oafcprozac Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 (edited) council could've passed it subject to the holding order but opted to defer until the Highways Agency have reported back with their findings. Have a horrible feeling Bashforth and cronies are going to shaft us! From officail Sms and on official site. Hardy sounds really pissed off! http://www.oldhamathletic.premiumtv.co.uk/...,,10337,00.html Edited October 17, 2007 by oafcprozac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oa_exile Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Thanks Prozac for the update , i assume you did not attend the meeting ? There were a few members of OWTB going to the meeting tonight so it will be interesting what they have to report on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoytonBlueLad Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 I think a few on here predicted that didn't they? Hopefully all will be fine next month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafckev Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Very annoying indeed. Why can't they just say we agree with the plans until the Highway Agency decides whether or not it's ok. After the England game I was hoping for some better luck but as usual that never happens. Ah well at least its not a No eh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafcprozac Posted October 17, 2007 Author Share Posted October 17, 2007 Thanks Prozac for the update , i assume you did not attend the meeting ? There were a few members of OWTB going to the meeting tonight so it will be interesting what they have to report on here. No I didn't attend as I knew the deferral would be a formality. I'll be there in November though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oa_exile Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 A bit of a rant I know but for goodness sake ............(and breath....) agree , its all becoming very frustrating , so near yet so far .............. (and breath......) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 We must be the only Town without a Cinema/Bowling. Bloody hell even Rochdale has both!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddog Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 There were a few of us there. Waited about 45 mins to get in, then left 5 minutes into the meeting! All deferred...... til next time (they did apologise for not informing people officially that there would be no discussion or decision). One positive to come out of this (non-) meeting was that they realised how many people were there to support the 2 sides of the argument that they're going to schedule the meeting for a bigger room next time we're on the agenda. People power! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oa_exile Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 that they're going to schedule the meeting for a bigger room next time we're on the agenda. People power! You should have recommended the Rochdale Road End Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Dowds Green Shirt Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Evening all. I attended the meeting tonight (with other owtb members) knowing that in all likelyhood the applications would be deferred. In reality, and despite what Alan Hardy says on the official site, it was better to defer the decision tonight because, if they had approved the application, there would be more possibility for a legal challenge from those objecting to the scheme(residents) ala Brightons new stadium. The reason tonights decision was not made earlier is that upto around mid day on the day of the planning meetings, there is late information arriving from the various bodies that are consulted on planning applications and there was the possibility that the Highways Agency could have notified the Council this morning that they were withdrawing their holding directive. In my view, the planning committee could have proceeded with their debate and made a decision tonight if they were going to refuse the applications, because the Highways Agency report would not have made any difference to a decision to refuse. The fact that they haven't followed this route fills me with more confidence that the Councillors will, subject to the Highways Agency comments, approve the scheme. The decision to defer until next month was by virtue of a unanimous vote by Councillors of all parties. It is also worth noting, that the rarely wrong Chron have this week reported that the Council want to take over the running of Broadway from the Highways Agency from the M60 junction at the Boat & Horses to where it joins the A627 at the Elk Mill roundabout on the grounds that now the M60 is complete there is not the level of traffic on Broadway. On that basis, it will be difficult for the Highways Agency to argue/prove that the proposed Boundary Park development will have an adverse effect on Broadway and the Elk Mill Roundabout. Cheers, Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc0000 Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 We all knew this was going to happen. I am surprised it came as such a shock to Alan Hardy. Now isnt the time to be sticking it to the council...lets play along with them...it can only help us get what we want... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 In my view, the planning committee could have proceeded with their debate and made a decision tonight if they were going to refuse the applications, because the Highways Agency report would not have made any difference to a decision to refuse. The fact that they haven't followed this route fills me with more confidence that the Councillors will, subject to the Highways Agency comments, approve the scheme. The decision to defer until next month was by virtue of a unanimous vote by Councillors of all parties. It is also worth noting, that the rarely wrong Chron have this week reported that the Council want to take over the running of Broadway from the Highways Agency from the M60 junction at the Boat & Horses to where it joins the A627 at the Elk Mill roundabout on the grounds that now the M60 is complete there is not the level of traffic on Broadway. On that basis, it will be difficult for the Highways Agency to argue/prove that the proposed Boundary Park development will have an adverse effect on Broadway and the Elk Mill Roundabout. I was also at the meeting tonight Harry. I thought the most relevant fact came from the Officer who explained the effect of the Highways Agency's Holding Directive. The Highways Agency is responsible to the Secretary of State for the implementation of his policies and the fulfillment of his duties in respect of the trunk road and motorway network. In this context the Agency may exercise the Secretary of State's powers to direct local planning authorities in respect of planning applications. The