SOS PRESS STATEMENT

SOS would like to provide a brief update of the current position regarding our campaign to bring back greyhound racing to Walthamstow Stadium.

We are delighted to report that our recent local media campaign was hugely successful. This culminated in many thousands of letters being sent to the council in support of our aim to protect Walthamstow Stadium under planning law. It also gave us the opportunity to meet with the public and further cement the overwhelming local support that our campaign enjoys. We would like to thank all SOS supporters that helped with this.

We are also pleased to advise that matters are progressing positively ‘behind the scenes’ and we have handed matters over to the financiers.

As a gesture of goodwill to London and Quadrant and to help facilitate a potential deal to be made, SOS are suspending their campaign and we are making no further press comment until further notice.

Exhibition celebrates the stadium

There’s a photography exhibition on at Vestry House Museum, Vestry Road, E17 which documents the staff and stadium in the run up it’s closure. The exhibition by Katherine Green, mixes photography and oral histories. There’s also a book available online from Blurb.

Press release from Save Our Stow

Please find attached to this post a press release from Save Our Stow with regards to the recently issued Walthamstow Greyhound Stadium Urban Design Guidance.  Also attached is a copy of the draft letter we would like everyone to print out and post to Waltham Forest Council

Press Release 24-07-09

Draft Letter supporting Walthamstow Stadium

Very Important …… Every Email/Letter Counts !!!

Click on the following link to download the draft letter

Draft Letter supporting Walthamstow Stadium

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

Although L&Q seem to want to convince everyone the residential development of Walthamstow Stadium is a done deal this is far from the case. Waltham Forest Council has called for public opinion on how land in the borough should be used as a final stage of their preparation of the new Local Development Framework (LDF) which will guide future development until 2026.

They have called for (Via their borough newsletter) the public to tell them about ‘Sites you think should be protected – for example open space for recreational use, or an employment site that you think should be protected to provide local jobs etc.’

Clearly the Greyhound Stadium scores high on both the recreation and local jobs issues.

This is a perfect opportunity to let the council and the planners know how important the dog track is to the people of Waltham Forest and to London as a whole.

Please write to the address below and state your opinion. Individual letters carry most weight, particularly from residents of the borough The Council does however, have to take account of London wide issues in this LDF and anyone in the capital can have a say on this.

We also provide below a draft letter you can add your name and address to and send on if you are not quite sure how to make your point. Feel free to add your own comments should you decide to use our draft.

Please send (before 27^th August 2009) to

By email

planning.policy@walthamforest.gov.uk

There is a ‘call for sites’ form on the council’s website (www.walthamforest.gov.uk/ldf) that you can use if you like

By post to

Site specific Allocations DPD

Planning Policy

Environment and Regeneration

Sycamore House

Waltham Forest Town Hall Complex

Forest Road

Walthamstow E17 4JF

By post to

Site specific Allocations DPD

Planning Policy

Environment and Regeneration

Sycamore House

Waltham Forest Town Hall Complex

Forest Road

Walthamstow E17 4JF

Click on the following link to download the draft letter

Draft Letter supporting Walthamstow Stadium

Stadium bidder named

Yesterday, Nick Budimir, was named as the businessman leading a substantive team of investors who intend to make an offer to buy the Stow. Budimir would like to meet L&Q at the earliest possible opportunity with a view to buying the stadium and returning it to greyhound racing. Walthamstow’s Labour MP Neil Gerrard and Liberal Democrat deputy leader of Waltham Forest Council, John Macklin will help broker the meeting.

See the video of Ricky Holloway’s speech on Vimeo: SOS 4 July 2009 from Stow Judge

A big thanks to those who turned up today

Thanks to all who turned up to support Save Our Stow today, here a report from the local paper and there’s a report from the BBC and Sky to follow.

Quick update

Thanks all for your patience, this quick update is to let you know that we’re still working on saving the track. The consortium are still working on brockering negociations between potential buyers.

L&Q Housing have not put in any plans for the site to the Council as yet.

The council commissioned a feasibility study on the track but for some reason, this has been delayed, they have not given a reason for this.

