LOFT has been actively seeking further information about the planning process following the submission of a revised planning application by the Club. Mike Randall, the committee member tasked specifically with Stadium Issues, has attended the club’s presentation, looked at the plans in detail, and has also spoken to the Council’s planning department; LOFT was registered some time ago as an interested party, as it has been since the original ground redevelopment proposal.

Mike has managed to obtain some further information about the planning application. The main details are:

1. The North Stand, once built, will have a capacity reduced by 90 on the original plans as approved. This is because of a reduction in height. However, the North Stand will be used to house away supporters, and thus will have no impact on the capacity for Orient fans. It would be easy to increase the total ground capacity were some element of safe standing to be reintroduced to the ground if and when the East Stand is developed (there also remains the possibility – albeit remote in our eyes, for various reasons – of an increase in capacity by way of an upper tier to the South Stand).
2. As detailed at the club EGM in May, there is provision for flats to be built behind the North Stand. The plans show the flats and the stand as one building, but the stand part is not structurally connected. The two will of course have separate access. Those flats will, we understand, be one bedroom flats for key-workers.
3. The Council intends to make Buckingham Road pedestrian, and access only, thus reducing the risk of being run over when leaving the ground.

Mike has scrutinised the plans and the proposal in some detail, and has recommended to the committee that LOFT should not oppose the application, as there is no detriment to Orient fans. Of course, we reserve our position on opposition in relation to a redeveloped East Stand; it remains to be seen if the club is as opposed to standing as it once was, and LOFT will continue to press for the choice to stand to be made available again to Orient fans.

Mike’s analysis has been made available in greater detail to LOFT members via the members-only e-mail discussion group, and will be sent to all members in the next members’ newsletter. To join LOFT, please click here or on the 'Join LOFT' link to the left.