Planet Swans ArchivesI met today with Berwyn Price, co-ordinator of the White Rock project and Polly Adams from the PR section of the council to put forward the questions and also to discuss the stadium in general to get an overview of what was happening.
Berwyn Price is open about where they stand in the project at the moment and answered all the questions that I took with me. Some of the questions that came in off the web site will come down to the clubs decision (i.e. where home fans site in the stadium etc) but the questions that are relevant to the council were answered.
Here are the questions and answers that were put – at the bottom of the page I have added some more information that was shared.
When will the plans for the new stadium be published? Are there any at the moment for general viewing?
The White Rock development has always been advertised as being in two phases. The first phase is the one that is underway and involves the laying of foundations etc. Once that phase has been completed then we will know what budget remains to actually build the stadium and its facilities. Until that stage we do not want to release plans in case they need to be changed. It is anticipated that these will be available at Easter at the latest.
How far are the stands from the pitch?
There will be a 4m grass area from the touchlines to the perimeter edge and 11m from the goal lines to the perimeter edge. The reason for more behind the goals is that this will need to be used for the deal ball area for rugby.
WE have seen an artist’s drawing that the front of the stadium is red and white with a dragon on the front. Surely the colours of the stadium should reflect the colours of the clubs that are going to play there?
The stadium is not just about sport but also for community events and other functions which will hopefully be housed in the main West Stand.
At which end of the stadium will away fans be housed on football matchdays?
North Stand. This is a requirement of the police to ensure that away fans have the easiest access to the motorway.
Are there plans to include a supporter’s bar in the stadium?
Items like these will be under discussion once the initial phase is completed. If the budget allows then we would like to see this bar incorporated within the stadium facilities. We will know the answer to this when the final plans for the inside of the stadium is published.
There was talk of a web cam being installed at the stadium site – is this true?
We did look at this possibility but it proved to be too expensive. In reality as well in the end the web cam would show very little. We are looking to set up a web site where we will keep you updated with pictures from the stadium site – a copy of these will be made available via JackArmy.net as well.
Homes in Landore have been given leaflets to keep them informed of the development. Could these also be given out at the Vetch?
No reason why not. We shall see if we can let the club have a copy for possible inclusion in the match day programme. They are produced quarterly and we can also look to include on the web site
Is the stadium going to be bowl shaped or four separate stands?
Bowl shaped. There will be four tunnels in each corner to allow for wind to get in to keep the pitch in the best condition possible. Not dis-similar to those at Reading’s Madjeski Stadium (see below – bottom left hand corner)
Picture taken from ukfootballstadiums.co.uk
Are there plans to create a White Rock web site?
Yes there are and this should be up and running soon. (We also have the section on JackArmy.net devoted to White Rock Stadium – see link in the left hand menu)
What are the car parking facilities to be like at the stadium? Will season ticket holders get priority on these?
There will be a separate car park to the retail development on the west bank of the site. It will not house 20,000 cars but there will be parking facilities available for fans on matchdays. The decision on season ticket holders will be down to the respective clubs.
What is the actual completion date for the new stadium?
The stadium will be open in time for the 2005/6 season. The actual completion for the building work is February next year and then we have a few months to ‘furnish’ the stadium (tables etc)
Can observation holes be cut in the site hoardings so that people can see how it is progressing?
We will have photos on the web site which will provide this. There will be road safety issues to allow this to happen and again, like with the web cam, once the stadium takes shape you will not be able to see much
Will there be a large stain glass window of the badge looking out of the stadium?
Again, this stadium is not just for the football club. We have to remember that it is a shared facility with the rugby clubs.
Are there plans to include a train station at White Rock for fans travelling in from outside the city and West Wales?
We have looked at this but the cost was too high. There are plans to provide transport from High Street station to the stadium.
Will the pitch be maintained by people employed by the council or the clubs? Will it stand up to 60+ games per season.
The pitch will stand up to that level of games and this has been taken into consideration in the planning. As for the contractors. The three parties involved (Swansea City, Swansea Council and Swansea/Ospreys) will form a management company with representatives from each party. This company will be the one that arranges for the maintenance of the pitch.
Are there plans to incorporate a museum and shops (separate for football and rugby?) into the stadium?
Again, this is part of the planning process. Shops are part of the design – museums and such are dependent on the cost of the first phase of the development. That will dictate our budget for the second phase.
How will the council cope with increased levels of traffic?
A traffic impact assessment has been carried out for the stadium and the simple answer is it will get busier but the road network will cope with it.
Are there plans after completion of the stadium and retail park to give the general Hafod area a facelift if it is to be one of the focal points of the city?
