| Linford Christie Stadium. 18:04 - Aug 9 with 149017 views | ted_hendrix |
That's where our new ground will be. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 13:52 - Jul 18 with 3735 views | DavieQPR |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 13:15 - Jul 18 by Loyalitat |
It clearly didn't deter Imperial College from acquiring 11.5 acres nearby in 2013, in addition to land they bought from the BBC. Loftus Road footprint is about 5 acres. [Post edited 18 Jul 2023 13:35]
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It was 7.7acres for £23m ( £30m now with inflation). It added to land they already owned. |  | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 14:07 - Jul 18 with 3674 views | Loyalitat |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 13:52 - Jul 18 by DavieQPR |
It was 7.7acres for £23m ( £30m now with inflation). It added to land they already owned. |
Their website clearly states that they acquired 11.5 acres from Aviva in White City in 2013. I could be wrong. |  | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 15:26 - Jul 18 with 3501 views | Juzzie |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 13:15 - Jul 18 by Loyalitat |
It clearly didn't deter Imperial College from acquiring 11.5 acres nearby in 2013, in addition to land they bought from the BBC. Loftus Road footprint is about 5 acres. [Post edited 18 Jul 2023 13:35]
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Maybe because local authority/central government rubber stamped a massive residential (ker-ching) complex. |  | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 16:04 - Jul 18 with 3367 views | QPRConor2000 |
I wonder if the club is already planning on redoing Loftus Road, hence why its gone quiet.
know its pretty unlikely, but I have found it interesting that Ruben said a while back on the Open all Rs podcast that they are looking at what to do with LR.
He talks about it between 9:00 and 13:00 mins.
ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PqjxGXfNEkn | | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 16:58 - Jul 18 with 3189 views | LordPork |
what happened to the old mantra, "every problem is a opportunity"?
I ask on the basis that most of the companies I worked for viewed commerce like this. This has been rumbling on most of my lifetime ( a very long time ) with loads of plans and ideas, assorted Directors inputs, consultants etc.
We've had guys on the Board well fixed/associated with H&F Council affairs, planning/development, you name it.
Nett result. NOWT
and as highlighted here, while Rome burns...........
From a marketing viewpoint, the concentration of potential supporters has increased markedly within the QPR catchment area ( whatever that my be to different people ) but in the meantime our competitors, fishing in the same pool have probably swept them all up. In an unbiased world, who's choose QPR by choice?
Plus, theres a bit on an imbalance now, a 5* training facility, a "project" ( yes I know, another one ) to survive and "get back where we belong in The Premiership " ( don't shoot me I'm only the messenger) and at the same time a shitty ground predominantly suitable for dwarfs ..... | | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 17:13 - Jul 18 with 3109 views | stainrods_elbow |
It isn't a lack of financial clout if we wanted to rebuild the ground (which doesn't/wouldn't count against FFP for FFS) - it's a lack of will, initiative, enterprise and soul, personified by our unfit-for-purpose CEO. The filthy windows for GA's post-season interview were, as I've pointed out, a small but significant symptom of the general malaise. Even if we had to buy up the housing and so forth to develop LR, the cost would be a small fraction of upping sticks. Not least because it's clear the Council (as well as the BBC) hates us, we'd do best, in my opinion, to thoroughly reexamine and recost this option going forwards. If the Loft end were converted back to standing, safe or otherwise, that would be a massive step in the right direction.
As the other poster points out, we're also the only club in London in this position with our ground, and you have to ask why that is. At the same time, I don't recall people maoning about legroom etc. during the hey-day of the mid-70s, the Venables era of the early 80s or when we were top team in London in the mid-90s - I certainly wasn't. Now people throw around phrases like 'unfit for purpose' like the Tories/New Labour do about 'viable' university courses. Times and perceptions change, I guess, and often for the worse. [Post edited 18 Jul 2023 23:21]
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 17:23 - Jul 18 with 3072 views | PunteR |
Re developing Loftus Road has to be financially viable in the long term doesnt it ?. Same with any building . Otherwise it just become run down and a money pit trying to maintain it. |  |
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 17:30 - Jul 18 with 3046 views | numptydumpty |
I can't see any viable reason not just financially why Loftus Road is possible to be extended ie heavily populated area and lack of easy access by road also.
Not feasible on any levels but I think the owners simply aren't into the project as much as other owners at other London clubs
In fact every single other London Club !!! [Post edited 18 Jul 2023 17:31]
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 18:37 - Jul 18 with 2893 views | QPRConor2000 |
I think we cant rule out the owners redeveloping LR given the current impasse with the new stadium.
