Planet Swans ArchivesSolicitors acting for Swansea Council and stadium builder Miller Developments completed the necessary paperwork on Friday to signal the way ahead at last.
There are still some details to sort out but they are not expected to pose any problems.
The agreement means that both the Swans and Swansea Rugby Club can now look forward to sharing a home there for the 2003/04 season onwards.
It is now up to Miller to confirm the start date for work and the programme from then on to deliver the 20,000 seater stadium and commercial development.
Council cabinet member for development Byron Owen said the agreement was the result of tremendously complex work between the authority and the developer.
“It was not just an ordinary job, ” he said.”There were so many issues to tie up and we are delighted to reach agreement with Miller. This is a key milestone in the negotiations between the parties.” He paid tribute to everyone involved in the project on behalf of the authority, especially head of estates John Devereux and assistant Huw Mowbray.
“Everyone is looking forward to seeing a stadium we can all be proud of and we will be continuing to work flat out to secure this, ” he added.
Swansea Council leader Lawrence Bailey said:
“I’m obviously pleased at the news of this agreement. It represents a very important milestone in this scheme and gives the green light for investment. I don’t think that people have fully appreciated the incredible complexity of this project which involves land deals, financial packages, planning consents and reams of legal papers before a single piece of earth can be dug.” Councillor Bailey also made an impassioned plea for private investors to get on board.
“It is a pity that we do not have the same level of private sector commitment to sport that other UK cities seem to enjoy, ” he said.
The news was welcomed today by Swansea City Football Club. Director David Morgan said: “It is very welcome. It is important not only for the football and rugby clubs, but for the city and the region.
“It will remove the reservations of those who thought it would not come about. We cannot wait to see construction work commence.” He said the club wished to thank Swansea Council. “They supported us and stood by us in our recent troubled past, and now we can look forward to going to the new Morfa Stadium.”
Now then take a look at this posting from jackarmy.net from jakeburns
I asked Lawrence Bailey for a one word answer: Will we be at Morfa in 12 months time? No. Are we 100% definatly going to move to Morfa? Yes. Apparently a lot of work is going on off site.
So it looks to me that the jubilation and the ‘eat humble pie doubting thomas’ attitude of the above article now shows up our glorious council leaders as very wrong. The triumphalism of their quotes is now being dampened pretty quickly.
Somehow, somewhere they have hit a very big snag. Now I am sure we all know that building a new stadium is not an easy task, but it’s the council’s secrecy that irks me. Had Cllr Bailey admitted there were problems or at least outlined the reasons why the plans are being delayed, then I for one would have more respect for him. However in his all too often belittling mode he is trying to pull the wool over our eyes. He whinges about the lack of private investment in Swansea, well why do you think that is Councillor? There has been a lack of private and PUBLIC investment for the last 20 years. If the council is not prepared to invest in our city then why should any businessmen bother?
This latest development I believe leaves us as Swansea City fans and the Swansea citizens no choice but to create political pressure on the decision makers on County Hall. Yes I am calling for a group such as Swansea First to stand up and make the difference. It is all very well tapping out our frustrations online but real action is needed.
I believe the delay of the Morfa development and the lack of investment in local recreational and community facilities are linked. This is not a dig at the Labour Party as such because its very easy to scream and holler when one is in opposition. I believe strongly that Swansea City Supporters should stand in the next local elections.
Mad you might say, Shane is off his rocker again. Yet this idea is not as outlandish as it seems. Its already been done.
‘The ABeeC Campaign, formed and largely funded by BIAS, contested 14 wards across Hounslow Borough in the local elections of May 2002. A campaign generally considered, by friend and foe alike, to be slik, professional and polished, rocked the political establishment with the election of the first ever Councillor representing a Football Supporters group. BIAS Committee member Luke Kirton was elected to represent the home ward of Brentford, all other ABeeC candidates polled creditably and established Brentford fans as a potent political force.’
Thursday’s local authority elections produced a historic result with supporters of Brentford FC seeing the election of one of their A-Bee-C Party candidates.
Luke Kirton, committee member of the Brentford Independent Association of Supporters, and a life-long Brentford resident, was returned in the club’s home ward – registering a major upset in the ward, traditionally a Labour stronghold.
The election of a Bees fan to the local authority follows the recent invitation onto the club’s board of John McGlashan, of supporters’ trust Bees United, and firmly establishes a two-pronged effort towards securing the future of the cash-strapped Bees as a community-owned club, playing in a much needed new multi-purpose stadium.
With a campaign centred around achieving recognition, both for the value of Brentford FC as a local institution, and for the pioneering work of the club’s Football in the Community scheme; and of safeguarding this legacy for local people, the A-Bee-C party stood in 14 of the borough’s 20 wards including two in Chiswick, under the banner of ‘A future for Brentford FC in your Community’.
Frustration amongst fans had grown, as time and again the political establishment within Hounslow had shown itself to view the club’s likely exile or demise as worthy of no more than indifference or resignation. Following the lead of those such as Charlton Athletic’s Valley Party, supporters set out to prove this assumption wrong, and this result will come as a vindication of their efforts.
As A-Bee-C’s elected councillor, Kirton has pledged to combine an insistence on a more enlightened consideration of the club’s place within the borough, with a wider brief to improve Hounslow’s poor leisure and recreation facilities. In doing so he will stress the benefits that sport can bring in terms of health and social inclusion, and the key role the borough’s professional football club can play in this, through an extension of its existing community programme.
Much is made of the rise of voter apathy, and the disenchantment of the young with politics, and given the barrage of spin an elected independent such as Kirton, 31, will surely face from the wounded beast of mainstream politics, few would envy his task. However he is determined that he will serve the interests of his electorate, and hopes to be able to work productively with his fellow councillors for the good of the community.’
Brentford were in a similar situation to us with a similar problem…..a backtracking council. The Bees were told a new ground was going to be developed then, that was shelved and a ground share with Woking was suggested. Thankfully the Brentford lads campaigned against this with a ‘Say No to Woking’ campaign.
Charlton Athletic were in a similar situation in the early 90’s, they used political action to get a return to their home ground Such was the support on the ground they won well over 14,000 votes!
Brentford now have a Stadium Action Group which is hounding everyone that matters from central government to local residents that a new Stadium is needed and explaining to them the benefits this will create.
What I am driving at here is that supporters can put pressure on local government. The trust are unable to do this due to their constitution and standing. However I believe its high time that Swansea City Supporters said enough is enough and got involved with an election campaign against the likes of Bailey, Owen and others who have harped on for years and delivered nothing but setback after setback.
As I read the answers to jakeburns on the board I could not help but remember that line from Macbeth ‘A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
