Disabled Parking

Rizzo

Unfortunately, there was one thing yesterday that left a sour taste in spite of events on the pitch. Arriving at the ground with my disabled friend we find that the club has sold the land in Lansdowne Mews, where disabled parking for the East Stand is, and there are hastily made cardboard signs saying "Private Property - Parking £20". There was no announcement, and in fact my friend says the Chairman of the Disabled Supporters Association had been talking to the club all week about other matters without ever being told of this news. Pretty disgraceful and probably means that my friend won't be able to come next year.

Airman Brown

The land was sold some time ago, by Bob Whitehand. Unfortunately, nobody told the club management, so we continued to use it for disabled parking. When we found out - in the last month - we tried to arrange for it to continue to be used for the last two games of the season. The owner changed his mind this week, but the first we knew about the £20 parking there was at midday on Saturday. We're well aware that we have a disabled parking issue to resolve and will be working on it over the summer, but you shouldn't blame the current board or management for selling the land (a very stupid thing to have done from the club's perspective). The fact nobody told the head of operations or the ticket office when it was sold speaks volumes.

Incidentally, I talk to CADSA reps regularly about ticketing and travel and I'm not aware of any discussions this week. However, we didn't know what the situation would be on Saturday, so we couldn't have discussed it. There is other disabled parking on club land at the Bartram Gate and this remains in use.

Rizzo

Thanks for clearing that up Airman. Good to know that it wasn't the current management's fault and I just hope that other arrangements can be made as my friend is wheelchair-bound so getting around the Valley is difficult enough without having to travel miles from a parking space outside the ground.

falconwood_1

Saw that driving down the hill and thought it was a gag.....

It probably doesn't but does selling this land have any issues regarding future stadium expansion?

Airman Brown

It's buggered it.

Curb_It

Jesus. Well done Bob.

SoundAsa£

Did anyone actually park there and pay the £20.00.....if so to whom were you asked to pay and finaly, do we know who the new owners are?

Rizzo

There were a couple of cars there but they may have already been there from during the week.

Addickted

Can't the area behind the turnstiles at the Bartram Gate be used for disabled parking?

Pretty sure you could get a dozen cars in there at least.

Addickted

It's buggered it.

How so?

Surely the 2nd tier on the East Stand can still be applied for and carried out without any ill effects from this 'ransom strip'?

The South development cannot be effected in the slightest by it?

Airman Brown

There is a proposal in to Greenwich Council for 2 Lansdowne Mews, formerly owned by the club, for the erection of a 3 storey building to provide 17 residential flats (9 x 1-bed, 7 x 2-bed, 1 x 3-bed) and 4 semi-detached town houses (4 x 3-bed) with associated landscaping and car parking. This is in the public domain - you can verify it through Greenwich Council's online planning service, where there is a shed-load of information. This land was a key element of the east stand development, permission for which has lapsed. To be clear, this situation is not down to the current owners of the club.

Plans shown here

smiffyboy

When I was leaving after the game on Saturday there was a supporter arguing with another fella about the parking with his wallet opened offering some money but I don't think he had enough

tangoflash

Only guessing but I'd say that the problem with the land being used for flats is, putting another tier on the east would block out the natural daylight, meaning planning permission would be denied.
Surely if there really is "secret money" behind the scenes, It would be in their interest to purchase this land back off the new owners. As long as it would be for more than they would make on the building of the flats, then I'd be surprised if they didn't sell.

Can imagine it now, Residents of the flats moaning about the noise/congestion of thousands of "hooligans" every fortnight. Never understand the mentality of people who buy close to a stadium and then do nothing but moan about it....................

mistrollingin

Did Whitehand used to be a director at Charlton?

Covered End

Did Whitehand used to be a director at Charlton?

Yes.

Curb_It

Only guessing but I'd say that the problem with the land being used for flats is, putting another tier on the east would block out the natural daylight, meaning planning permission would be denied.
Surely if there really is "secret money" behind the scenes, It would be in their interest to purchase this land back off the new owners. As long as it would be for more than they would make on the building of the flats, then I'd be surprised if they didn't sell.

