Regeneration of a swathe of land around Wembley Stadium is being stymied by “uncertainty and false starts”.
Speaking after the governments failure on 19 December to give Wembleys National Stadiums bid the go-ahead, former Wembley Task Force chairman Sir Nigel Mobbs said: “This leaves us with many unanswered questions.”
The chairman of Slough Estates said the uncertainty would delay the redevelopment of the surrounding land. “The continuing problem is one of uncertainty and false starts.”
It was hoped that culture secretary Tessa Jowell would give Wembleys bid the green light before Christmas. Although Wembley has yet again been confirmed as the FAs “preferred option”, the proposals have been delayed further by the governments call for a legal inquiry into WNSLs corporate governance and procurement process, which is expected to report in March.
Until the report is published, the government has said that it would continue talks with the rival Birmingham bid.
Mobbs said: “The probability that we will see the National Stadium being built at Wembley is certainly higher than it was a few weeks ago, but its still fingers crossed until March.”
A positive decision would give the go-ahead to Lord Fosters design for the stadium, which incorporates a big arch instead of the world-famous twin towers. However, other aspects of the original plans, including a hotel and office complex, have been dropped following the Carter Reports verdict that they were “overambitious”.
Mobbs said that jettisoning the commercial aspects of the scheme was “a necessity”, but added that further uncertainty would hold up development of the adjacent Wembley plc land. “So far, its not been finding buyers because of the current situation. Any future development entirely depends on whether the stadium goes ahead.”
EGi News 04/01/02
