Talk:The Dell (Southampton)

Objections

I have already once reverted edits about the objections to the building of Stoneham. For a start, I don't think an article on The Dell is the place for them (perhaps the history of SFC is), but moreover the reference does not support the claim and as far as I remember having a team from Southampton in Eastleigh was not a reason the development fell through. I don't wish to start an edit war, so would someone else mind taking a look at the situation and deciding whether or not I am right? Thanks Dan K 22:02, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

As always, the truth of these matters is never so simple. I recall that at the time Stoneham was proposed there were objections from Eastleigh residents although I felt that they were totally irrational bearing in mind the distance between the stadium site and the town centre and the minor fact that the M27 separated the two. The main reason for Stoneham's failure was local party politics. The site straddled the boundary between Southampton (Labour controlled) and Eastleigh (Lib-Dem), but the planning authority was Hampshire County Council (Conservative). The situation was neatly summed up in Dave Juson & David Bull's book "Full Time at The Dell":

“ In brief...

The site was unsuitable because it was in a "strategic gap" - although it was not: it was in a "proposed strategic gap". It was unsuitable because it was too close to a motorway junction. It was unsuitable because it was too close to housing in Southampton. It was unsuitable because it was too close to Eastleigh, the centre of which would become a no-go area on Saturdays, because of marauding Chelsea supporters. It would be unsuitable because the floodlights would confuse planes landing at Southampton airport. It was unsuitable because the floodlighting would cause lorry drivers to career off the M27...well, it was just unsuitable, so there.

But mostly it was unsuitable because a council controlled by another party had set out the project.

”

I think it's rather ironic that since the Stoneham project was axed, the community football pitches have been abandoned, the site is now semi-derelict, often occupied by travellers and Hampshire County Council have tried desperately to offload it. Politicians - don't you just love them! Daemonic Kangaroo 05:00, 22 September 2007 (UTC)

That's how I remember it - the three councils all being controlled by different parties and just going around in circles about it. I certainly don't recall that fact that Eastleigh residents were unhappy a team from a different city would be 'in' their town. I'm going to remove the edit, and replace it with something ref'd from Full Time at The Dell when I get the full details of the ref (rather than just the book title) when I dig my copy out later on over the weekend. Any problems with this, let me know. Dan K 10:08, 22 September 2007 (UTC)