Torquay United Fans Forum

Mel and Ian Hayman were there on Boxing Day also.

In the boardroom yesterday were Ian & Mel Hayman, Brian Palk, Mervyn Benney.

Just saying!

Gullscorer wrote:From the Herald Express:

'Because of the holiday period, the Vanarama National League board is not expected to rubber-stamp United's takeover by the Gaming International group until the middle of this month.
As a result, GI are unlikely to take any major decisions or invest more significant money until that 'nod' is given.'

Read more at http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/t ... 5TSjE5V.99

I bet they won't be slow to pocket the £15k for Bliss though.

Plainmoor78 wrote:
Just a completely irresponsible thought, but in previous postings Tired Old Gull did display some knowledge of the inner workings of the club including knowing Paul Bristow, who he inadvertently referred to as a loony. Is Tired Old Gull actually Bill Philips?

Not inadvertently at all - Paul would almost certainly agree if you read one of my other postings: "There's no disrespect to Paul Bristow meant there, I knew him well and after he had done the business with TUFC he asked me if I thought he was of his trolley (exact words!) .. I told him I thought he was, he laughed and gave me another burger!!"

He would most certainly laugh at your second surmise!

If nothing else we have managed to bring 'Merse' over here to put forward SOME valid points - so maybe the object has been achieved.

Just for the record I have. Very good friend who is a property lawyer who may be willing to advise if asked. He may need a little bit of silver placed on his palm if the matter is taken forward on a more legal footing though. It may be he takes formal instructions from the supporters trust or supporters club ??

He, for his sins, is a gashead so has come across GI before !

Perhaps if we can get a list of matters to ask him then I can make an approach.

This was my argument in my previous Post.
Let's look at what Gullscorer came up with. that's some of the possible points we may consider. there may be others.

1. Over Development. is it not possible that Plainmoor being a considerable development already would overshadow any other development. that's to say a new development of houses could be considered a quieter type of development for the area. we have to think a way around this if this is the case.

2 the impact on the local area would be extra traffic if new houses were built. on a more permanent basis. as the club only generates large amounts no more than twice a week for a short time. is the trade off for residents worth it.

3. I have no doubt that it Planmoor was knocked down or reduced considerably then there is a danger that the grass area would go along with the swimming pool.

4. unless housing was on a multiple floor basis i doubt privacy would come into it.
5. Same argument with loss of light and overshadowing

6 there is likely to be a bigger problem with surface water drainage in a housing development than at present. more houses equal more tarred areas which negate the areas that the pitch provides for drainage. I know our pitch has problems but that's not to do with the large amounts that would congregate should new roads be put in with a lot of houses.

7. I cannot comment on Ground stability as I have no knowledge of the geology of the area.

8. Wildlife ergo those damned seagulls. where will they go as they seem to use Plainmoor as a home of sorts? will residents start to get problems?

9. loss of the facility. The local school will no doubt have something to say should a proposal be mooted for converting a stand they occupy at present. Or even knocking it down. The loss of a community football club must be shown to have an impact on the town in general. local shops. (i know I often buy my food there) Play space for kids. a place where thousands gather for recreation and coming together to discuss the weeks' events. we are a community in our own right.

10. I think the club and council should be seen to have something built in place of the present stadium which should be passed on to the council as a replacement for the present amenity ie if they want us out then they should build a new stadium up to present day standards with parking and hand it over to the council lock stock and barrel so they can have Plainmoors land. then we are secure. the council still has a tenant at a facility it hasn't had to pay for and can just collect the rent as before. we have a secure home with a trusted landlord. (if we can trust them). That's far better than saying, let GI be our landlords. then GI can have its land in Plainmoor. the residents can support us to have this as they can have a bit of peace and quiet.

I don't think this meeting is part of a formal planning application, is it? But certainly we should make our views known to the local authority and our local councillors.

And when the formal planning application is published, we can present comments and objections to the planning authority. However, my understanding is that private covenants, easements and restrictions on property and land are always completely ignored by the authority when a planning application is considered, so objections must be on other grounds, for example, over-development, the impact on the local area, residential amenity space, loss of privacy, overshadowing/loss of light, surface water run-off, ground stability, impact on wild-life, and (last but not least) loss of a local facility/amenity.

So we await a formal planning application with interest, but the actual sale of the ground is perhaps a separate issue, and the neighbouring school will have an interest in this. Better for GI, if its stated intentions are true, to buy land elsewhere for the new stadium.

I'm led to believe that the Indoor Bowls Club recently signed a 15year lease with the Council and Football Club. This might give us an inkling as to where the Councils priorities lie. I.e maybe not have signed it if there was a chance of a move.

Perhaps someone with the knowledge of planning rules could draw up a template for all of us to use to send to the planning officers.

I see fans calling for us to register our opposition to any planning applications lodged with the council. Can I please ask all fans if you're going to lodge any complaints. find out what objections would be ignored as not a legal challenge and which ones will be effective. I see far too many objections lodged to planning application based on personal likes. Preference, hearsay and ignorance. Please please check what will work and what won't otherwise GI will have very little placed in their way. They will just roll over us. The Council have pretty strict rules that govern what they can allow and what they can't. Given that we haven't much confidence in the Council until we see definite positions stated I would be careful.

From the Herald Express:

'Because of the holiday period, the Vanarama National League board is not expected to rubber-stamp United's takeover by the Gaming International group until the middle of this month.
As a result, GI are unlikely to take any major decisions or invest more significant money until that 'nod' is given.'

Read more at http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/t ... 5TSjE5V.99

Clarke Osborne has joined TUOSC according to Dave Thomas, so there is clearly nothing to worry about now.

brucie wrote:Here we are, three weeks into Gi's tenure. Osborne has basically said nothing, bar apparently turning up to watch the Forest Green match wearing a Torquay scarf. He is lower profile than Dave Phillips and that's saying something.

Our main striker has been sold to Plymouth, there isn't a hint of a new signing player wise - yet lo and behold a meeting to discuss the disposal of our ground has been convened with the council.

Yet according to the Herald Express "we are moving in the right direction for 2017" - I mean you couldn't make this up.

I must admit I havn't faintest idea as to the workings of the local council, if they are anything like Torridge District they are worse than useless, the lot of them.

I am puzzled however as to why this meeting has been convened. No doubt there must have been something going on in the background.

If our previous chairman has gone to Australia then lets hope he was manacled and was transported on a sailing vessel.

Here we are, three weeks into Gi's tenure. Osborne has basically said nothing, bar apparently turning up to watch the Forest Green match wearing a Torquay scarf. He is lower profile than Dave Phillips and that's saying something.

Our main striker has been sold to Plymouth, there isn't a hint of a new signing player wise - yet lo and behold a meeting to discuss the disposal of our ground has been convened with the council.

Yet according to the Herald Express "we are moving in the right direction for 2017" - I mean you couldn't make this up.

I must admit I havn't faintest idea as to the workings of the local council, if they are anything like Torridge District they are worse than useless, the lot of them.

I am puzzled however as to why this meeting has been convened. No doubt there must have been something going on in the background.

If our previous chairman has gone to Australia then lets hope he was manacled and was transported on a sailing vessel.

By the way, good to see you on here Merse, Ive just registered on BTPIR, Im basingstoketufcfan before anyone thinks Im someone else with an ulterior motive.