Officer said the Highways Agency could direct the Council to refuse the planning applications. Therefore the Officer advised the Committee that it was more prudent to defer the decision on each of the planning applications until the Holding Directive was lifted. It really is ironic that, as you report in your final paragraph, the Council is willing to take over from the Highways Agency the responsibility for the management and maitenance of the A663, from the M60 junction 21 to the A627. If that had happened already the Agency would not be involved in the planning applications. However, this is subject to budget provisions being made, improvements being carried out on the road before detrunking, and signage on the M60 and M62 being changed. It makes me wonder whether the Highways Agency will stipulate that highway improvements must be carried out at the expense of the applicant (OAFC) before the Boundary Park redevelopment proposals can be allowed to be implemented. That would then get the improvements carried out without affecting the Agency's budget, before the handover of responsibility to the Council. I may be wrong about that, but the Report is already recommending that OAFC pay for the additional school provision required for children from the proposed residential development. Likewise, to get the Club to pay for the highway improvements may also be said to be in the interest of saving public money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 How many there tonight? Not many. The following were there: Simon Corney, Alan Hardy, Ian Hill, Barry Owen and others (possibly advisers). About 4 OAFC staff. Beardy. Chaddy The Owl (not in costume!). D_S & Mrs. S. Harry Dowd's Green Shirt. Maddog. Sheridan's World. Geoff Vernon (OASC). A couple of other fans. There may have been a few unknown others. Most of the crowd were objectors. Alan Hardy said afterwards that we'll need more fans to turn out at the next meeting on 14th November. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc0000 Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Not many. The following were there: Simon Corney, Alan Hardy, Ian Hill, Barry Owen and others (possibly advisers). About 4 OAFC staff. Beardy. Chaddy The Owl (not in costume!). D_S & Mrs. S. Harry Dowd's Green Shirt. Maddog. Sheridan's World. Geoff Vernon (OASC). A couple of other fans. There may have been a few unknown others. Most of the crowd were objectors. Alan Hardy said afterwards that we'll need more fans to turn out at the next meeting on 14th November. I knew it was pointless to go tonigh and I reckon a quite a few others felt the same way.... That said...im shocked so few actually went... I will defo be there next time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 (edited) Not many. The following were there: Simon Corney, Alan Hardy, Ian Hill, Barry Owen and others (possibly advisers). About 4 OAFC staff. Beardy. Chaddy The Owl (not in costume!). D_S & Mrs. S. Harry Dowd's Green Shirt. Maddog. Sheridan's World. Geoff Vernon (OASC). A couple of other fans. There may have been a few unknown others. Most of the crowd were objectors. Alan Hardy said afterwards that we'll need more fans to turn out at the next meeting on 14th November. Got there.....was outside....and spotted Maddog and SW leaving (who told me it was over already)......won't see that taxi fare from Stalybridge again. Oh well....couldve been worse, couldve come up from Burton....fair play though DS. Kinda a shame they'll look for a bigger room next month....seems they're onto our plan to fill the seats of the objectors.....maybe the club should push the date of the November meeting from.....well.....tomorrow.....lets get a few hundred in! Agree though, shame it got deferred.....but not surprised. Any excuse to not commit and say, yes, this must happen for the sake of Oldham and we'll take on the HA and any disputes they have, because Oldham needs this to go ahead.....in otherwords.....OMBC = still.... spineless! Edited October 18, 2007 by Ackey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edhunteruk Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Got there.....was outside....and spotted Maddog and SW leaving (who told me it was over already)......won't see that taxi fare from Stalybridge again. Oh well....couldve been worse, couldve come up from Burton....fair play though DS. Kinda a shame they'll look for a bigger room next month....seems they're onto our plan to fill the seats of the objectors.....maybe the club should push the date of the November meeting from.....well.....tomorrow.....lets get a few hundred in! Agree though, shame it got deferred.....but not surprised. Any excuse to not commit and say, yes, this must happen for the sake of Oldham and we'll take on the HA and any disputes they have, because Oldham needs this to go ahead.....in otherwords.....OMBC = still....:censored:ing spineless! im surprised anybody turned up at all,knowing for the past 2 weeks it was being deffered anyway!!! i agree that the club should now be putting weekly posts regarding the new meeting out on the main site. yes it is a dissapointment,but im sure the outcome will eventually be favourable. as for the elk mill roundabout.yes it is a nightmare for anybody using that part of broadway,traffic actually backs up from elk mill to royton centre most days,so can you imagine the gridlock caused during midweek games,that is what the highways are looking at. but then again the council already knew this when they approved the elk mill site in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 im surprised anybody turned up at all,knowing for the past 2 weeks it was being deffered anyway!!! i agree that the club should now be putting weekly posts regarding the new meeting out on the main site. Yes we knew it was likely to be deferred, but the Club kept asking us to be there, both through the official site and the rarely wrong Chron. The Club did that just in case the applications were considered. The Highways Agency's Holding Directive was issued on 7th Sepember and was valid for two months. The Council should have said, in view of that Directive, that the planning applications would not be considered until 14th November. Why didn't the Council do that? Because there was a chance that the Directive could be lifted at any point, even up to the day of the meeting. If so the Council would have avoided the criticism of delaying things for another month, which is costing the Club money. The big question is why has the Highways Agency not completed its investigations over seven months after submission of the planning applications? So it was a ridiculous situation last night, but that was what everyone was faced with. It could have been that only objectors had turned up, because everyone else had disbelieved what was said about the remote possibility of the applications being