CFU Response - Phased redevelopment - Abbey Stadium Newmarket Road Cambridge

16/1375/OUT

Phased redevelopment - Abbey Stadium Newmarket Road Cambridge

Cambridge Fans United (CFU) is the trust which represents supporters of Cambridge United Football Club (CUFC). As such, it wishes to comment on the proposal to redevelop the Abbey Stadium and, in particular, to support the proposal wholeheartedly.

The Abbey Stadium, which is currently referred to as the Cambs Glass Stadium, provides the facilities for the football club to operate, both to play matches as a League Two club and to administer a very large range of sporting and community related projects. These are set out in detail, in the planning application, which explains their extent, relevance and the benefits which the community enjoys, as a consequence.

The stadium itself has suffered from deterioration over many years, due to the inability of the football club to fund sufficient maintenance to prevent it. Modern facilities are urgently needed, both to sustain football at the stadium, by meeting safety and comfort standards for spectators and in order to sustain and grow the other activities which the club is committed to.

Transforming both the facilities and the governance of the ground, by the creation of a redeveloped Community Stadium would provide the club and the local community, which currently lacks good provision for sport and other community facilities, with a regeneration worthy of Cambridge. Again, this is set out in the Community Benefits Statement, within the application.

Without the investment which this proposal entails, taken together with and funded by development of a Sporting Village and additional housing at Trumpington, which is the subject of a separate, but linked application, the Abbey Stadium site will, in all probability, continue to decline, even to the extent that it could become unviable. This proposal offers the prospect of a very real and significant improvement in the availability of sports and community facilities in Abbey ward, which will also benefit Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire residents for many years to come.

CFU sees this proposal as an exciting opportunity for the area to acquire a set of sporting and community facilities which are unrivalled locally, and which would provide something special for many years to come and it urges Members to support the proposal.
 
Robert Osbourn, Chairman, Cambridge Fans United
9th September 2016

Contact CFU | Join CFU | News | Join CUFC Lottery
(It costs just 20 pounds to join CFU and your membership makes a difference) CFU.
CUFC Lottery supporting CRY click here  www.play2winlottery.co.uk/bull-cry.html
FACEBOOK   www.facebook.com/CambridgeUnitedFootballClub
TWITTER       https://twitter.com/followCFU