Campaigners oppose Home Park development plans
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Saturday, June 01, 2013
Plymouth Herald
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By KEITH ROSSITER Political Reporter @krossiter
THE HUGE Home Park development will be equivalent to dumping the Marsh Mills Sainsbury's into the middle of Central Park – but seven times higher, a pressure group claims.
A £50 million plan to transform Higher Home Park into a major regional sporting and leisure destination has been submitted to city planners.
Friends of Central Park Janice Hunt, Mike Smith (with dog Kit) and Veronica Graham (with dog Roxy), who oppose plans for the area where they move onto the leasehold land. They are Pictured where a road and taxi ranks will be leading up to the planned hotel
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The scheme, outlined in The Herald earlier this year, will include a new grandstand at Plymouth Argyle's stadium, a new ice rink for the city, a ten-screen cinema and a hotel.
CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL PICTURES OF THE PLANS
Argyle boss James Brent's Akkeron Group is behind the proposal and has submitted its detailed plans after weeks of public consultation.
The development is opposed by the Argyle Fans' Trust, which wants to build further into Central Park to allow for a more ambitious grandstand expansion.
The Friends of Central Park also promised to contest the scheme. Told that the plans had been published yesterday, Janice Hunt, the group's acting chair, said: "The fight starts now."
"Why would the people of Plymouth want another cinema or hotel, shops or fast-food outlets in the middle of their major green space when the profits aren't even going to help Plymouth Argyle?" she said.
"Who gave Akkeron permission to do this to our park? There are covenants on Central Park to stop such developments. Council leader Tudor Evans has said he is fully backing these plans, but how can they even be considered without public consultation? We need transparency, openness and honesty."
She said the development includes a seven-storey hotel that will be as high as the Life Centre and "loom over some of the most natural areas of the park. It will extend deep into the park, gobbling up even more green space.
"A two-lane road will come into the park, around the stadium, to access the 400-space car park at the rear of the stadium. This will mean cars and service vehicles travelling into the heart of the park 24 hours a day.
"A taxi and minibus set-down point is positioned halfway up Zoo Field."
"Friends of Central Park fully supports the building of a new grandstand adequate for Argyle's aspirations. We support any development that will help Argyle, but within the existing footprint of Higher Home Park.
"Central Park is now only half the size it was when it was bought by the people of Plymouth for the people of Plymouth in 1931.
"Once green space is gone it is gone for ever."
A council spokeswoman said the planning case officer was not aware of any specific request from the friends.
Now that the application has been submitted, people can make comments as part of the planning process.
She said Cllr Evans has welcomed the scheme which would see the stadium finished and bring in £55million worth of investment.
"However, he is fully aware that the decision to grant approval to the scheme would rest with the planning committee."
Akkeron said the construction would create more than 600 workers' jobs during the two-year build and another 400 on the completed site.
Work could start this autumn if Akkeron wins planning permission from Plymouth City Council.
The scheme will see:
A replacement for the old Mayflower stand at Plymouth Argyle's Home Park stadium.
The new grandstand will hold hospitality and club retail facilities to generate new income for the team and put the club on a more sustainable financial footing, a spokesman said.
A competition-standard ice arena to replace the rink at The Pavilions. Mr Brent is also planning to redevelop the Pavilions, but must first build the new rink.
One of the largest cinemas in the South West with ten screens, including an IMAX.
Major improvements to Central and public amenities.
14 medium-sized shops or restaurants.
A health centre including a dental practice.
Mr Brent said: "We have been encouraged by the level of interest, support and constructive feedback received from local people about our proposals.
"The views and suggestions we have received from the community have influenced and shaped key aspects of our proposals including the grandstand, improvements to Central Park, and what the competition ice skaters in the city would like from their new arena. We have also designed with Plymouth City Council and local interest groups, including the Friends of Central Park, a significant package of enhancements for the park and public amenities."
Consultation on the proposal ends on July 2.
THE PROPOSALS
New linking footpaths, landscaping, seeding and tree planting in Zoo Field and creation of a Memorial Garden.
Re-grading and resurfacing of Cottage Field football pitch so that players have a flat even surface and improved pitch drainage.
New feature gateway at the entrance of the Mawsons Axis between the Life Centre and Higher Home Park to give a sense of arrival to the park.
Creation of a new community youth football changing room which has been identified as an objective in the Plymouth City Council Central Park Masterplan.
A financial contribution to Plymouth City Council for the resurfacing of Gilbert lane and creation of a new pathway leading into Family Tree Field, in line with the vision set out by the Council Central Park Masterplan.
Opinion appears fairly mixed looking at the comments today in the Herald, Brent is pulling the construction jobs, future of Plymouth etc arguments out of the hat. Yesterday it was "there is no plan B" and it will generate a million a year to get the club up the leagues.
The man is a bully, you don't build a business like he has without trampling over the opposition, this will be easy for Brent to get his Akkeron getto up and running. Sounds like he has councillor Evans in the palm of his hand already.
These plans HAVE to be challenged, for the good of the club, the enviroment and the city.
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Edited to remove double post, broke my edit cherry with that one, hope it was good for you?
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Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:41 am