Can imagine it now, Residents of the flats moaning about the noise/congestion of thousands of "hooligans" every fortnight. Never understand the mentality of people who buy close to a stadium and then do nothing but moan about it....................

When i bought my flat and the older couple next door mentioned the nuisance of the ground I said that it didn't bother as I went to games. She told me I was part of the problem..

Henry Irving

Only guessing but I'd say that the problem with the land being used for flats is, putting another tier on the east would block out the natural daylight, meaning planning permission would be denied.
Surely if there really is "secret money" behind the scenes, It would be in their interest to purchase this land back off the new owners. As long as it would be for more than they would make on the building of the flats, then I'd be surprised if they didn't sell.

Can imagine it now, Residents of the flats moaning about the noise/congestion of thousands of "hooligans" every fortnight. Never understand the mentality of people who buy close to a stadium and then do nothing but moan about it....................

Might also be that they could block planning permission being renewed/granted.

They could also be access issues in that you need to stick the cranes etc somewhere when you are building the East Upper.

Chirpy Red

Only guessing but I'd say that the problem with the land being used for flats is, putting another tier on the east would block out the natural daylight, meaning planning permission would be denied.
Surely if there really is "secret money" behind the scenes, It would be in their interest to purchase this land back off the new owners. As long as it would be for more than they would make on the building of the flats, then I'd be surprised if they didn't sell.

Can imagine it now, Residents of the flats moaning about the noise/congestion of thousands of "hooligans" every fortnight. Never understand the mentality of people who buy close to a stadium and then do nothing but moan about it....................

When i bought my flat and the older couple next door mentioned the nuisance of the ground I said that it didn't bother as I went to games. She told me I was part of the problem..

Hardly the first time you'd heard such accusations Curb_it..........? ;-)

ShootersHillGuru

Seems that the stadium expansion being "buggered" is a massive blow isn't it ? Perhaps the peninsula stadium rumour of several months ago has more legs in it than I originally thought. A 27 k stadium would not be sustainable going forward for a club with any very serious premier league ambitions ?

ShootersHillGuru

Be interesting to see if the buggered stadium plan sneaks under the CL radar because it's hidden in a disabled parking thread.

Henry Irving

Be interesting to see if the buggered stadium plan sneaks under the CL radar because it's hidden in a disabled parking thread.

I did wonder when that conspiracy theory would come up.

Doesn't mean it's not true though. "Have to move as can't expand the Valley"


: - )

or should the be

; - (

Jodaius

Seems that the stadium expansion being "buggered" is a massive blow isn't it ? Perhaps the peninsula stadium rumour of several months ago has more legs in it than I originally thought. A 27 k stadium would not be sustainable going forward for a club with any very serious premier league ambitions ?

Exactly what I was thinking, although other 'established' PL clubs manage with smaller (think Wigan, Fulham).

I'm slightly confused as to how this has come about. If the land formerly belonged to the club, could it really have been sold by one director acting alone? Who else was aware? What happened to the money? Although I suspect if it was sold without planning permission it probably wasn't worth anything near what it would be now. I guess there are a whole host of questions we will never know the answer to.

Curb_It

Shall make a new thread.

DRF

Is this a good time to remind everyone of those rumours about us moving to the O2 area....

MuttleyCAFC

But we can still put another tier on the South Stand- Right?

Covered End

Did Whitehand used to be a director at Charlton?

Yes.

Seems that the stadium expansion being "buggered" is a massive blow isn't it ? Perhaps the peninsula stadium rumour of several months ago has more legs in it than I originally thought. A 27 k stadium would not be sustainable going forward for a club with any very serious premier league ambitions ?

Exactly what I was thinking, although other 'established' PL clubs manage with smaller (think Wigan, Fulham).

I'm slightly confused as to how this has come about. If the land formerly belonged to the club, could it really have been sold by one director acting alone? Who else was aware? What happened to the money? Although I suspect if it was sold without planning permission it probably wasn't worth anything near what it would be now. I guess there are a whole host of questions we will never know the answer to.

I'll ask Richard Murray on the 16th May at Bromley Addicks.