I'm not keen on the move to Tonbridge, I think you will struggle to get more than 200 fans to games, however I don't see what other alternative there is.

Listening to all the other avenues that have been explored, this seems to be the only viable option.

It's going to be uncomfortable for a few years, but if it means that we get a stadium that will provide the club with enough revenue to sustain it going forward, then it needs to happen, otherwise the football club won't be here.

Not far off that now is it!?

Then again the E&B aint being touched, so I will retract that earlier post.

The original plans I saw showed the Welling side totally rebuilt and I guess the entire place will be off limits with access, utilities, skip lorries etc. Would have been nice to see it rebuilt section by section with use of the ground and bars ongoing but I suppose it has to be 'all in' for the finances.  Tonbridge away for home games doesn't appeal but I guess there's not many other options, although I still think the revenue we'll lose could have gone into a more local club to bring it up to standard.  Is the easy option the only option?

If springett (e&b owner) doesn't sign the deal, then where does that leave us. I've heard from multiple sources including my neighbour who is a former director of e&b that he isn't willing to and without that then nothing at all happens. If he had signed it this would of be sorted ages ago.

Jimmie wrote:

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Gary's point reminds me of something that struck me, PVR started off in the 1960s

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 1960s? PVR started off well before then. By the 1920s if not before. Some of our fans probably remember those ealiest days.....

Wallop wrote:

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www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/rochdale/forum/274036/the-andy-curran-swindon-town-legacy

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 Read what people say in these and tell me the same thing isn't happening at our club! 

No planning application submitted 

Having been involved in such schemes before retirement, Id say that even if a financial commitment could be secured, in principle, it will now take at least 2 years to get approval. Then detailed design and construction tendering will add another year. So my best estimate would be at least 3 more years at PVR, probably 4, depending on how the season dates work out.

Any bets as to which league well be in by then?

KOTR wrote:

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Planning permission submitted ?
Planning permission granted ?

Club moving to Tonbridge before above to in place
How much will it cost to rent Tonbridge ?
Whos paying for it ?

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 Ground won't pass grading to allow us to stay. Apparently the developers are paying for the costs incurred at Tonbridge. Who knows what will happen if they lose patience and decide to cut their losses.

Squarevanmanthesecond wrote:

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J wrote:

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Once a property developer has land in it's sights it's game over - PVR is prime land and the football club will be gotten rid of if the greedy developer can pay off enough people

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 I think it is very important that the supporters go to Bexley Council and ask the pitch at PVR be granted section 106 protection. From what I understand this ensures it remains open space and connot have a car park etc built on it. That would thwart any plans for the future to construct more flats on the site.

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 If it has not been done yet, this is a good idea 

Danson Mark wrote:

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KOTR wrote:

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Planning permission submitted ?
Planning permission granted ?

Club moving to Tonbridge before above to in place
How much will it cost to rent Tonbridge ?
Whos paying for it ?

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 Ground won't pass grading to allow us to stay. Apparently the developers are paying for the costs incurred at Tonbridge. Who knows what will happen if they lose patience and decide to cut their losses.

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 Has the ground grading changed or are there parts of pvr that would fail? The park terracing was sorted last year and Erith's changing rooms etc must meet the criteria.  I really don't get moving out before planning permission is approved. 

Danson Mark wrote:

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KOTR wrote:

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Planning permission submitted ?
Planning permission granted ?

Club moving to Tonbridge before above to in place
How much will it cost to rent Tonbridge ?
Whos paying for it ?

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 Ground won't pass grading to allow us to stay. Apparently the developers are paying for the costs incurred at Tonbridge. Who knows what will happen if they lose patience and decide to cut their losses.

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 I really wonder about the accuracy of this. Yes, I know this has been said, but is it accurate, or just the excuse made up to try to force the development through?

The ground hasnt changed for years, yet apparently suddenly it does not meet the grade. I am not convinced of this and question the motives of anyone suddenly claiming this.

The practical thing is wait to find out what division we are in next season before making any ground sharing decisions. After all, the season ends in comparatively just a few weeks time. And no certainty of development going ahead.

We sometimes get up to 1000 attendance, max 2000, so in practical terms only need to play in a 2000 capacity ground.

If we are relegated, then that would enable us to play in a below NLS 4000 capacity ground, and so have a much bigger choice than just Tonbridge or nothing else.

And without being defeatist, if we were to be relegated it is hard to imagine we would get promoted straight away, which would mean at least 2 seasons played below NLS, which conveniently matches ground development timescales.

