Kentish Football 
I feel it's a disgrace how the club have been treated by Bromley Council, says Gary Hillman
Cray Wanderers, who face being homeless in 2014 when their ground-sharing arrangement expires at Bromley FC, heard at the London Borough of Bromley planning committee meeting on 20 September that their application had failed.
Mr Hillman, who has been chairman since 1994, proposed a stadium at Sandy Lane that was future proofed for the team potentially gaining two further promotions (as they have done during the last ten years) and also a 4G pitch to expand the club’s community work in the Crays. Additionally there was enabling development to the minimum extent necessary to pay for the new facilities.
Mr Hillman issued a statement today, saying, “I feel it’s a disgrace how the club and all the community who supported the application have been treated.
“We are the oldest football club in London and the second oldest in the world but the planning committee deciding our future didn’t even get our name right and started calling us Cray Valley Wanderers FC on the night.
“They didn’t have a clue what division we play in; what facilities are needed to play at Ryman Premier (step 3) level; why we needed the enabling development: there are not any other alternative sites; ours is a Non-Profit development with a need in the area for everything that was proposed.
“They brought up many items that were technically wrong: for example, they misunderstood the category of ground that we need to play at; we had explained everything clearly in our submission but they still spoke inaccurately about things like we wanted to extend the bus route from Tesco; and the footpaths.
“They tried to dismiss what I believe is the biggest ever expression of public support for a planning application in Bromley of nearly 1,500 letters and just a handful of objections, and that is a real insult: there was no one in attendance from the public that wanted to take the allowed opportunity to make a 5-minute speech to object against us.”
Mr Hillman continued: “We been working on this planning application for 5 years now and LB Bromley has never once contacted us to discuss how we can sort out the problem of Cray Wanderers FC becoming homeless in 2014.
“At the start they said we should give them the evidence for the “very special circumstances” for the development to go ahead, and that’s what we have done.
“They made us do a Full EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and numerous other surveys from various independent specialist consultants which came to approx. £150,000 for us.
“The result of this was to prove that this development would benefit the community and there were the “very special circumstances“ to grant planning permission but then at the meeting they didn’t take any notice of that.
“Over the last 12 months the Localism Act has come in and it is meant to give people in their area a bigger say in what happens, but that hasn’t made any difference in this case.
“There was also the similar planning application scheme for Kent Cricket Club In Beckenham where LB Bromley granted planning on playing fields for enabling development .
“So if it’s good enough for Beckenham why isn’t it good enough for The Crays!!
“They have totally dismissed the success of Dartford FC, Maidstone United FC and numerous other successful sporting development around the country.”
Mr Hillman added: “When I first started working on the application I was told unofficially by a leading Town Planner to accidentally leave the gate open and as Cray has the biggest gypsy population in Europe the creation of a new ‘Dale Farm’ would be an easier way to get our planning consent .
“But we decided to do all the proper way, and now we have just got it thrown back in our face and everyone at the club is devastated.
“We know that the landowners William Nash PLC are also disappointed. They wanted this to be a legacy for their company being such a big part of Cray history and culture. They also have to act in their shareholders’ best interests so with this development being refused by LB Bromley we really don’t know what will happen to the land - we assume it may be sold to the highest bidder and therefore anyone can buy it and anything could happen.
Cray Wanderers put their off-the-field problems behind them when Ian Jenkins’ side booked their place in the penultimate qualifying round of The FA Cup with a 3-1 win over Thamesmead Town at Hayes Lane yesterday.
Two supporters voiced their disgust after the game how their club have been treated by Bromley Council.
Doug Brigginshaw, 49, who lives in St Paul’s Cray, has supported The Wands for fifteen years.
He said: “As always, the Crays have been ignored investment in this area by Bromley Council and you have to wonder if the Council has any real intention of assisting the Crays.
“One should ask the question whether Bromley Council had the decision before the process started?
“The area in question has been ignored as has the area by Bromley Council for many, many years.
“To suddenly decide that they care about the Crays is farcical!”
And Tony Lettington, 75, wanted to know why Green Belt land in another part of Bromley has been built on, whereas the club cannot build their new stadium five miles away.
“The Green Belt site where I live was originally the Blue Circle Sports Ground – it has now been made into a housing estate on Green Belt land with about 3,000 properties.
“Why was planning permission given to build housing on it but not for sporting purposes?”
Back on the pitch, Cray Wanderers progressed into the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round thanks to goals from Gareth Williams and a brace from Leigh Bremner, which saw off Thamesmead Town, who netted through Rob Carter’s close range finish at the end of the game.
Cray Wanderers have so far banked £7,500 of FA prize money, following their FA Cup wins over Greenwich Borough and Thamesmead Town.
Jenkins’ side lock horns with Thamesmead Town again next Saturday, in the FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round, with a further £2,550 up for grabs in prize money.
Assistant manager, Joe Francis, said: “It’s about time we had a run in The Trophy, stay in it as long as we can.
“It’s a while since we’ve had a run in either of these competitions but we’ve won two rounds in the FA Cup now – so another twenty and we’ll get to the final,” quipped the jovial Francis.
But on a more serious note, Francis, the club’s management team and playing staff are giving Mr Hillman their full backing.
Francis added: “It was disappointing the other night. We spoke about that. We just have to think about the Plan B to move forward. I know the chairman’s already thinking about that.”
During the summer we listened to politicians speaking about the legacy following the successful Olympic and Paralympic Games at London 2012.
What complete and utter garbage!
For Bromley Council to reject Cray Wanderers’ plans to provide sporting facilities to their community, getting kids off the streets and away from crime, bringing jobs to the area and providing a feel-good factor, is SHOCKING!
The Councillors who didn’t even know the club’s name – or what League they played in – or asking how the club would cope playing the likes of Manchester United in the Premier League – or the woman councillor who didn’t want to know about the club’s proud history when presented the club’s history book insisting she doesn’t like football – you should all hang your heads in SHAME and issue a public apology by clicking on the CONTACT US button on www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
Ask yourselves this (and we hope this would not happen) – would you be able to sleep at night knowing your actions have closed down the Second Oldest Football Club in the World?
Supporters of non-league football club’s PASSIONATELY care about their clubs because they represent their local communities. Without people like them club’s like Cray Wanderers would no longer exist.
There is no such thing as parachute payments or television money in the Ryman Football League.
So, Bromley Council, don’t you think you should re-consider your decision last Thursday and realise that Mr Hillman’s vision is for the good of the local community and his football club?
Olympic Legacy - or trashy talk just to win votes at the next election?
Remember, the words that Bromley Council Leader Stephen Carr published on his website earlier in the month.
“Providing more recreational options is important,” he said.
“We are always keen to support healthy and active lifestyles and football is a great way to keep fit and have fun in your spare time.”
Really, Mr Carr? Can you really stand by those comments following last Thursday’s decision?
Visit Cray Wanderers’ website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/craywands
Thamesmead Town v Cray Wanderers
The FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round
Saturday 29th September 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Bayliss Avenue, Thamesmead, London SE28 8NJ
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd