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Post by Bangkok u on Sept 9, 2023 10:17:09 GMT
As I suspected not plans but some fantasy/ concept drawings. I know these are outdated ideas, but what's in the illustrations just could not be built and would not hold 3000 people. You can't have a uniform symmetrical stand like that on available space. Unless more land is acquired behind the Habbin.Hang on it's common land isn't it ? So I think that is not even worth thinking about. The sooner CU come up some proper plans the better. These were plans released on the United website.I’m sure they wouldn’t have released them if they didn’t think the Habbin could seat 3,000……………https://www.cambridgeunited.com/news/2015/may/united-unveil-their-exciting-vision-for-the-abbey-stadium/ |
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Post by pgtips (lurid) on Sept 9, 2023 10:18:22 GMT
Shame we can't shift everything towards the carpark a bit. That'd create a bit more space for a Habbin. There's no available space to do so though really, unless we demolished the Main Stand first, built a new one behind it, moved the pitch, then built a new Habbin in the gap created. Andrew Plus the South Stand would be off to one side. A move towards the south is still going to leave the New Habbin™ a bit less room at one end. Access behind should be a continuous lane for emergency vehicles. Larger capacity requires better safety provision and and refurb/repair might need works access. I think the 2015 plans were half baked. The denial of easy works access by finishing the NRE first is indicative of that. |
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Post by Bangkok u on Sept 9, 2023 10:27:23 GMT
UNITED UNVEIL THEIR EXCITING VISION FOR THE ABBEY STADIUM
21 May 2015
Tom Stewart
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Further detail of potential Abbey Stadium redevelopment revealed.
Cambridge United reveal further details of the club’s exciting vision to become a sustainable Championship club, following the recent consultation exercise delivered by Grosvenor regarding the redevelopment of the Abbey Stadium and the creation of a Trumpington-based Sports Village.
Alongside Grosvenor, the club have announced exciting plans that would see the stadium increase its capacity to 11,000+ and include new corporate and conferencing facilities to create additional revenue.
The complete redevelopment of the ground would play an integral role in the club’s exciting vision for the future, and would be completed over three phases.
Phase one, to be completed by Grosvenor, would involve a completely redeveloped Newmarket Road End, which would include a new frontage with a civic square, club shop, supporters club and community facility, ticket office and a safe standing terrace with a capacity of 3,500.
The inclusion of a new entrance to the ground in phase one, would potentially allow the club to complete two further phases of redevelopment, beginning with the demolition of the Habbin Stand to be replaced by a new iconic all-seater stand.
This would increase the stand’s capacity to over 3,000 with enhanced disabled provision, further spectator facilities within the undercroft of the stand and a flexible corporate and conferencing facility to seat 300 diners or cater for 400 delegates.
A business plan that would see the new facilities generate an additional £1,000,000 revenue each year, would help to fund phase three of the redevelopment. The club will announce details of how the new West Stand will be financed upon Grosvenor receiving confirmation of planning permission at Trumpington.
The final phase will see a complete refurbishment of the Main Stand which will also increase in capacity to more than 3,000, through the replacement of the front seats to maintain the sweep of seats into a single tier, plus enhanced disabled provision and spectator facilities in a new undercroft.
A second level will then be created by extending behind the existing structure, incorporating a new boardroom, director’s lounge, supporters bar, hospitality suites and community spaces.
A third tier will be built to accommodate individual executive boxes at the back of the stand, with glass frontages, and private seating, whilst the roof will be replaced with a modern, cantilevered structure. In addition, the stand will be extended towards the South Stand to provide extra seats to maximise capacity.
Grosvenor will support the club through the redevelopment by agreeing a sustainable and affordable new long-term lease, having already given the club considerable rent relief since becoming landlords in 2010.
For their first three years as landlords, Grosvenor charged no rent enabling the club to survive whilst outside the Football League, and even at present, the amount being charged is far less than the amount permitted within the terms of the original lease.
Currently the annual rent of the Abbey Stadium, as per the original lease from 2004 should be over £300,000. However this is subject to a five yearly review which has already increased that figure by over £100,000 per annum across ten years.
