HS2 and Wendover Cricket Club Wendover Cricket Club (WCC) is, like many other businesses, organisations and residents in Wendover, directly and adversely affected by HS2. In our case at least we have the promise of having something to show for our pain when it eventually comes to fruition.
Three years ago it was hoped to provide two grounds at Tring Road but the landowner’s plans changed and now it will be an “equivalent relocation” of the ERG. That’s not a like-for-like replacement as HS2 originally hoped, but a new facility equivalent to ERG but built to Vegetation has already been removed on the road WCC will still need to use the Witchell modern standards – both the cricket leading to the Ellesborough Road ground ground, which is currently primarily used ground itself and the clubhouse, A year was spent trying to get a funding for junior cricket – training and matches – nets and other facilities. Unfortunately, agreement and just as it had been agreed, as well as the Village Cup competition. As the “safeguarded area” included in the HS2 came up with a cunning plan to keep the a consequence of losing the Ellesborough HS2 Act is on the small side but we won’t club at the ERG in September 2018. A silent Road ground, a Witchell storage facility know what’s achievable until we are able year had passed when WCC managed to get a will also have to be installed to enable the to engage our designers and they tell meeting with the contractor EK who broke the ground to be maintained. us. However, the aim of WCC is that the news of the plans for a 5m high retaining wall new facilities will contain everything one along the ground. WCC’s protests fell on deaf Despite the promise of a good deal from HS2, would want for cricket – changing rooms, ears as did all requests for information, until a WCC has suffered at the hands of HS2 from kitchen, bar, clubroom, officials’ room, etc. new HS2 contact was provided in March 2020 the outset of the project since 2017. Lengthy and instead of an old-style scorebox, an and monthly engagement meetings began. delays, u-turns, lack of communication and electronic remote scoreboard. Thanks to the support and actions of Rob information until recently, long delays in Butler MP, HS2 announced earlier than might being reimbursed significant sums of money The immediate challenges include getting have been the case on 29/07/2020 that WCC ... the list goes on. HS2 to allow WCC to engage its design was to be relocated after all. team and start work now, getting quotes HS2 had always advised that dates were But because the railway was “full speed and the designs approved so they can be ‘cast in stone’ and the initial critical one was ahead”, the new ground wouldn’t be ready submitted for planning, limiting any delays the projected loss of the Ellesborough Road in time and WCC would have to temporarily HS2 cause to a minimum and in due course, ground (ERG) on 1/06/2019. Despite the relocate somewhere for 1 or 2 seasons. reaching agreements with other clubs on urgency required to get on with building the It was essential therefore that planning the grounds we might be able to share in new ground, HS2 continually dragged its the new ground started ASAP but the old 2022 and 2023 – at least 3 will be needed feet. The location written into the HS2 Act funding agreement had to be tweaked and for 4 youth teams and 3 senior teams. is on the arable field behind the vets in Tring agreed. Work progressed on this over the Road on the edge of Halton. Although HS2 last 6 months and agreement had just been WCC and all its members now look to would fund the works, it was up to WCC to reached when it all went quiet. As Wendover HS2 to live up to their previous promises engage a design team and build it. It takes News goes to press, the agreement has been and do right by the people of Wendover. a new cricket square 18 to 24 months to abandoned and a new funding process will Time will tell but regular updates can be established, so to have met the original be agreed sometime in the future. So, if HS2 be found on www.pitchero.com/clubs/ June date, construction would have had to don’t reconsider or make rapid progress, wendovercricketclub and for any specific start by September 2017. Spoiler Alert: This Wendover_News_2015_update4 13/08/2015 15:09WCC Pagemay 1 have to relocate elsewhere for an information, please contact Jonathan did not happen! Seabrook at jseabrook@talktalk.net. additional season (2 to 3 seasons).
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Wendover News April 2021
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