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Rushden & Diamonds - Away

Saturday 13th March, 3pm

Blue Square Conference Premier

Nene Park

Last time out...

Histon 0 Gateshead 0

Blue Square Conference Premier

Saturday 6th March

New stadium...

Dates for your diary...

Sat 13/03/2010 (3pm): Rushden & Diamonds - Away @ Nene Park

Tues 16/03/2010 (7:45pm): GFC v Forest Green Rovers @ Home - Gateshead International Stadium

Tues 23/03/2010 (7:45pm): GFC v Wrexham @ Home - Gateshead International Stadium

Sat 27/03/2010 (3pm): Oxford United v Gateshead - Away @ Kassam Stadium

Tues 30/03/2010 (7:45pm): Eastbourne Borough v Gateshead - Away @ Priory Lane

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The Chandless

Date: Friday 4th May 2007, by Tynesider

The Chandless Estate is located on the East of the Town Centre, the other side of Gateshead Highway. This location presents opportunities and challenges.

There are two assumed plots possible to build on:

• Lindisfarne School. The school is closing at the end of this school year.
• Lindisfarne Drive. An empty field across the road from the school.

Lindisfarne School

The school site by itself is not quite big enough to fit a stadium on, therefore the factory (shown in red) below the school would need to be acquired also.

Lindisfarne Drive

The Lindisfarne drive site stretches from the Flats to Sunderland Road including a demolished building and an existing bus depot. The Metro line runs underneath the land, and not too far under it as well, it tunnels not too far to the East.

Advantages:

• Location. The Chandless Estate would be in the Town Centre if it wasn't for the Gateshead Highway cutting it in two. This gives the location all the advantages that the future Town Centre can bring.
  Regeneration. The Councils regeneration draft plan includes the Chandless as part of the Town Centre (South West Quadrant). The draft plan states that they would like to re-open Sunderland road under the Gateshead Highway to connect the two. The area has also been designated for social buildings such as restaurants, pubs, leisure etc.
  Transport. With the Town Centre on the doorstep Gateshead Bus/Metro Interchange could be a ten minute walk in one direction, whilst Gateshead Stadium Metro would be a ten minute walk in the other direction.
  Self publicity. With the Gateshead Highway going right passed the location hundreds possibly thousands of commuters a day would see the Stadium being built, generating awareness.
  Other Space. Building on either Lindisfarne Drive or Lindisfarne School would free the other site up for possible development such as astro turf pitches allowing the club to generate a seperate revenue stream from the traditional football side of things.

Disadvantages:

• Existing buildings etc. Both sites have problems. To build on the school it would need to be first demolished, and the factory below would also need to be acquired and demolished. To build on the field (Lindisfarne Drive) the Bus depot would need to be acquired and demolished. Also as mentioned above the Metro tunnel runs under the field, so this could cause building restrictions due to weight limits allowed on the tunnel.
  Crime. The Chandless currently has a bad reputation for vandalism and worse. With the Council spending money on some of the housing there currently, it looks unlikely that the estate would be flattened, therefore solving that problem.
  Lack of space. Putting a Stadium on the school site would be a squeeze, and cause problems with possible future expansion if the housing stays.

The Chandless offers challenges but it's also a good opportunity. Being close to the Town Centre with the regeneration plans could work out fantastic in the future if they come to fruition.

Our rating 4 out of 5