Annex 5
Letter, January 2001, from the then Secretary
of State for Culture, Media and Sport to the Chairman of Sport
England
WEMBLEY/LEE VALLEY STADIUM
Thank you for your letter of 9 January. I am
grateful for your reassurance that the Council is continuing to
support the feasibility work on the Lee Valley Stadium project.
I fully understand the Council's concern about the release of
lottery funding to support the feasibility work and it is for
the Council to decide how to arrange its lottery awards. I would,
however, be concerned if the Council's intention to release only
minimal expenditure to the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
were to lead to a further delay before the Park Authority and
UK Athletics are in a position to appoint the design team and
to the project as a whole.
As you know, Sir Rodney Walker, the new Chairman
of Wembley National Stadium Ltd, is looking seriously at the viability
of bringing back athletics to Wembley for the 2005 World Athletics
Championships and combining this with legacy stadium on the site
of the warm up track needed for the 2005 World Championships.
He has held discussions with a wide range of parties and I understand
he has recently met Derek Casey to discuss his ideas. It is not
clear, from my discussion with him on 10 January, whether he will
be able to present UK Athletics with a viable proposal which meets
their particular requirements and which overcomes the problems
relating to athletics in the previous Wembley design which the
Government identified in December 1999. Sir Rodney has said he
needs more time to work through all the key legal, financial and
design issues which would arise if athletics was to return but
is fully aware of the need to conclude his review as soon as possible
to end the continuing speculation.
I would of course be happy to meet you and Derek
to discuss this, if you would find it helpful. In the meantime
it is vital that momentum is maintained on the Lee Valley Stadium
project. I agree entirely with your view that the priority is
to secure the best possible option for the 2005 World Athletics
Championships.
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