It has been a long time since we have been able to inform residents on the progress of developments at Hazelwood Golf Course but we are now in a position to update our members on the project to convert the Golf Course into the rugby Centre of Excellence now that the site was formally acquired by London Irish six weeks ago.

Current position

Project is fully funded

Procurement for contractors is underway

There will be two contractors – one for the playing pitches and one for the club house and parking area (as very different skills are required)

Timescales

The contractors have agreed to provide a high level project timeline for councillors and LOSRA. This will cover key stages in more detail than set out below. Only when we get this information will we be in a position to give out more precise dates.

Pitches

Planning to start work w/c 28 April

May – July: period of greatest disruption to residents; contamination and earth moving will be done in this period. There will be a considerable number of lorry movements

Aug – Oct: laying out and seeding of the pitches

July 2014: pre-season training for the professionals

Sept 2014: training etc for amateurs and schools

Club House

June: start work

May 2014: club house complete

Communications

Website

London Irish are happy to have a website/link to a separate page on their website to update the local community on progress and the Council will keep a dedicated page on its website.

Ward Councillors

All 6 affected ward councillors will be notified (with full details) the day before any formal communication goes out to the local community.

Newsletter

The project managers have agreed to publish a newsletter at key stages (which will be on their website and will go to Ward Cllrs and LOSRA).

Complaints register

The project managers will keep a complaints register which will be forwarded to officers, ward cllrs., and LOSRA on a monthly basis. This will help ascertain whether there is an individual or more widespread issue which needs addressing (e.g. mud on roads)

It will also act as a record of how LI have dealt with the complaint

Promotion

It was accepted that there was a lot of controversy locally when the applications and appeals were being considered. London Irish are keen to demonstrate that they are working with everyone.

Our members should feel free to contact LOSRA through the Website if they have any matters which they wish to draw to the attention of the project managers whilst the work is in progress over the next year and a half.

The Avenue

The project managers are not involved in this site. However they will get a full briefing from their clients on where matters are in readiness for the inevitable questions that will arise about this site as soon as work starts on the rugby centre of excellence

If LI are ready to move into Hazelwood in September 2014 then the Avenue site is likely to be marketed before then (probably towards the middle/end of this year). A separate communication strategy will need to be put in place once this has firmed up.