TOTTENHAM understands the concerns that some Abridge residents have about the club's new proposed training centre and youth academy (Spurred into Action, Epping and Ongar Guardians, July 11). However these are concerns that the club has set out to address from the outset of this project.
Our scheme has been designed to have a very minimal impact on the local environment and to work in sympathy with the local landscape.
The new training centre's pavilion will be built partially underground with a turfed roof and will occupy approximately four per cent of the total site, while the outside facilities will be set on landscaped terraces within a network of new hedgerows.
Traffic is something else we have considered. Epping Lane currently carries up to 317 vehicles per hour, and our research shows that the new centre will have a very minimal impact on traffic growth overall.
It will have a zero increase on traffic growth during the weekday morning peak; a 28 vehicle increase in the weekday evening peak (less than one additional car every two minutes); and an average increase of 42 vehicle movements during the weekend peaks, less than one additional car every minute.
To further minimise any additional traffic the club has also developed a green travel plan. The plan will see the establishment of a minibus scheme to transport our youth academy players between the site and their homes. All parents of academy players will be required to sign up their children to use the minibuses where that is practical.
The club takes its responsibilities to consult very seriously and this is certainly the case with our proposed football training centre at Abridge.
The club is keen to get views on its plans for a new training centre and is carrying out its own consultation programme.
We have already made a presentation to Epping Forest Council and have also recently met local MPs. We will soon be holding a number of open evenings where local people can come along and see our plans in detail.
PAUL KEMSLEY, director, Tottenham Hotspur FC.
July 18, 2002 08:30
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