There is an ongoing development within the area.
Will there be a bus service from the city centre and other outskirts.
Yes
Has any sponsor shown an interest so far to have the stadium named after them?
This has not yet been marketed.
Are there plans to set up a communication line between the council and the fans regards the stadium. Is the fans input welcomed into the discussions?
In short, yes. This is one of the reasons you are here today. We are happy to answer any questions that the fans have providing they are channelled through one area. (see end of article for details)
How many dressing rooms will there be at the stadium?
Two – Home and Away. Both football and rugby clubs are happy with this decision.
Will there be undersoil heating?
No/ Having said that there will be under pitch drainage and capacity for hot air to dry the pitch and a cover on top. Swansea tends to be wetter than cold so we are ready to dry it out after rain!
What are the provisions for the disabled?
This is under control. I am off to London today to meet with the National Association of Disabled Football Supporters to ensure that the stadium will cater for this group of supporters the way that they believe it should.
Is there a big screen?
Not at present within the plans
Are there any plans for a “Name A Brick” type scenario where fans can purchase a brick and have their name engraved on it as a permanent feature of the stadium?
You can check this one out in more detail. Sunderland tried this at the Stadium of Light and the scheme actually ran at a loss. We have considered it but if the project loses money then it is not really a feasible option.
Will there be space available to expand the stadium in the future?
There will be space to do so but at a substantial cost.
Will visiting supporters have a separate car park?
Yes
Will the council be franchising out the catering or will the clubs?
Again, that is the responsibility of the management company. Basically this company will run the stadium six days a week and make joint decisions. The seventh day the stadium will be the responsibility of either the football or the rugby club.
Safe standing seems to be the way in many modern stadiums in Europe. Has this been considered and if so was it approved or rejected?
Yes it was considered. We were aware that fans were keen on this. However the Football League Licensing Authority rejected the idea as new stadiums in this country need to be all seater.
When is the steel due to be delivered to the site?
Monday
If the stadium hosts a concert then will the profits be ploughed back into the stadium or other areas of the city.
Again, the money will go back to the management company. The first priority with any money coming in will be to maintain the new stadium to a high standard. It is not being built to let it slowly deteriorate. We want a stadium that the city can be proud of for years to come. Once the stadium is maintained then any profits from the company can be divided amongst the three interested parties.
As for pop concerts I don’t know how many we will see. Bear in mind that for 9 months of the year the pitch will be required to be kept in top condition for sport. In the close season we will need to prepare it for the new season so in reality we only have a 3/4 week window in June when this sort of event can be staged.
What will the colours of the seats be?
We have six standard colours to choose from. Blue is unlikely – remember we are a labour controlled council! Again, we will sit down and choose these colours with the consultation of the clubs. Black and White may be obvious but they are also the more difficult ones to maintain. But no decision has been taken on these as yet.
Will either club get priority over fixtures?
Yes, the football club. This is a football league requirement for shared stadia. Once the football fixtures have been advised then the rugby club will need to work round that for their dates.
JackArmy.net adds – In total I spent around an hour in the council offices talking to both Berwyn and Polly. They were forthcoming with their answers and although they may not be what everyone wants to hear they were the answers that were given.
The two phases that are being referred to are, in simple terms, the underground work and the overground work. They have been unable to budget for the underground work as to carry out the estimates would have involved doing some things twice so they have continued on that. Once they have a costing for this (soon) then they will be able to determine the facilities within the stadium and publish the plans as such. They are not prepared to do so before this stage in case they have to change from what they have at the moment. I did not see the current plans although Berwyn did share some of the things with me – I did say I would not re produce them on the web site.
The stadium is on course to open in time for the season after next and the reality is it should be ready for usage around June 2005. This will also allow for any unforseen delays but also ensure that the stadium will open on time. The clubs will move their offices to the stadium prior to the ground opening for business as such and certainly the football club has its plans in place for this.
The council were more than happy to share information with readers of the Swans web site and Polly has agreed to send some of the photos that they publish for reproduction on JackArmy.net and also to keep me informed of press releases and the like when they happen.
We also discussed the way that the meeting had run with questions being sent in via me through e-mail and I am pleased to say that we agreed that this should continue. Therefore fans are continually advised to send in any questions that they may have and I will forward them to Polly who will get them answered. As time goes by we will be building, both on here and the council’s site, a comprehensive set of FAQ regards White Rock Stadium.
I’d like to publicly thank both Berwyn Price and Polly Adams for their time spent in the meeting today and for opening the door for readers of the site to push their questions via the council.
I would suspect that the answers provided by the council will generate some discussion over the next few days on the message board so get talking!
