The ESG and Graham Turner’s Breakfast

Today was the official launch and consultation of the Masterplan for the 100 acre ESG area. Details were given of the Civic Quarter, the Retail Quarter and the planned Urban Village. Retained consultants gave presentations on topics like traffic flow, business generation/relocation and housing along with some of the expected timescales relating to the project. During the early session which started at 9.00 am, it became clear that the 15 year plan would be rolled out in stages with the area containing the football stadium falling into the third phase and scheduled for years 4 to 6 of the plan.

At this point I did begin to wonder how any work to the home of HUFC could possibly happen in the near future so at the coffee break I cornered one of the officers and asked if there was any way the club could go ahead before the scheduled time. It was explained the football stadium was in a different situation to most of the project because it was not moving, was self-contained and, to a large extent, self sufficient. Work would therefore be subject mainly to finance and planning consents and not therefore restrained by the greater project of the main ESG plan. Graham Turner and Mrs Fennesey were also present, and had been since before 9.00 am, so I asked The Gaffer for his thoughts on when work might commence. He made the point that we simply could not wait four years and that he hoped to be in a position to, in conjunction with the Richardson’s, submit plans for redevelopment in months rather than years. He said he had met with representatives of the Richardson’s this morning prior to attending the ESG launch which suggests a very early breakfast in the Turner household!

My impression is that there is little doubt that the desperately needed work at Edgar Street will go ahead and sooner than some may think.

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