The owner's thinking has all been Plan A around meeting NLS standards, without Plan B thinking of what if we are not in NLS.

It would be interesting to see what the fans' thinking would be if offered the choice of stepping down a division to ground share with a local team at a smaller ground, or stay in the NLS and have to play at Tonbridge.

Jimmie wrote:

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The practical thing is wait to find out what division we are in next season before making any ground sharing decisions. After all, the season ends in comparatively just a few weeks time. And no certainty of development going ahead.

We sometimes get up to 1000 attendance, max 2000, so in practical terms only need to play in a 2000 capacity ground.

If we are relegated, then that would enable us to play in a below NLS 4000 capacity ground, and so have a much bigger choice than just Tonbridge or nothing else.

And without being defeatist, if we were to be relegated it is hard to imagine we would get promoted straight away, which would mean at least 2 seasons played below NLS, which conveniently matches ground development timescales.

The owner's thinking has all been Plan A around meeting NLS standards, without Plan B thinking of what if we are not in NLS.

It would be interesting to see what the fans' thinking would be if offered the choice of stepping down a division to ground share with a local team at a smaller ground, or stay in the NLS and have to play at Tonbridge.

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 Not possible, the club need to inform the League what ground we will be playing in next season.

Unfortunately the decision taken to remove Bloor of his position  despite him receiving overwhelming support from the WUSA members on Thursday, means that the owners have burnt their bridges with the fans, potentially permanently. This will be worsened if, as suspected,  the reason for the Managerial change was down to blatant Nepotism.

I was listening. What I heard is that Erith are being uncooperative, which means we can't submit plans for the next year as we ourselves don't know what we will be doing.

And I would like to see in writing where the league have given us this deadline of this week to commit.

Lots was said to push this through at the meeting, whether what was said is accurate is another issue altogether when one is dealing with very unreliable people.

I dont always immediately believe everything I am told.

If I was pushing to get a development through, I can imagine I may distort things here and there to try and get my plans through...

 

The whole scenario is ridiculous, a mad rush to get out of the ground so a development can take place, that we dont even know will ever happen as no approvals have been either sought or given. 

-- Edited by Jimmie on Sunday 28th of January 2024 04:38:34 PM

To spell things out, I thought we were being bluffed about the urgency of things, so I have just done a cursory look at the National League site s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com/leagues/13676_1691057466.pdf which says the following, with NO mention of it having to be done several months before a season ends, only that it needs to be done before the start of a season. So there is more than a week window open to announce any changes. The key words are as soon as practical, well obviously, with so much doubt it is not currently practical.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
2.1 Each Club shall register its Ground, and its pitch dimensions, with the Competition prior to the start of each Playing Season.
No Club shall move to another Ground without first obtaining written consent of the Board; such consent not to be withheld unreasonably.
The Club must disclose, as soon as practicable, plans and details of any proposed move to a new stadium. The location of the proposed new stadium must meet with the approval of the Board.
Without prejudice to the provisions of Rule 4.12 a Club shall forthwith notify the Competition of any proposed change in its circumstances relating to the occupation of its Ground. By way of example, and without limitation, a proposed change may include
a sale of any freehold interest (with or without subsequent leaseback) or any surrender or variation or a lease or licence.

Somewhat different to the view that we MUST let them know we are moving to Tonbridge within a week.

The other club is Ide hill who play in kent county premier

Wallop wrote:

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I was originally in the, lets push and try and stay in the NLS camp.
Meaning a move to Tonbridge.
Seeing that our directorate are looking to push this avenue, I would therefore go the complete opposite in accept relegation and stay local.

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 Not being rude to us or to other clubs but its a case of who wants to let us use their ground. Cray Valley and Phoenix are not upto isthmian premier grading so would need investment. VCD have Charlton Women I believe. So please tell us of a ground who wants us and is suitable. I would love to be within easy public transport distance as Im sure would a lot of others. 

This was the Timeline we were given in the summer. And it is the reason I don't understand this mad rush to go to Tonbridge, as we have not had the scheduled planning decision made in December, and so hve not had approval, so why are we moving out when we dont even know if the development will be agreed by the council?!

Plus there has been no update on the evolving proposals, was the consultation effective in making any changes, or did all the responses get ignored? Who know, no updates.

July 2023 public consultation

August 2023 Reviewing feedback and evolving proposals

September 2023 Submission of planning application

December 2023 Targeting planning decision

May 2024 Targeting work to start on site

May 2026 Targeting works completed