The long-term outcome of this lease, if planning permission for the development at Trumpington is not granted, would be financially prohibitive for the club.
The only way the rent issue can be resolved definitively, to provide the club with long-term security, is through planning permission being granted for the housing development and Sporting Village at Trumpington.
This Sporting Village would provide the U’s with a state-of-the-art training base for our first team and academy. These facilities would allow our academy to achieve category 2 status, enjoyed by some of the biggest clubs in the country, and provide our best players access to an enhanced games programme.
The Trumpington-based facility would also act as a headquarters for the Cambridge United Community Trust, which continues to show rapid growth as it actively engages with 8,000 youngsters every year.
Both projects are in conjunction with each other and require planning approval, with Grosvenor unable to fund development at the Abbey Stadium, without permission to complete work on the Trumpington Meadows site.
Cambridge United Chairman Dave Doggett said: “Whilst the club currently delivers a variety of youth development and community programmes across Cambridgeshire through our Community Trust, the potential growth with a base at a new Sporting Village is truly immeasurable.
“The facility would allow the club to make considerable steps forward in engaging, educating and inspiring the next generation throughout our city using the power of sport. We can tackle issues such as childhood obesity and a myriad of other issues by creating healthy, active, respectful young citizens who can contribute to the future of our city.
“As the city’s leading professional sports club, we feel a responsibility to expand our influence across all cross sections of the community at every possible opportunity, and these plans would benefit the city of Cambridge as a whole.”
Meanwhile, commenting on the club’s sensational vision, Chief Executive Jez George added: “Our business is now growing at such an extent that without significantly enhanced facilities our future progress will be severely compromised.
“Our average crowd has trebled to 5800 in two years and our turnover this financial year has grown to almost £4,000,000, excluding all FA Cup income. For the first time in living memory, the club has achieved a break even financial result, again excluding all FA Cup income.
“Cambridge United is now run as a proper, self-sustaining business.
“However, without enhanced facilities and the rent issue resolved, the club's ability to prosper and continue progression on and off the pitch would be restricted."
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Post by pgtips (lurid) on Sept 9, 2023 10:31:07 GMT
Yes I'm sorry. Put the wall of nasty eight year old text away. The link was enough.
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Sept 9, 2023 10:32:56 GMT
Shame we can't shift everything towards the carpark a bit. That'd create a bit more space for a Habbin. There's no available space to do so though really, unless we demolished the Main Stand first, built a new one behind it, moved the pitch, then built a new Habbin in the gap created. Andrew The plan is to go the other way though, towards the South Stand, which does free up more ground for the Habbin. The land behind it is at its narrowest at the north end. Having said that, modern cantilever stands can project backwards as they build higher. |
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nickpom
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Post by nickpom on Sept 9, 2023 10:38:52 GMT
I don't think I'd want a curved roof for the habbin. It's just not very Cambridge is it? Give me angles or give me death. Steady there Sandypants. I'm not wedded to any particular roof. I just think that we'll get one run at a New Habin™ and it should maximise accomplishment. Tiered is the only way we can make the most of a narrow footprint. If we can sell exec boxes for more money than the same area of seating then it makes good sense to put in loads of them. The high rollers are a natural preselect for advertising and sponsorship sales. A breeding ground for future board members. The upper tier has to be seated. Basic safety. The central area of the lower tier is prime ticket area and should be seated too. The sides/ends will be the last to sell and should be lower tier standing so that discounted tickets can help fill them. This would be the maximum capacity areas like the south South Habbin (Rainbow Stand™) that fill up last. They can be relatively empty without us looking tinpot. The importance of the standing areas is that younger standing attendees are the future of the club. Do we really want to limit that capacity to one end and choke off the future support? A curved roof would limit upper tier end seating areas. Not a high demand area, but a higher vantage point gives a better view than the stand below. Entry level seating. I refer back to maximising the accomplishment. The object of a new stand is foremost to get the largest capacity in there we can, secondly to maximise the revenue of that capacity through use of seating and boxes and thirdly to make it a reasonable asthetic for other sides of the stadium and "the people at home". We currently having standing capacity of about 3,750 - redevelopment as outlined (3,000 - 3,500 Habbin seated, 3,000 - 3,500 Newmarket Rd end safe standing) wouldn't significantly reduce the current standing capacity, which rarely sells out while concentrating it into a single, dominant end. Our own mini 'yellow wall' - the best of both worlds... |