To be honest, a new stadium would be great and I think we all hope we can secure a site for one, but we have to keep a Loftus Road redevelopment on the table.
I personally think its starting to become more likely we opt down that route. | | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 18:53 - Jul 18 with 2846 views | Loyalitat |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 17:30 - Jul 18 by numptydumpty |
I can't see any viable reason not just financially why Loftus Road is possible to be extended ie heavily populated area and lack of easy access by road also.
Not feasible on any levels but I think the owners simply aren't into the project as much as other owners at other London clubs
In fact every single other London Club !!! [Post edited 18 Jul 2023 17:31]
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So true. | | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 19:06 - Jul 18 with 2778 views | silverbirch |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 16:04 - Jul 18 by QPRConor2000 |
I wonder if the club is already planning on redoing Loftus Road, hence why its gone quiet.
know its pretty unlikely, but I have found it interesting that Ruben said a while back on the Open all Rs podcast that they are looking at what to do with LR.
He talks about it between 9:00 and 13:00 mins.
ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PqjxGXfNEkn |
Digging down, probably | | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 21:00 - Jul 18 with 2574 views | Hoopsie |
Keep Loftus Road, retrofit and upgrade seating and amenities to fit elves and hobbits - capacity may be down to 15000, install retractable roofing so stadium can be fully indoor
This stadium can be used for concerts, exhibitions, conferences, community engagements and weekly/bi monthly football matches for the u18, development squads, QPR ladies, and rugby, cricket
The owners could hardly profit by selling LR because you cannot do a multi density residential development, you need to incorporate a significant open space on the site for community use, that won’t attract potential developers to invest. Hence the dilemma of not knowing what to do
For the QPR first team? Find a site and build a new stadium, LC stadium, old oak, Heston, move out of w12, club has to explore all options. Hope we got the money. Isn’t there a report QPR is one of the wealthiest clubs per their owners net worth?? 🙏🏻 |  |
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 23:20 - Jul 18 with 2433 views | ted_hendrix |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 17:23 - Jul 18 by PunteR |
Re developing Loftus Road has to be financially viable in the long term doesnt it ?. Same with any building . Otherwise it just become run down and a money pit trying to maintain it. |
It is currently a money pit and in poor condition It Is also (lets be honest) a great old stadium .
The day's of a 'lick of paint' are long gone next home game walk down Ellerslie Road and take a look up at the cladding and rainwater down-pipes they're in disrepair and clearly haven't been maintained.
Someone at high level will sooner or later have to make that very risky decision we've either gotta move or spend good money on an ageing and tired old building and remember this as a Championship club can you imagine spending say £2 Million on a much needed makeover (for want of a better word) and then getting relegated down to league One?
Thats's quite possible that could happen.
I wouldn't like to be running or owning a football club, no way. | |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 23:50 - Jul 18 with 2382 views | PunteR |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 23:20 - Jul 18 by ted_hendrix |
It is currently a money pit and in poor condition It Is also (lets be honest) a great old stadium .
The day's of a 'lick of paint' are long gone next home game walk down Ellerslie Road and take a look up at the cladding and rainwater down-pipes they're in disrepair and clearly haven't been maintained.
Someone at high level will sooner or later have to make that very risky decision we've either gotta move or spend good money on an ageing and tired old building and remember this as a Championship club can you imagine spending say £2 Million on a much needed makeover (for want of a better word) and then getting relegated down to league One?
Thats's quite possible that could happen.
I wouldn't like to be running or owning a football club, no way. |
I went to see Barcelona play their last game at the current Nou Camp stadium couple of months back. Impressive stadium, just the size of it. But look closer and its a really run down building. 1980s style tiles in the loos, rusty pipes, and leaks. Seats old, weathered and cracking, . So it's all being teared down and building something else I think.
Not sure what my point is really other than it doesn't really matter about the history, nostalgia or whatever, you want a stadium that represents your club well. Not falling apart. One of the big gripes at Man U is the state of their ground and the Glaziers not spending any money on it.. ( lol) .
As owners they will have to make a decision on it one day. No escaping it. Is capacity the biggest priority ? Or just the match day comfort and experience.?
Be interesting to see how the training ground holds up over the next few years.
I still think the club need to promote itself more in the area. | |
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 10:07 - Jul 19 with 4441 views | QPRConor2000 |
I wonder if its actually possible we could turn the school end and loft ends into single tier stands within the existing boundaries
you could keep the roof structure intact, but have something like modular seating inside the structure.
The benefit of this is that you could gain the benefit of making the school end more flexible in terms of segregation, so you could have ether one third of the stand to away fans, half the stand or the whole lot, so less seats would go empty.
