VIDEO: Warrington Town unveils Omega stadium bid

10:00am Thursday 24th January 2013 in Sport

An artist's impression An artist's impression

WARRINGTON Town have released ambitious plans for a new stadium to be built on the former Burtonwood air base site.

The club, who are aiming to make it into the Football League, say the 5,000 to 6,000 capacity ground would also include an indoor sport and entertainment venue.

Richard Sutton is chief executive at the club which currently plays at the Abacus Solicitors Stadium in Latchford.

He says a move to Omega would help realise the club’s lofty goals.

He added: “We have looked at other options for relocation which included a possible short-term switch to Wilderspool Stadium, but that did not prove to be viable.

"We want to create a destination stadium.

“Our intention is to make sure that we have the facilities and location to fully realize the town’s potential for football development, and that can be fulfilled here as part of a scheme that brings wider facilities into the area.

“We have spent a considerable amount of time looking at various football and other sport stadia facilities and it is clear that the stadiums of the future need to have multiple commercial uses, coupled with a much wider appeal to the local population.”

And the club has called on former England and Manchester United legend Bryan Robson to help with the plans, through his company Bryan Robson Sports.

He said: “The club have ambitious plans to develop a new sustainable Stadium complex to help them progress up the Football League structure.”

And Mr Sutton believes the club, which currently attracts crowds of between 100 and 200 for its Evo-Stick First Division North matches, can have a successful football league future - alongside the Wolves.

He added: “There is no reason why this town cannot emulate the likes of Wigan, Huddersfield Bradford and Leeds in sustaining successful football and rugby league teams drawing five figure crowds to both.”

He said the aim now is to produce a business plan that fits in with the wider scheme for Omega south.

“Along with our consultants Robson Sports, we are making good progress in our efforts to find the right investment partners and we believe that discussions with Miller and the Homes and Communities agency can lead to finding a way forward and we can bring these exciting plans to fruition,” he added.

The facts:

Te proposed scheme, for the site at Omega south, close to the M62, includes

  •  5,000 to 6,000 capacity stadium including gym and function suites
  •  Several full size all weather 3G pitches
  •  A Stadi Arena; An indoor event centre for up to 3,4000 people, hosting concerts, exhibitions, conferencing and indoor sport.
  •  An education unit, which could house a football university and link with a premier league academy.
  •  A community hub, including a doctor’s surgery, chemist and library.
  •  Affordable housing units within the stadium structure.

 

Comments(22)

SAC_in_Warrington says...
11:56am Thu 24 Jan 13

The "NIMBYs" will have a field day on this. Noise and traffic issues and match day parking will certainly be issues for this proposed development if it is not a pipe dream. I wonder, just wonder...

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Casual Postman of Orford says...
1:32pm Thu 24 Jan 13

This won't happen. Warrington is a rugby town and people who support football watch the big clubs around hear! One man and his dog watch the Town these days!!

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kay says...
2:55pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Lets be positive about this.Surely it would be an asset.

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Casual Postman of Orford says...
3:10pm Thu 24 Jan 13

More chance of a Titan Prison getting off the ground than this!!

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MikeJT says...
3:22pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Omega would be an excellent site for a small club to have a ground. IIRC the site already has the start of a link road heading straight to the M62.

IIRC Warrington Town may have to get out of Cantilever Park "soon" as Peel Development continues with its Ocean gateway project. Is it likely that this new stadium would be ready for then? Probably not. The new and improved Victoria Park might be though.

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SAC_in_Warrington says...
4:04pm Thu 24 Jan 13

What are the current gate figures for IIRC Warrington Town? Are shares for the Club currently on sale? Will it be a case of purchasing good players or a providing a new stadium? Are they hoping for one or a consortium of the local billionaires to cough up the cash?

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Nick Tessla says...
4:09pm Thu 24 Jan 13

SAC_in_Warrington wrote:
What are the current gate figures for IIRC Warrington Town? Are shares for the Club currently on sale? Will it be a case of purchasing good players or a providing a new stadium? Are they hoping for one or a consortium of the local billionaires to cough up the cash?
Perhaps Warrington's Labour council could contribute from their slush fund.

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SAC_in_Warrington says...
4:18pm Thu 24 Jan 13

They do enough dodging, weaving and ducking and diving, they could play for the team and save some money. My one reservation would be that they would be content at scoring home goals. So on the whole not a good Idea.