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imp566
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Post by imp566 on Sept 9, 2023 10:48:26 GMT
Steady there Sandypants. I'm not wedded to any particular roof. I just think that we'll get one run at a New Habin™ and it should maximise accomplishment. Tiered is the only way we can make the most of a narrow footprint. If we can sell exec boxes for more money than the same area of seating then it makes good sense to put in loads of them. The high rollers are a natural preselect for advertising and sponsorship sales. A breeding ground for future board members. The upper tier has to be seated. Basic safety. The central area of the lower tier is prime ticket area and should be seated too. The sides/ends will be the last to sell and should be lower tier standing so that discounted tickets can help fill them. This would be the maximum capacity areas like the south South Habbin (Rainbow Stand™) that fill up last. They can be relatively empty without us looking tinpot. The importance of the standing areas is that younger standing attendees are the future of the club. Do we really want to limit that capacity to one end and choke off the future support? A curved roof would limit upper tier end seating areas. Not a high demand area, but a higher vantage point gives a better view than the stand below. Entry level seating. I refer back to maximising the accomplishment. The object of a new stand is foremost to get the largest capacity in there we can, secondly to maximise the revenue of that capacity through use of seating and boxes and thirdly to make it a reasonable asthetic for other sides of the stadium and "the people at home". We currently having standing capacity of about 3,750 - redevelopment as outlined (3,000 - 3,500 Habbin seated, 3,000 - 3,500 Newmarket Rd end safe standing) wouldn't significantly reduce the current standing capacity, which rarely sells out while concentrating it into a single, dominant end. Our own mini 'yellow wall' - the best of both worlds... I'll respectfully disagree with that last statement - not for me. I want to stand, but I won't go behind the goal. A great view when the action is at that end, absolutely appalling when its at the other end. Give me a spot about half way between penalty area and half way and I'm happy, as are around 1500 people who choose the Habbin every game. It can't be beyond the wit of a designer to offer two tiers, standing below hospitality, seats above. As I said previously, modelled on Wycombe would do fore me, but with standing (or 'safe standing') below |
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Lobster
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Post by Lobster on Sept 9, 2023 10:48:56 GMT
 Another alternative for the Habbin stand. This is probably around 6,000 but could be reduced to suit the space available, maybe 4,000. It would also get over the problem of the site thinning at one end and at least retain some character to the overall stadium instead of square shaped modules. Don't forget to include the boxes Lobster, word is there is a lot of interest from local businesses in these. There you go Tojo Corporate boxes Attachments:
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Dylan
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Post by Dylan on Sept 9, 2023 11:25:41 GMT
We currently having standing capacity of about 3,750 - redevelopment as outlined (3,000 - 3,500 Habbin seated, 3,000 - 3,500 Newmarket Rd end safe standing) wouldn't significantly reduce the current standing capacity, which rarely sells out while concentrating it into a single, dominant end. Our own mini 'yellow wall' - the best of both worlds... I'll respectfully disagree with that last statement - not for me. I want to stand, but I won't go behind the goal. A great view when the action is at that end, absolutely appalling when its at the other end. Give me a spot about half way between penalty area and half way and I'm happy, as are around 1500 people who choose the Habbin every game. It can't be beyond the wit of a designer to offer two tiers, standing below hospitality, seats above. As I said previously, modelled on Wycombe would do fore me, but with standing (or 'safe standing') below Have a seat old boy 😜 |
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Dylan
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Post by Dylan on Sept 9, 2023 11:27:20 GMT