Whilst it wouldn't increase capacity, I think it would help with the overall matchday experience. | | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 14:13 - Jul 19 with 3913 views | QPRConor2000 |
I personally dont think the problem is the capacity of the stadium, but the fact we cannot get non-matchday income.
I personally would settle for 20k capacity over a 30k one which is multi-purpose along with a modern conference facility.
I went to Swansea's ground a while back and I have to say that should be the blueprint for us. | | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 14:19 - Jul 19 with 3889 views | Sonofpugwash |
The only way to develop LR it seems would be as a part of a redevelopment/regenaration area.This brings Compulsory Purchase into play.Massive amounts of compensation involved though. |  |
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 14:32 - Jul 19 with 3841 views | derbyhoop |
Biggest problem with LR is the tiny footprint. 5 acres is about half what is needed for a modern stadium of 20k capacity, or more. |  |
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Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 14:50 - Jul 19 with 3767 views | QPRConor2000 |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 14:32 - Jul 19 by derbyhoop |
Biggest problem with LR is the tiny footprint. 5 acres is about half what is needed for a modern stadium of 20k capacity, or more. |
Swansea's stadium takes about 8 acres of land, that holds somewhere in the region of 20,000 seats, so its potentially doable if we do buy the school and the houses behind ellerslie road.
I would demolish the existing stadium and rebuild it to a modern standard, this would mean though that we would have to groundshare temporarily. , which I dont think I would mind for a few seasons. | | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 01:38 - Jul 20 with 3450 views | Hoopsie |
QPR Loftus Road Stadium occupies 4.7 acres with a pitch size of 102 x 66 holding 18,439 capacity surrounded by residential houses adjoining 2 sides and a school/houses on one end
*Stadium building footprint only, does not include auxiliary areas like open car parking, open spaces and landscaping etc that belongs to land the stadium sits on)
Estadio do Bessa, Boavista home ground holds 28,263 seated, pitch size 105 x 68 - occupying about 5.7 acres roughly 3 km from Porto central district with no major adjacent buildings and an open field complex about the same size of the stadium adjoining it to the northeast
Swansea City's Swansea.com. Stadium has a seating capacity of 21,088, pitch size 105 x 68 in the outskirts of the city and has a stadium footprint of about 7.5 acres.
Assuming seating per acre to enable some form of comparison;
Loftus Road - 3923 per acre
Bessa - 4958 per acre
Swansea.com - 2812 acre
Bessa's density is higher and Swansea has a lower density. If Loftus Road adopts Bessa's density, the capacity is increased to 23303 (4958 x 4.7)
However, things are not so simple
Bessa's pitch is surrounded by 4 sides of double tier stands albeit minus seating on the 4 corners. The atmosphere i am sure is quite intimidating, reckon more so than LR because of the proximity of the stands to the pitch and the height towering over the field of play. Swansea's low seating number per acre can be explained by its sprawling site and the ample room allows the structure of the stadium to sit out of main building on 2 sides. No worry for a lack of space while both these stadiums have no issues with light or building mass intrusion to their immediate neighbouring structures, if any.
Loftus Road is quite different as we are limited to height and right to light issues on 2 sides (Loft End - Loftus Road houses and SB stand - Ellerslie Road houses) and the school end has limited capacity for expansion due partly to terrace houses on Imre Court and the uncertainty of the availability of the school land for purchase.
However, I believe the greatest obstacle to redeveloping LR is not about money or the lack of (we have rich* owners - Stadium improvement works not counting towards FFP), or egress or ingress to the stadium on match days, or size of the seating capacity, or non-match day uses, or a staged retrofitting of the stadium (renovate / build new stands in phases), or ground/civil engineering works (sewerage, water, gas, water table, our favourite "dig-down", electricity etc) - these are surmountable challenges (if there is a will there is a way) but the planning framework for the regeneration of the precinct in the H&F Council planning policy which states that any redevelopment of the Loftus Road Stadium area will be residential led with the (re)provision of open space for community/leisure use provides a dead end to this idea.
