to be pm
Report Kwame October 31, 2012 8:09 PM GMT
WILL YOU PLEASE STOP TALKING IN THE PAST TENSE.

This is not over: two more rounds to go yet.
Report tonkability October 31, 2012 8:09 PM GMT
Anybody who thought a Tory  would do the right thing was sadly deluding themselves .  Scum the lot of them Tories behind the closure of Stocton races and Cleveland. Park greyhound  track in the  North east .
Report Kwame October 31, 2012 8:45 PM GMT
Big developments tonight.

Check these out, and listen to the very foolish comment that Boris makes.

http://greyhoundscene.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=48363&page=1


http://www.itv.com/news/london/story/2012-10-31/walthamstow-dog-track-to-go/
Report irishone October 31, 2012 8:48 PM GMT
tonkability • October 31, 2012 8:09 PM GMT
Anybody who thought a Tory  would do the right thing was sadly deluding themselves

Anybody who thought a POLITICIAN would do the right thing was sadly deluding themselves.... Laugh
Report treetop October 31, 2012 10:46 PM GMT
Inevitable, how many tracks have been saved over the last 40 years ? It was closed as soon as the Chandlers sold out in 2007 when a Labour government was in power tonks BTW. Nowt to do with politics, all to do with greed by the sellers and developers.
Report Catford Toteboard October 31, 2012 11:10 PM GMT
IDS seething! Puts boot into Boris, and disses his leadership aspirations.
Pickles now in a pickle as the question for him is whose side is he on?
My guess is he will side with fellow cabinet minister IDS as to side with Boris will be seen as supporting him in opposition to Cameron.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/going-to-the-dogs-duncan-smith-blasts-johnson-over-walthamstow-track-decision-8269572.html

Politicians sometimes do the right thing by accident, while pursuing their own naked personal ambitions.
Report Stow_judge November 1, 2012 12:39 PM GMT
Send your email to eric.pickles@communities.gsi.gov.uk and please include your name and address in all your correspondence with the Secretary of State.

“Dear Mr Pickles,

I’m writing to you as a concerned taxpayer to ask you to exercise your power as Secretary of Stateor Communities and Local Government to call in the decision by Waltham Forest Council and the Mayor of London to approve planning for the Walthamstow Dogtrack to be turned into a housing estate. This is because I believe this development raises serious questions of national importance about value for money to the taxpayer.

In particular, I’m deeply troubled by the evidence that this development will lose money for L&Q – who receive public subsidy as a registered social landlord- given their own viability assessment which they sought to keep out of the public domain shows a loss of £14m. Furthermore, the nature of the section 106 agreement for this proposal is also unclear and there is a lack of any social housing in this development, despite being in an area with a need for such properties. Therefore,without scrutiny I am concerned that if this development goes ahead it may set a new and troubling
precedent on questions of value for money for housing, not just in Walthamstow but across the country. The existence of a viable alternative that is in keeping with the heritage of this site and would provide not only leisure facilities but also housing and living wage jobs further compounds the concerns many have about the decision to approve L&Q’s plans. As someone who has previously shown a strong interest in this development, please urgently exercise your power as Secretary of
State to call in this decision to ensure the public purse is not at risk from this proposal.

I look forward to a positive response and thank you for help in investigating this matter.

Yours Sincerely,”
Report Stow_judge November 1, 2012 2:35 PM GMT
Mayor Boris damaged over massive mistakes

"The Mayor of London is now in a damage limitation exercise. He's 'Blustering Boris', detail is not his strong point is it? He can't lead...but he is easily led!
Despite promising campaigners and voters that he would protect the leisure offer at Walthamstow Stadium AND despite being alerted to significant planning issues by a Cabinet minister and the local Labour MP he failed to query the flawed information set before him.
Boris signed a 'Yes Minister' letter of comical inaccuracy! It has damaged him and this can only get worse. What can he do except try and defend his stupid decision? A strong mayor would oust the inept advisors that put him in this embarrassing position. There again a strong Mayor would have overturned the contrived decision of Waltham Forest in the first place.
He knows there is a viable use for this site. There are two offers on the table.. and he has been fully briefed on both. He met the business men who want to invest real money into the borough on numerous occasions. What happened, did he forget?
He thinks the L&Q scheme 'breaks-even'...his own words. The truth is that in the summer of 2011 L&Q's own report showed a £14.5m loss...has the economy recovered so well in 12 months that they've miraculously turned this around? Did Boris forget this too
L&Q paid £18m for this site (their own information)...but the basis of the calculation on which Boris is telling London that the scheme 'breaks even' shows a site value of £7m. Did Boris not understand this?
Boris said he was concerned about consultation. 100's of documents, on which the approval was based, were put before the planning committee just hours before they sat in judgement. The public never saw these. Is Boris happy with that sort of consultation for his people?
Boris 'applauds' £2m towards local leisure. Does he not think the £12m needed to replace the viable leisure facility should have been secured for the people of Waltham Forest?
Eric Pickles overturned an government inspector's appeal approval on a scheme in Billet Road, Waltham Forest, only half a mile from this site, just over a year ago, because it exceeded density limits. The L&Q scheme significantly exceeds these limits. Presumably Eric will be consistent in his application of this parameter when he calls this in. Did Boris check this with him? We told him to!
Is Boris happy that the flood risk issues raised by the Environment Agency have been given the OK by the Local Authority even though they have no in-house professional expertise in this area at all?
Does Boris realise that the 250 jobs that L&Q keep telling him about are only during the construction phase? L&Q barely provide 20 permanent jobs. The existing leisure facility provided over 500
Does Boris know that his own, recently revised, London plan seeks to protect Heritage Assets, Employment and Leisure sites?
Does Boris know that the L&Q scheme only provided 24 'Affordable rent' units...which when set at 80% of market rent are not affordable to the local people in need?
Does Boris know what he's doing? Eric Pickles, up to you now!"

SOS
Report Czechbet November 1, 2012 2:44 PM GMT
awesome, come on Mr Pickles
Report tonkability November 1, 2012 4:28 PM GMT
Pickles lol ffsk
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