Letter of objection to the planning application
The Director, Environment and Development Services, City of York Council, 9 St Leonard’s Place, York, YO1 7ET
28 October 2002
I write as the spokesperson for the above group, whose main objective is to ensure that York City Football Club continues to have a suitable stadium for League Association Football in the City of York.
Friends of Bootham Crescent has viewed the planning application submitted to City of York Council Planning Department concerning the proposed development of 93 dwellings on the current site at York City Football Club, Bootham Crescent, York, by Persimmon Homes (Yorkshire Ltd). The purpose of this letter is to object in the strongest possible terms to the proposal, and to request that the application be declined.
The fundamental principle to be observed is that no change of use should be allowed for the Bootham Crescent site unless and until a superior alternative facility is in place for York City Football Club to play its home games. Such an alternative facility is not available at this time, and is unlikely to be available for some considerable number of years – if at all.
The Bootham Crescent site is clearly a leisure facility for the people of York and the region. The application MUST be rejected based on the policies set out in Planning Policy Guidance PPG 17 and Policy L (1) (b) of the First Set of Pre Inquiry Changes to the Draft Local Plan.
In addition, Bootham Crescent is a community facility. The application must also be rejected based on the Policy C3 of the Draft Local Plan
Whilst we are unfamiliar with the general quality of applications submitted to the Planning Office, we are somewhat surprised by the poor quality of Persimmon’s application. The application is littered with inaccurate and misleading statements and we feel it is very important to bring these to the attention of the Planning Committee so that they are able to make a balanced decision based upon the facts. Please refer to appendix 1 to this letter, which details some of these misleading inaccuracies. We would like to point out in passing, that we feel a long established and very large organisation of the size of Persimmon Homes should be acting as a corporate citizen in these matters, and the fact that they are clearly attempting to mislead the planning committee in this way gives them a great deal of discredit, and we would question that they should ever be considered as a suitable company to develop sites within the City of York. One of the slogans used by Persimmon Homes is "We don't just build houses - we help to create communities". In this case, unless their proposal is rejected, the actions of Persimmon Homes will help to DESTROY a vital part of York’s community.
In appendix 2, you will find details of the way in which the site in question has been - in a totally pre-meditated and money-driven way - separated from York City FC, where it was a community asset, and placed into the financial control of a small number of individuals for personal gain. We ask that you take this in account when building an overall picture of the impact of the proposed development on the local community.
The planning application seems to imply that Persimmon have liased with the football club very closely; however, we feel that many of the statements relating to the viability of the club at the existing site are simply carefully selected "soundbites". We feel that Persimmon and Bootham Crescent Holdings (owners of the site) are working together with very little publicity to evict York City from their home for financial gain, regardless of the consequences. The "soundbites" to which we refer have almost certainly been given by Douglas Craig (former chairman of YORK City FC), Colin Webb or Barry Swallow. All three of these individuals are directors of BCH and stand to make an immense personal profit – the latter two also still currently sit on the board of York City FC. In addition, Persimmon is now a 10% shareholder in BCH, and we feel that any statements made by Persimmon in relation to this planning application, can be taken to represent the views of BCH, given the mutually beneficial effect to them of a successful application. However, these "soundbite" messages are in direct contradiction to statements made by the club (under the directorship of the current BCH board) in 1996, when they submitted planning application to build a new stand at the Grosvenor Road end of the ground. These inconsistencies are highlighted in appendix 3.
Other points we feel that the committee should consider include:
- The supporters and the local community are the moral owners of Bootham Crescent and the Council should not allow a few individuals to profit financially at the expense of the Club, the supporters and the local community.
- In 1999 Douglas Craig and his accomplices stripped the Club of the ownership of Bootham Crescent. Having already started to cash in – having perhaps received around £350,000 to £450,000 already - on the asset that is now held in Bootham Crescent Holdings, they are working together with Persimmon, to oust the Club from its historic home.
- York City Football Club must not be allowed to lose its home because of the actions of these money-grabbing individuals.
- No change of use should be allowed for the Bootham Crescent site unless and until a better facility is in place for York City Football Club to play its home games. It is important that the proposed housing development should not put York City FC’s future at risk.
- Bootham Crescent is a leisure facility of regional importance. York City Football Club is North Yorkshire’s only Football League club and Bootham Crescent is the only stadium which meets its needs.
- Bootham Crescent is also a community facility of regional importance. York City Football Club is an important part of community life in York, both directly and through its work with youth and women’s football. Having a professional Football League club in York has positive benefits for the status of the City.
- The stadium at Bootham Crescent meets the standards required of the Football League and is in an excellent position for such an important local facility. It is near the city centre, has good access by public transport and brings positive benefits to local businesses.
Many thanks indeed for the attention of the Planning Committee to these points. I would respectfully request that as a group with a vested interest in the outcome of this application, that a representative of "Friends of Bootham Crescent" should be allowed to attend the planning meeting when it takes place, and to state the reasons for our objection. Please would you let us know if this can be arranged.
Friends of Bootham Crescent
Appendix 1 - Summary of misleading statements in the application
Appendix 2 - re ownership of Bootham Crescent acquired by BCH
Appendix 3 - re contradiction of previous (1996) application