That I think this put things to a grinding halt for our owners of any plans in redeveloping LR or selling / redeveloping the land for other uses for profit (private developers will not play top prices for land that must include significant community function - doesn't sounds profitable - I can see this as a joint council-developer venture, if it happens)
So where to now? | |
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| Linford Christie Stadium. on 07:48 - Jul 20 with 3275 views | Rs_Holy |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 01:38 - Jul 20 by Hoopsie |
QPR Loftus Road Stadium occupies 4.7 acres with a pitch size of 102 x 66 holding 18,439 capacity surrounded by residential houses adjoining 2 sides and a school/houses on one end
*Stadium building footprint only, does not include auxiliary areas like open car parking, open spaces and landscaping etc that belongs to land the stadium sits on)
Estadio do Bessa, Boavista home ground holds 28,263 seated, pitch size 105 x 68 - occupying about 5.7 acres roughly 3 km from Porto central district with no major adjacent buildings and an open field complex about the same size of the stadium adjoining it to the northeast
Swansea City's Swansea.com. Stadium has a seating capacity of 21,088, pitch size 105 x 68 in the outskirts of the city and has a stadium footprint of about 7.5 acres.
Assuming seating per acre to enable some form of comparison;
Loftus Road - 3923 per acre
Bessa - 4958 per acre
Swansea.com - 2812 acre
Bessa's density is higher and Swansea has a lower density. If Loftus Road adopts Bessa's density, the capacity is increased to 23303 (4958 x 4.7)
However, things are not so simple
Bessa's pitch is surrounded by 4 sides of double tier stands albeit minus seating on the 4 corners. The atmosphere i am sure is quite intimidating, reckon more so than LR because of the proximity of the stands to the pitch and the height towering over the field of play. Swansea's low seating number per acre can be explained by its sprawling site and the ample room allows the structure of the stadium to sit out of main building on 2 sides. No worry for a lack of space while both these stadiums have no issues with light or building mass intrusion to their immediate neighbouring structures, if any.
Loftus Road is quite different as we are limited to height and right to light issues on 2 sides (Loft End - Loftus Road houses and SB stand - Ellerslie Road houses) and the school end has limited capacity for expansion due partly to terrace houses on Imre Court and the uncertainty of the availability of the school land for purchase.
However, I believe the greatest obstacle to redeveloping LR is not about money or the lack of (we have rich* owners - Stadium improvement works not counting towards FFP), or egress or ingress to the stadium on match days, or size of the seating capacity, or non-match day uses, or a staged retrofitting of the stadium (renovate / build new stands in phases), or ground/civil engineering works (sewerage, water, gas, water table, our favourite "dig-down", electricity etc) - these are surmountable challenges (if there is a will there is a way) but the planning framework for the regeneration of the precinct in the H&F Council planning policy which states that any redevelopment of the Loftus Road Stadium area will be residential led with the (re)provision of open space for community/leisure use provides a dead end to this idea.
That I think this put things to a grinding halt for our owners of any plans in redeveloping LR or selling / redeveloping the land for other uses for profit (private developers will not play top prices for land that must include significant community function - doesn't sounds profitable - I can see this as a joint council-developer venture, if it happens)
So where to now? |
excellent post ...
'the planning framework for the regeneration of the precinct in the H&F Council planning policy'.
Yep, Loftus Road is unique, completely different to scumford bridge or craven cottage. But H&F appear unaccommodating to us moving to a new stadium in the borough or it would appear improving Loftus Road? My earlier post (finding a way of doing up Loftus Road) was based on the scenario of the only 2 options we have now is
1. improving Loftus Road as much as is humanly possible or
2. Moving out of the borough.
I actually live around 10 miles west of Loftus Road so you'd think I would welcome a move somewhere off the M4 but I hate the idea. Ealing or Acton I can live with (although it doesn't look like there's a lot available there). But West Drayton, Slough, Uxbridge... no thanks. |  | | |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 14:06 - Jul 20 with 3059 views | QPRConor2000 |
| Linford Christie Stadium. on 07:48 - Jul 20 by Rs_Holy |
excellent post ...
'the planning framework for the regeneration of the precinct in the H&F Council planning policy'.
Yep, Loftus Road is unique, completely different to scumford bridge or craven cottage. But H&F appear unaccommodating to us moving to a new stadium in the borough or it would appear improving Loftus Road? My earlier post (finding a way of doing up Loftus Road) was based on the scenario of the only 2 options we have now is
1. improving Loftus Road as much as is humanly possible or
2. Moving out of the borough.
I actually live around 10 miles west of Loftus Road so you'd think I would welcome a move somewhere off the M4 but I hate the idea. Ealing or Acton I can live with (although it doesn't look like there's a lot available there). But West Drayton, Slough, Uxbridge... no thanks. |
I suggested a while back that we look at teaming up with Eailing Trailfinders who are a rugby union team to build a new stadium on their existing site.
They need to get a 10k capacity stadium in order to get into the Premiership and I think us and Ealing could easily form a joint-partnership in order to build a new 20k capacity venue.
The site they are on is just off the A40 and there is crossrail nearby so it could be doable. | | | |
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