Steady there Sandypants. I'm not wedded to any particular roof. I just think that we'll get one run at a New Habin™ and it should maximise accomplishment. Tiered is the only way we can make the most of a narrow footprint. If we can sell exec boxes for more money than the same area of seating then it makes good sense to put in loads of them. The high rollers are a natural preselect for advertising and sponsorship sales. A breeding ground for future board members. The upper tier has to be seated. Basic safety. The central area of the lower tier is prime ticket area and should be seated too. The sides/ends will be the last to sell and should be lower tier standing so that discounted tickets can help fill them. This would be the maximum capacity areas like the south South Habbin (Rainbow Stand™) that fill up last. They can be relatively empty without us looking tinpot. The importance of the standing areas is that younger standing attendees are the future of the club. Do we really want to limit that capacity to one end and choke off the future support? A curved roof would limit upper tier end seating areas. Not a high demand area, but a higher vantage point gives a better view than the stand below. Entry level seating. I refer back to maximising the accomplishment. The object of a new stand is foremost to get the largest capacity in there we can, secondly to maximise the revenue of that capacity through use of seating and boxes and thirdly to make it a reasonable asthetic for other sides of the stadium and "the people at home". We currently having standing capacity of about 3,750 - redevelopment as outlined (3,000 - 3,500 Habbin seated, 3,000 - 3,500 Newmarket Rd end safe standing) wouldn't significantly reduce the current standing capacity, which rarely sells out while concentrating it into a single, dominant end. Our own mini 'yellow wall' - the best of both worlds... Let's aim for at least 4k standing capacity for the New NRE! The space must be there... |
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Post by St Neots U on Sept 9, 2023 11:34:04 GMT
I do like the pitch - but think they have gone into full positive PR mode with this sentence: 'This side will have conference facilities added, facing the picturesque Barnwell Lake.' Picturesque is certainly gilding the lily! It's the reference to Abbey Road that did it for me. |
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tojo
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Post by tojo on Sept 9, 2023 11:47:53 GMT
We currently having standing capacity of about 3,750 - redevelopment as outlined (3,000 - 3,500 Habbin seated, 3,000 - 3,500 Newmarket Rd end safe standing) wouldn't significantly reduce the current standing capacity, which rarely sells out while concentrating it into a single, dominant end. Our own mini 'yellow wall' - the best of both worlds... Let's aim for at least 4k standing capacity for the New NRE! The space must be there... It's the one area with the space to really build a substantial stand, be a shame if they don't utilise it. With the pitch moved south, its a very big footprint.....all going well.... |
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Post by saltyvinegar on Sept 9, 2023 12:31:25 GMT
How much depth is available for redevelopment of the Habbin stand with the common just behind ? Is this the constraining factor for what they do with that stand as I would expect it to be quite a steep profile
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nickpom
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Post by nickpom on Sept 9, 2023 12:47:55 GMT
People need to remember that the Abbey, regardless of how big we build it, will have a capacity limit for matchdays set by the council that takes into account congestion and parking issues. Building capacity above that figure is very expensive if you're never going to use it (around £3-4,000 per person I think)
When I was on the Board the most recent discussion was that any redeveloped ground would not be given a council capacity limit above 10,000.
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Post by relay22 on Sept 9, 2023 13:26:03 GMT
People need to remember that the Abbey, regardless of how big we build it, will have a capacity limit for matchdays set by the council that takes into account congestion and parking issues. Building capacity above that figure is very expensive if you're never going to use it (around £3-4,000 per person I think) When I was on the Board the most recent discussion was that any redeveloped ground would not be given a council capacity limit above 10,000. Appreciate that Nick but would be nice to think they`d look at the bigger picture, (some hope I know !) especially when a decent enough scheme in Trumpington was thrown out. Tired old record from them to use that "Congestion and Parking issues" as it`s always been an "issue" since I sneaked in many years ago for a child price when I was 16 !  If we are going to be restricted capacity wise, lets be the only ground in the country to have a capacity of 11,111 ! I really hope it`s more but again appreciate what you are saying. Once again I`d like the New NRE Terrace to be as big as Exeter`s home end, awaiting with trepidation with what will be finally proposed in a few weeks time. |
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