It was positive to hear the Rugby Club were now only targeting a capacity of 18,000. In presentational terms it was less reassuring that in the course of the meeting they moved from 16,000 at the start of the meeting.
It was positive to hear that the east stand will remain temporary but make better use of the space. However we are still not clear on actual size and position.
It was positive to hear the plans for the riverside stand with an attractive face to the river and views through to the rec. The plans for cafes and shops seem modest and positive but we will have to watch out for “mission creep” during the planning and licencing phase. Similarly with the hospitality spaces.
The club’s reassurances about there being no plans for night time drinking and nightclubs were welcome but as one resident pointed out in the event of economic downturn or a change of ownership who knows what might be proposed
We were pleased to hear that the Empire is recognised as a key sightline but it remains important to ensure that residents on the north side of the river are properly included in any further consultations or advisory panels.
The question of traffic management remains a black hole.
We thought the idea of effectively redrafting the covenants to make them clearer and more in accordance with the modern agreement we want to strike creating a legal framework outside the vagaries of the planning and licensing regimes was a positive idea that seemed to gain wide agreement.
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