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SickAndTired2 says...
5:26pm Thu 24 Jan 13

SAC_in_Warrington wrote:
The "NIMBYs" will have a field day on this. Noise and traffic issues and match day parking will certainly be issues for this proposed development if it is not a pipe dream. I wonder, just wonder...
Why do you have to act like such a prejudiced bigot?

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SAC_in_Warrington says...
5:47pm Thu 24 Jan 13

SickAndTired2 wrote:
SAC_in_Warrington wrote:
The "NIMBYs" will have a field day on this. Noise and traffic issues and match day parking will certainly be issues for this proposed development if it is not a pipe dream. I wonder, just wonder...
Why do you have to act like such a prejudiced bigot?
Why do you have to display your proportionate lack of intelligence and an obvious disrespect for free speech? Although I guess that in all probability you will proffer a denial of this comment.

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irishwire says...
7:32pm Thu 24 Jan 13

I have never been to see warrington town but would definitely bring my son here rather than old trafford as the prices for football nowadays is pathetic.

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ctuk_WA3 says...
7:56pm Thu 24 Jan 13

I would be a lot more likely to watch Warrington play in a proper stadium, cantilever has always seemed unwelcoming.

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willy wonka says...
10:29pm Thu 24 Jan 13

irishwire wrote:
I have never been to see warrington town but would definitely bring my son here rather than old trafford as the prices for football nowadays is pathetic.
At the moment I currently pay between £55 - £65 for my son and I to watch united at old Trafford, if warrington town could climb the divisions and offer good facilities and good football then I would also go to watch warrington town, also would be great for grassroots football to have a local centre of excellence ( if proposed ). Don't forget a good social club for us on this side of town as well. Hope it gets off the ground soon.

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Flash123 says...
11:17pm Thu 24 Jan 13

"If Warrington get up a few leagues, I'll watch them"

If everyone in the town has that attitude, how on earth are they ever going to get up there?

Warrington is known as a rugby town, but there's plenty here that support football.

Town only average around 150 a game at the moment... even if they could double that it would be a sizeable boost to the club.

This move would be huge. Cantilever Park in a horrible sport really, not very noticeable, and no room for expansion.

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Daz@SankeyviaOrford says...
12:21am Fri 25 Jan 13

willy wonka wrote:
irishwire wrote:
I have never been to see warrington town but would definitely bring my son here rather than old trafford as the prices for football nowadays is pathetic.
At the moment I currently pay between £55 - £65 for my son and I to watch united at old Trafford, if warrington town could climb the divisions and offer good facilities and good football then I would also go to watch warrington town, also would be great for grassroots football to have a local centre of excellence ( if proposed ). Don't forget a good social club for us on this side of town as well. Hope it gets off the ground soon.
Well said irishwire n willy wonka your both right ! I'm more rugby than football but if a better ground was available then I would go .. Maybe with a well placed stadium the youth from all local areas could contribute to what could be a good thing all round . Get your hand in your pocket Mr. Moran n chip in. The pie eaters have got Dave wheelan , that could be Mr Moran!

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warringtonwolves 2013 says...
6:58am Fri 25 Jan 13

We know its rugby leauge town but we all should support both teams and we all should be proud of our town come on people lets get behind warrington town show our support!!!!

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nextdoor says...
10:01am Fri 25 Jan 13

If the games were actually advertised rather than mentioned on Twitter on the day, maybe they would draw in the crowds.

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mparsons says...
10:59am Fri 25 Jan 13

nextdoor - the Warrington Town fixtures are published in Warrington Guardian's print and online editions each week. On this website, you will find the Warrington Town section via the sport and football links.

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hayday says...
11:29am Fri 25 Jan 13

I think any new sporting facility is a welcome boost to our town, especially after the Olympics. The Base always had decent sports provision in years gone by and didn't the Yanks bring 10 pin bowling to the town? Yep I'm all for it but why do I suspect another Tesco is going to get shoehorned in here somewhere?

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bellyblue says...
3:17pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Born and bred a Warringtonian i would watch if they got into the football league. But the Rugby would always be 1st choice... but the like of my Son (25yr old) who has supported Man City all his life and a Season ticket holder would be almost inpossible to convert.

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emmabee94 says...
9:07pm Fri 1 Feb 13

No. Do not want. And you better be getting permission from those who live nearby. Like you did with the prison.

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SAC_in_Warrington says...
9:16pm Fri 1 Feb 13

emmabee94 wrote:
No. Do not want. And you better be getting permission from those who live nearby. Like you did with the prison.
You may have already missed the boat on this one. I believe that both of the Town's MPs are also in favour of it. You didn't stop Brakes from building a distribution centre on part of the site now, did you!

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