Proposed Ground Developments at Hove
Feb 25, 2019 22:36:05 GMT
Wicked Cricket, flashblade, and 2 more like this
Post by coolbox on Feb 25, 2019 22:36:05 GMT
I attended the community engagement at Hove today which was presented by SCCC and the potential developer, Roffey Homes. This is the developer's initial opportunity to engage with stakeholders and the community and hopefully gather support for their plans. It's the start of a fairly lengthy process which SCCC and the developer hope will lead to planning permission being granted in late 2019 or early 2020.
I was fortunate enough to engage in a lengthy discussion with a very pleasant member of the development team, Chris. He immediately impressed me by saying that Roffey Homes are the company who built the really nice flats right opposite the Spen Cama pavillion. It was also encouraging to learn that the proposed developer and their team are local.
The potential development is a joint venture with SCCC putting up the land, but I was assured by the Club, no money. The developer would put up the cash and do the work and the proceeds would be evenly split with SCCC's share funding the remainder of the spectating area development. This was the Club's understanding as portrayed to me.
THE PLAN
Knock down the pub and the groundsman's house. Replace the pub with a commercial unit, restaurant and bar at ground floor level with 40 flats above to a similar height to Ashdown. This would provide the capital for further development of the spectator area. It would also provide an income stream. There would be a 100 vehicle car park under the flats and the groundsman's house would be replaced with a new vehicular entrance to the ground.
The current approach and driveway would become an open space with the SCCC entrance being pushed further back, creating a far more modern and inviting proposition than the current car meets pedestrian environment.
Once the potential capital has been made from the flats, the following ground enhancements would follow over several years:
The SW Stand facilities would be improved and part of this stand would become a corporate venue. I did stress that this was unlikely to work for T20, but was assured that the aim was to attract out of season business.
The existing (relatively new) boundary rooms or Cow Corner as it now is, would give way to a new stand, but still retain a hospitality element.
New permanent stands would be built either side of the sightscreen at the Cromwell Road end.
There would be several general enhancements to the overall facilities mainly at that North end of the ground.
Capacity would increase from 6000 to 6800.
IMPRESSION
I was very impressed by the plans. I do wonder why some of the more recent improvements are already being replaced before the Club has even worked out the reason why one accounts for depreciation on those same assets. I also picked up a feeling that the developer's provision for affordable housing may fall well short of the 40% currently expected by B&HCC, but I suspect the enhanced recreational and meeting / function facilities could go some way to mitigating this.
As a life member whose son also watches cricket at Hove, I've been left feeling very positive!
