A FRESH option for York’s community stadium project has been revealed – which could allow the city’s football and rugby league clubs to get a new ground each.
A Leeds-based consortium has earmarked 34 acres of land on the outer ring road near Huntington fire station as the potential site for two neighbouring sporting venues. One would be a new home for York City and the other would house York City Knights and City of York Athletics Club.
Dartstone Properties has proposed a land-swap deal which would involve the Knights’ Huntington Stadium ground – the current preferred location for the community stadium – instead becoming part of a huge shopping development planned for the nearby Vangarde site at Monks Cross.
The arrangement would see “restrictive covenants” on the stadium site removed to make changing its use to retail easier, and an alternative location east of the Ring Road’s Strensall Road roundabout, near the fire station, being offered.
Dartstone says this could house separate, adjacent, stadia for City and the Knights or it could be a shared arena with the scope to be extended to include 12,000 seats, training areas for both clubs, an outdoor athletics area and community facilities such as children’s play zones, hockey pitches, tennis and squash courts and BMX courses.
The consortium is now seeking the public’s views before any planning application is submitted.
Click image to see how the stadia and running track would sit just off the York outer ring road
City of York Council, whose members have received the proposal, last year selected Monks Cross as the preferred site for a 6,000-seater stadium for City and the Knights, with athletics facilities being provided within the Sports Village project at Hull Road.
Dartstone spokesman John Reeves, of York chartered surveyors Reeves and Co, said the land exchange would mean the Monks Cross retail scheme could release more commercial funding for the stadium.
He said: “A number of drawbacks have been identified with the council’s current preferred option, which we believe this new site resolves.
“It will resolve the key conflict between the football and rugby clubs sharing the same ground. Huntington Stadium is very limited in its area and it is impossible to provide all the facilities required.
“In addition, there are restrictive covenants on the stadium which seriously affect the ability of it to be financed and developed.
“We recognise this option needs the support of the various clubs and, in particular, the fans of the rugby and football clubs, and we look forward to hearing their views and suggestions.
“We will only have one opportunity in our lifetime to get this community facility right, and if it can be paid for by providing retail planning consent at Monks Cross, this alternative site could provide the answer.
“If it is going to be built, let’s make it last generations by ensuring the facilities are what everybody needs now and with enough space in the future around the site to enhance the sporting community.”
What the clubs say
YORK’S football and rugby clubs say they will keep a watching brief on the new community stadium suggestion.
“From York City’s point of view, we are happy to consider any options, but obviously the project is being led by City of York Council,” said City’s communications director Sophie Hicks.
“We have already signed a heads of agreement document regarding the community stadium project at Monks Cross and we are committed to that project, so although we would be happy to look at all options, we would have to take the council’s lead.
“But time is really important for York City. We have been speaking to the council since 2003 regarding this project and it really needs to be delivered soon to give York City a future.”
Knights owner John Guildford, who did not sign the memorandum of understanding for the stadium last year and has previously spoken out over his fears about the scheme, said: “I presume this suggestion will have the same merit as any other, but we will remain in the position we are in until there is a full proposal for a sustainable development which will work.
“We are quite happy where we are, but I would personally like to see all sporting facilities on one site as a sports village in a good position. If Huntington Stadium is just a rugby and football ground, it will be less of a community than it is now.”
• What do you think of the new stadium proposal? Email mark.stead@thepress.co.uk and we will forward them all to Dartstone Properties.
Stadium hope
Just when we thought a resolution was in sight for York’s proposed community stadium, a rival proposal has emerged. Dartstone Properties says its plan to build two new stadia close to Huntington fire station resolves many of the issues outstanding over the council’s preferred option of a community stadium at Monks Cross.
York City could have its own purpose-built stadium, Dartstone says, while allowing York to have a community stadium for public use.
This proposal has emerged very late. But if it provides a solution everybody can endorse, it is better late than never.
The key thing now is for full planning applications to be submitted for both proposals quickly, so the council can make up its mind and the city can move forward.
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