Evidence Received for the Regeneration Committee's
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Evidence received for the Regeneration Committee’s investigation into stadium-led regeneration. This document contains the submissions that the Renegeration Committee has received for its investigation into stadium-led regeneration. Contents: Page number: 1. Queens Park Rangers Football Club 1 2. Millwall Football Club 7 3. West Ham United Football Club 11 4. Charlton Athletic FC Supporters Trust 26 5. London Legacy Development Corporation 30 6. London Borough of Lewisham 36 7. London Borough of Newham 41 8. Millwall Community Trust 46 9. Tottenham Business Group 48 10. Our Tottenham Local Economy Working Group 57 11. Surrey Canal Renewal 82 12. Supporters Direct 88 13. Dulwich Hamlet Supporters Trust 90 14. London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies 95 15. What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth 98 16. Car Giant 157 17. Alastair Graham KPMG 165 18. Abigail Woodman 168 19. Karin Holloway 169 20. Mark Panton 171 21. Anon 190 22. LB Brent 194 More than just a Stadium Queens Park Rangers Football Club Answers to the London Assembly questions on the regenerative benefits of Football Stadia. • Do you have any plans to redevelop/build a new stadium? Yes, but we are proposing to deliver much more than just a new stadium. This is explained below. QPR’s current ground at Loftus Road only has capacity for circa 18,000 spectators. This is considerably less than the Club needs to be financially sustainable at the highest level. Our capacity is the smallest in the Premier League and would be the 5th smallest in the Championship. Additionally, the current ground is dated and the spectator and commercial facilities provided are not of a modern standard. To secure a sustainable future for QPR, it is essential we develop a new stadium with increased capacity of up to 40,000, and modern facilities, which will provide the commercial platform for the Club to achieve greater footballing success. We cannot achieve this in our current location so have for several years been looking for a relocation site, with the primary aim of also remaining at the heart of our fan base in West London. QPR is a long- established local asset and part of the social infrastructure of Hammersmith and Fulham. Many of our fans are local families born and bred in the Borough, as well as the neighbouring Boroughs of Ealing and Brent. We have identified a site at Old Oak as the only suitable opportunity for our new stadium development that will allow the Club to remain at the heart of its fan base. This is part of a wider area that has been identified for regeneration by the GLA and the Boroughs and is the subject of proposals for the establishment of a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) that is the subject of on going consultation. We believe that the new stadium can act as a catalyst for the early delivery of this proposed regeneration, but at the same time, the new stadium requires the other development around it to help fund the level of infrastructure improvements that are necessary in the area. The aspects of the development enable one another, but the stadium acts as the key place making element that provides the strong focus for homes and jobs that is not ordinarily available in other development projects. QPR is committed to the project and has assembled an expert professional team to advise on delivery. Key members of this team have been responsible for other stadium led regeneration projects, including the Emirates. Many parallels can be drawn with the Emirates at Old Oak, but there is an opportunity to build on the lessons learnt and do better here. • What direct and indirect regeneration impacts might be expected from a stadium scheme? New stadium schemes are generally delivered as part of a wider development whether it is residential, retail or leisure. QPR also envisage a stadium scheme as part of a wider regeneration development. The regeneration impacts from locating a stadium within Old Oak will be to provide a focal point for the development and an early catalyst for regeneration. The new stadium will give the area a real and living identity and character that helps place making and gives the development extra momentum and increases the speed of delivery. It will facilitate the early delivery of key, essential infrastructure in the area that will in turn allow the earlier delivery of other aspects of the regeneration, including new housing and employment opportunities. The stadium and its immediately associated development would create a large amount of employment (2,000-3,000 jobs) quite quickly. This is before any account is taken of the potential to create a further estimated 50,000 new jobs in the longer term. In addition, it will act as the catalyst for the early delivery of over 24,000 new homes. The objective is to create a high quality "place" - a well-planned new development, with a good balance of land uses, a mixed/balanced community, much greater accessibility, and a full range of infrastructure. The new stadium will be the central focus, and will help to ensure a lively/vibrant urban environment from the outset. To achieve this, we propose to deliver more than a football stadium. We intend to provide a multi-purpose sports, leisure, entertainment and community facility that will give the regeneration scheme a focus and 1 identity. It will help create a vibrant atmosphere, attract people to the area, generate employment and help support other businesses. It will also provide a focal point for the Club to grow and expand its existing community and outreach programme currently run out of Loftus Road and already offering over 300 community sessions and activities each week. It will make a meaningful contribution to delivering a new mixed and vibrant community at Old Oak. • What do you see as your responsibilities in supporting regeneration? A new stadium, and associated sports, leisure and community facilities would be an asset for the communities of west London, as well as a great catalyst and placemaking feature for the regeneration process. QPR are proposing to take the lead not just for the stadium, but in partnership with the public sector – to also facilitate the early planning and provision of the new transport and development infrastructure generally. This will enable the whole scheme to be properly integrated and phased, and for development to happen at an early stage, including delivering significant amounts of new mixed tenure housing and employment opportunities. The club recognises its important community position and influence and is active in providing education, training, work and life skills as well as sporting opportunities. A football club at the heart of the community occupies a unique position and has considerable influence and the ability to lead regeneration activities and QPR is committed to working with the local community to improve the environment in the local area. • What role do you think the Mayor should have in stadium-led regeneration schemes? Should he have more/ less/ a different level of involvement to the status quo? The Mayor, in close partnership with the Boroughs should continue to play a pivotal role in facilitating stadium led regeneration. There is evidence from other London schemes, such as Arsenal and the Olympics, where the Mayor’s ongoing involvement has had a positive effect in delivering the desired outcomes. • How have you/ do you plan to assess the social and economic impact a redeveloped/ new stadium is likely to have on the local area? We are conducting a detailed analysis of the socio economic impacts of the proposed development. Our aim is to identify and deliver benefits not only to provide for the residents of the new homes developed, but that also can be of benefit for the existing residents in the established surrounding communities. The wider development will incorporate schools, healthcare facilities and other social infrastructure, which will improve facilities for the existing communities as well as providing a firm foundation for the regeneration scheme itself. There are many examples where new stadia have led to positive impacts on the local community delivering residential development, attracting additional business and employment opportunities, investing in the surrounding infrastructure and providing job opportunities. • How do you envisage the stadium being used as a community asset? Our aim is that the new stadiumwill allow the Club to extend its established community and outreach programmes for community sport and education. The stadium will offer community access, will offer leisure opportunities, will run educational programmes and provide local job opportunities. This will be of benefit both to the new residents of the area as well as the established communities. • How do you plan to maximise footfall at and around the stadium? What non-football events will take place at the redeveloped/new stadium? The stadium will obviously be used for all QPR home matches. IIn addition, we are looking to provide a facility that will be available for additional sports, entertainment and community events so that it is an asset that is actively used for most of the year round. The club will explore partnerships with other major sports to host fixtures and will look to stage a range of events. In addition the stadium is envisaged to be at the heart of a wider leisure and entertainment complex which will provide footfall and vibrancy 365 days a year. The stadium will be positioned as a major corporate venue which will attract conferences, trade shows and local business fairs throughout the year. • Please describe how you have worked/ are working with the local authority to maximise opportunities for regeneration in the surrounding area.