It would be helpful if people could write to their local councillors – there is an election this time next year and if we keep the pressure on them to sort the situation out – and most of all to let them know that we still want our track – it could help!

The easiest way to write to them is at http://www.writetothem.com – type in your postcode and write an email to each of your 3 ward councillors.

If you do not hear back from them with 28 days, send a reminder and if you still don’t hear, write a complaint about them to https://www1.walthamforest.gov.uk/webforms/complaints/default.aspx – there’s an online form which makes things easier!

Walthamstow Stadium update

Happy New Year to all supporters!

Before Christmas Waltham Forest Council commissioned Urban Practitioners, a firm of architects, to carry out an independent study about what should happen with the Stadium site – we are still awaiting the publication of this report and if it is made public by the Council, it will be published here.

As reported in the press, L&Q Housing Group, who currently own the site – temporarilily allowed the KICC church to put up a huge marquee for religious gatherings over the Christmas and New Year period – this has now gone.

The consortium is still working with a possible buyer behind the scenes – any sale will alway depend on L&Q’s willingness to sell.

L&Q have not yet submitted any plans for flats on the site. Plans would need to be approved by Waltham Forest Council’s planning department.

Please be assured that although it may seem that the campaign is quiet, everyone involved is still positive and working towards the aim of having a working Greyhound Stadium on the site once again.

Please continue to voice your concerns about the loss to the area to your local representatives.

L&Q Statement

SOS met with L&Q yesterday, the meeting apparently went well, more details to follow as the team are working on preparing for the next stage of negociations.

In the meantime L&Q have issued the following press release:

Statement re. Meeting with SOS consortium

A spokesperson for the consortium involving London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q), yoo Capital and KW Linfoot Plc which has acquired the Walthamstow Greyhound Stadium site said:

L&Q acting on behalf of the above consortium met with the SOS consortium on the 17th September.

This was not, as has been reported, a meeting to negotiate the sale of the land. No deal has been agreed between us and the SOS consortium. Instead this meeting was an opportunity for the SOS consortium to actually introduce themselves, for them to present a more detailed business proposal and to provide evidence that funds are available for any proposed purchase. The proposal received on the 23rd July was far too brief to be considered.

Following this meeting we are now able to look at their proposal and give it our full consideration. Once a decision has been made we will contact the SOS consortium directly. As this is a private business matter until a decision has been reached we have no further comment with regards to the proposal.

-Ends-

L&Q Communications team: 020 8557 2126 / communications@lqgroup.org.uk

Notes to Editors

About L&Q
L&Q is a not-for-profit housing association committed to providing high quality, affordable homes.
L&Q manages more than 57,000 homes across London and the South-East, and builds around 1,100 new homes each year.
L&Q is overseen by a voluntary governing board, is an exempt charity and does not have shareholders.
L&Q generates income from a mix of rents, Housing Corporation grants and private finance.
For more information about L&Q please visit the website: www.lqgroup.org.uk

About yoo

yoo Capital, a sister company of property branding and design company, yoo, is involved in investing residential and mixed use development projects with a value of $2 billion and over 3,000 units. In addition to providing financial backing, yoo Capital is a premium brand that adds value and increases investment returns for its partners.

We typically invest between 10% and 50% of the project equity required, dependent upon the needs of the development partner, and the scale of the development.

Over the past nine years yoo has been working across the world with international partners on a variety of landmark buildings and large residential projects throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America and the Middle East. Currently yoo is involved in the development of more than 25,000 apartments valuing over $10 billion.

For more information about yoo please visit the website: www.yoo.com

About KW Linfoot
Based in Leeds, K W Linfoot Plc is recognised as market leader in the development and design of city centre apartments. In recent years, K W Linfoot Plc has become one of the pioneers of the growth of city living throughout the north of England, in Yorkshire, particularly in Leeds, Manchester and York, and has been at the forefront of the transformation and regeneration of the riversides and city centres in both locations:
For more information about KW Linfoot please visit the website www.kwlinfoot.co.uk

SOS Campaign Meeting-5.30 Thursday 7th August-Goodwood Lounge

All supporters are welcome to attend a meeting where the campaign will be discussed. The main focus will be arranging the march for 16 August.