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| Herefordshire Council wants more information about the club's plans to replace the floodlights. Picture: John Lord/Flickr |
The bid to install new floodlights at Edgar Street - and remove the 56-year-old iconic pylons - could have hit a stumbling block.
Herefordshire Council's transport department has asked the club for answers to a raft of questions it has raised about the plans.
With the plans to replace the 30-metre pylons and the "outdated" lights with 21-metre, modern, up-to-date and energy-efficient LEDs, the light will be better controlled to avoid unwanted spill and glare affecting nearby homes.
But the council's highways team said it needs more information, in the form of a detailed construction management plan outlining how the proposed four columns of LED lighting will be built.
Officer Hope Rees's points included how the work could affect the A49, Blackfriars Street and the council-owned Merton Meadow car park.
The points raised:
Consultation with National Highways
She said the club had to consult with National Highways, which manages the A49 trunk road, and include their feedback in the plan.
She wants to see details on any specific requirements or conditions the government-owned company has stipulated and how the club plan to comply with them.
Deconstruction of existing floodlights
Ms Rees wants to know the method and process for taking the existing floodlights down. She wants information on the equipment that will be used, roughly how long it will take to dismantle them, and any measures taken to ensure safety and minimise disruption to the surrounding area.
Delivery of new columns
The officer also wants details on how the new columns will be delivered to the site. If they will be delivered in sections, she wants to know the type of vehicles to be used, the schedule for deliveries, and any traffic management plans to minimise disruption on local roads.
Storage of new columns
As part of the plan, the club will also need to show how the new columns will be stored before and during the building phase. It has also been asked to include information on the location of the storage site and how the club plan to transport the columns from storage to the installation site.
Impact on Blackfriars Street
The plan should also address any concerns regarding the potential impact on pedestrian safety on Blackfriars Street during the building phase. It should look at measures like temporary pedestrian walkways, signage, and barriers to ensure safety and minimise inconvenience to pedestrians.
Loss of parking in Merton Meadow
Ms Hope said the plan should also look at how the building phase might affect parking availability in Merton Meadow and any mitigation measures you propose.
She emphasised the list was not exhaustive and reminded stadium director Darren Ball, who has applied for planning permission from the council, that such consent does not give the club the right to work in the road.
Anyone needing to carry out works in the road should see the various guidance on Herefordshire Council’s website, she said.
There are currently no objections to the plan, put forward by stadium director Darren Ball. Comments on application 241159 can be made until June 27, with planners setting July 19 as a target date for a decision.