Hull KR urged to rejoin talks on Craven Park's North Stand
AN OLIVE branch has been extended to Hull KR after angry club officials complained about the "shambolic" development of their new £8m North Stand.
The Robins pulled out of a joint steering group overseeing the project amid continued delays that will prevent the stand being used this season.
Rovers also raised concerns about design failings which saw the new stand's exterior cladding installed in blue.
Now Councillor Daren Hale, deputy leader of Hull City Council and steering group chairman, has called for KR to come back to the table.
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He said: "I've personally had a good relationship with the club and I don't see that changing.
"We will seek a meeting with the club and continue to meet with them, because clearly the best place to have these discussions is around a table.
"We need to get the stand finished and I think once it's finished a lot of these issues will go away."
Cllr Hale acknowledged the colour of the stand's cladding was an error.
He said the council and its partners would discuss it at a meeting on Monday.
Cllr Hale said: "Most of the changes to the design have been signed off by all parties, including the club.
"The big difference seems to be the colour of the stand, which I believe was a mistake.
"It's not finished yet and only when the seats go in will you get the measure of what the stadium's going to look like."
Cllr Hale will not be at Monday's meeting, which will instead be chaired by council leader Steve Brady.
But he said there would be discussions about "rectifying the colour" of the cladding.
The row went public on Wednesday, when KR chairman Neil Hudgell shared his concerns with the Mail.
At the time, he said: "The whole development of the North Stand has been shambolic from the start and at present we are in danger of missing a great opportunity of providing a great facility not just for Rovers, but also for east Hull.
"We are heading down the route of ending up with a glorified office block for the majority of the year, used 13 times a year for fans to use a couple of thousand seats."
Mr Hudgell claimed delays the development had cost his club between £750,000 and £1m in the past 12 months.
Mr Hudgell pointed to a six-month delay between the first and second tender submissions in 2011, caused because the chosen bidder was found to be £1m short in its estimated costings, as the start of the problems.
He said: "Without doubt, the poor management of this project from day one has cost us hugely as a club."
The club yesterday declined to comment further.
The project is being managed by NPS, a development company part-owned by the council and selected at a cost of £650,000, despite having no stadium development experience.
The company also declined to comment.
33 Comments
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by JohnEG
Monday, March 04 2013, 12:26AM
“PS. I don't see what's wrong with the blue. KC is white, blue and yellow (Hull City Council's colours). Now it's up, wouldn't it be cheaper for the tax payers to keep it blue? Old Trafford isn't red on the outside, apart from the name. So why not have a "Hull Kingston Rover" sign in red on the outside of the ground?”
by JohnEG
Monday, March 04 2013, 12:18AM
“@dannydark222 here's a comment I posted on 8th December regarding "Council-built mezzanine floor at Hull Central Library is rejected ... by councillors". Also involve NPS!
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/cx5dlyj
"@AllusWright: Thanks for confirming my understanding of NPS Humber:
"JohnEG: Norfolk County Council own Norse Group Ltd which is the holding Company of NPS Humber. NPS Group has subsidiary companies which are joint ventures with local authorities in strategic areas to handle property management."
HDM article above:
NPS Humber Ltd was criticised by councillors with many insisting the company should foot the bill rather than taxpayers.
Councillor Pete Allen said: "We are paying someone to build something people can't use.
"The cost should be met by the professionals we have employed.
I'm baffled! Aren't these "professionals" employed/funded by either/both Norfolk County Council (Conservative) and Hull City Council (Labour).
"the company should foot the bill rather than taxpayers"? So the company HBS Humber (NCC / HCC) should foot the bill? Isn't that the taxpayer!
Certainly an eye opener our Labour council working with a Conservative council."
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/cx5dlyj”
by dannydarko222
Sunday, March 03 2013, 3:32PM
“HCC own Shares in "NPS Humber Ltd;" to the value of £4.00, wade though the holding companies & you get to Norse Ltd; in which Norwich City Council own 100% of the 11 million or so shares issued”
by PrioryRed
Saturday, March 02 2013, 10:14PM
“Where are the Gateshull (est.1998) fans tonight? They have been full of sh*t lately. Perhaps the 8k challenge has taken it's toll.
Why aye man!
BEL13VE
lol”
by Not_Mongrels
Saturday, March 02 2013, 10:05PM
“He'll change his name if Rovers win.....
Something like "Minus48pointsdifference" or "Onewinoutof5" or "7trydefeatbywoodenspooners"......Lol...”
by PrioryRed
Saturday, March 02 2013, 10:03PM
“Were is 11points below tonight? No no doubt he had had to rush off to Widnes forgetting the fact it wasn't a 9.15pm KO.
I'm sure we will get his full appraisal of tonight's match following Rovers result tomorrow.
BEL13VE
lol”
by Forest_2013
Saturday, March 02 2013, 9:46PM
“Kempton
They have not had a crowd above 10,700 this season”
by kempton
Saturday, March 02 2013, 9:40PM
“Come on, 11pointsunder, tell us how the KC would survive without City?
Do you honestly think it would be viable with just FC there playing 13 games in front of 12,000 crowds?”
by ianhale1965
Saturday, March 02 2013, 6:42PM
“I find this whole debacle hard to swallow......... Yes I am a Hull FC supporter but that is irrelevant, I am distressed by the whole debacle and the nastiness I am seeing. Surely there is a solution, Hull KR should be supported by most of Hull rugby supporters. Better to have 2 teams than none, Hull FC have their own problems but come on guys work together for the common try (goal).”
by crossplot
Saturday, March 02 2013, 6:24PM
“HCC do NOT part own NPS, get your facts right HDM”