considered at last night's meeting. If so what message would that have sent out to the Club when it had asked Latics' fans (and Oldhamers in general) to be there? Although I went along with what the Club was saying about a show of strength, but at the same time needing to keep a low profile at the meeting, I could not see the point of that. By keeping a low profile, even to the extent of not wearing colours, meant that it was not possible to distinguish between the fans and the objectors. In fact one Councillor, in regretting that we had all been put to the trouble of an abortive journey to the meeting, referred to everyone as "residents". I went in 'low profile' to the extent of wearing a suit and tie - apart from funerals, the first time I'd worn a tie since retiring from work four years ago! It was a Latics' tie I hasten to add. Objectors were talking to us outside asking in which part of the residential area around BP we lived. They were visibly taken aback when we said we were Latics' fans!! Only one fan wore his shirt visibly with pride (without a coat) - it just happened to be a lad who fitted the general description of 'Asian'. He'd been there from 5.00 pm and his attendance must have pleased the Club, as an indication of its involvement in the wider community. I talked to him - he knew my 'name' from reading JKL/ISZ, and also OWTB when it was possible to do so without registering. He was just as passionate about the need for planning permission as I am. There were no 'Asians' among the objectors. I presume the Club felt that a high profile attendance might have been off-putting for the Councillors, as unfortunately I know only too well to my cost that fans wearing colours are perceived to be a lower form of life. So I'm confused about the need for a show of strength in support of the Club, and yet not being conspicuous to the Committee and the objectors. I presume it is to give moral support to the Club - the Cub knows who we are and that's what matters! Having said all that, Alan Hardy told me specifically after the meeting that we need a lot more fans to attend on 14th November - as though I'm able to press-gang people into attendance! It's got a familiar ring to it - if you had to pay to attend the meeting, the Club could offer free admission and people would queue up to get in! In the words of Kevin Keegan, Id love it, just love it if we could all turn up, including Chaddy The Owl in costume, and then celebrate, IF planning permission is granted, by singing 'Come On Oldham!' in the meeting. However, the stiff upper lip approach seems to say that that would not be the done thing. I feel passionate about Latics and I savour its survival, regardless of how the team is doing. Continued survival is dependant on the grant of planning permission. IF it is granted, to me it will be a dream come true and I'll want to shout or sing it from the rooftops. Keeping the 'lid' on will be very frustrating, but it's all part of playing the 'game' and not seeking to be overjoyed in front of the residents, whom the Club does not wish to upset. If planning permission is refused you can bet the residents will express their joy, even if only by applauding, but that would be understandable. When football fans do the same thing it is not always perceived as understandable. There has been a promise (or threat) by many Latics' fans over the years to show their arses on the Town Hall steps if a particulour occurence happens. Now I have to admit that IF the Club gets planning permission, it might be going a bit far for all fans present to engage in a mass arse-showing on the steps of the Civic Centre or the old Town Hall (where incidentally Mrs. Sideburns and I used to work), but I think all those fans attending on 14th November should at least join together in song after the meeting, at a convenient outdoor point. So edhunteruk suggests the Club putting weekly posts regarding the new meeting out on the main site. No doubt it will do, but those intending to attend should put a note in their diary NOW, just as if it was the date of a cup final involving Latics. Then, God willing, they will be there next time. Mrs. Sideburns is unable to attend the next meeting, so I'll have to sing twice as loud! 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oafc0000 Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 (edited) Im going and im wearing my shirt..... If we get the stadium I will probably clap the decision....i wont rub it in the residents noses by cheering and dancing around as I have no issue with them....they have the right to fight against it for whatever reasons they choose....but i have the right to be happy and support the decison as well.... Edited October 18, 2007 by oafc0000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyterryb Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 (edited) I will be going and will compromise and wear my scarf. I don't think that is overstating it too much do You? (Not just my scarf I hasten to add, that would be a bit too much). Edited October 18, 2007 by happyterryb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddog Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I think all those fans attending on 14th November should at least join together in song after the meeting, at a convenient outdoor point. Or a convenient indoor point. With a bar. PS: good post, Diego. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Tickets from London currently at £12.50 And I need a few days off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc_ok Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Mrs. Sideburns is unable to attend the next meeting, so I'll have to sing twice as loud! If you can wait until 3pm to set off from Burton (and are returning to Burton afterwards) then I'll take Mrs Sideburns's's's seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 If you can wait until 3pm to set off from Burton (and are returning to Burton afterwards) then I'll take Mrs Sideburns's's's seat. With an apostrophic post like that, it looks like you've just awoken from a comma. I'm not sure about waiting until 3pm. If I leave after the Grandparents' lunch (or Grandparent's lunch in the absence of Grandma), I can make the second half of the Reserves v Coventry - Lee Hughes? Then go to the meeting after the game. The drawback is having to dress differently for each event. I'll give it some thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diego_Sideburns Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 On the fishal site Alan Hardy thanks those who attended the Planning Committee meeting and asks for more support on 14th November. http://www.oldhamathletic.premiumtv.co.uk/...1147376,00.html Get the date in your diary and be part of Latics' history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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