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The Society objected to proposals by the Brighton and Hove Football Club for a 22,000 seat community stadium at Falmer, next to Brighton University. Those proposals also involve a new access road to Sussex University which would impact on the listed Lodge Gatehouses to Stanmer Park. At the initial Inquiry we confined ourselves to supporting the case of the Sussex Downs Conservation Board which was ably presented by Martin Small. The Inspector found in an unequivocal report that the proposals should be rejected. The report was presented to John Prescott and that should have been the end of it. But following intensive lobbying, Mr Prescott decided to re-open the Inquiry, indicating that he needed to know more about potential alternative sites. A preliminary meeting for the re-opened inquiry was held on 13 October 2004 with a new inspector presiding. The inquiry is to examine seven named alternative sites vis: Brighton Station, Brighton Greyhound Stadium (in Hove), Shoreham Harbour, Sheepcote Valley, Toad’s Hole Valley, Waterhall and Withdean Stadium, and any other realistic sites advocated by objectors to Falmer. Since the initial Stadium Inquiry opened planning permissions have been issued and construction work started that will probably preclude both Brighton Station and the Greyhound Stadium. This is regrettable as we firmly considered that both these sites were preferable to Falmer. So what’s our strategy now? Like the Inspector at the initial Inquiry, we feel that one sustainable strategy would be for the Albion to stay at Withdean and make better use of the site’s potential until a suitable brownfield site becomes available, which it will, given time. Nonetheless, given the scope of the re-opened inquiry, if Falmer is to be defeated, it will be important for us to explore the potential of other sites, but we will focus on brownfield sites. Sheepcote Valley was favoured by the Local Plan Inspector; it’s not in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is largely a brownfield site, having been used as a tip. Shoreham Harbour may have more potential than was found at the initial inquiry, and two other sites worth exploring are Shoreham Airport and East Quay at Newhaven. The Inspector wants all written proofs of evidence submitted by 7 January 2005 for preliminary scrutiny prior to the inquiry re-opening on 2 February. The Inquiry is scheduled for 12 working days, sitting three and a half days per week, and should finish on 22 February. A detailed programme will be published on this site as soon as it is available, so Members can come along and lend support to our case. Because of the widened importance of the inquiry, the Society has instructed Hazel McKay, a member of the Society who lives in Hove and a graduate of Sussex University to act for us. Hazel has had a distinguished career in town planning involving private consultancy and senior posts with local authorities, including a spell as Deputy Planning Officer of Adur District Council. She was President of the Royal Town Planning Institute in 1994 and only the second woman to hold the office. At the original inquiry she gave persuasive evidence against the Falmer proposals and from discussions, we feel she shares our stance. In preparing her evidence she will liaise with our Planning Sub-Committee through its convenor, Dr.Michael Ray. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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April 18 2005 May 07 2005 October 2005 November 2005 | ||
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"John Prescott's decision to grant planning permission for a new football stadium at Falmer is to be challenged in the High Court because it conflicts with his own Government's planning guidance, designed to protect Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) against this sort of development and because a number of important planning issues were either overlooked or were not properly considered." | ||
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December 2005 | ||
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The Society has taken the view that Mr Prescott's decision was not only a bad one from a planning and environmental view but it was also flawed in its logic. Thus we are supporting the High Court challenge made to the decision by Lewes District Council, the South Downs Society and others. However, our commitment is confined to moral rather than financial support. | ||
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The Daily Telegraph raises some questions here | ||
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February 2006 | ||
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The campaign to protect rural England has added its backing to the challenge to John Prescott's decision as follows: FALMER STADIUM: THREAT TO THE SOUTH DOWNS CASTS A NATIONAL SHADOW The Government's decision to allow a new football stadium and coach park on a sensitive greenfield site at Falmer in the South Downs [1] casts a shadow over the future of our finest landscapes nationwide. CPRE [2] fought the Falmer proposals through two planning inquiries [3]. We welcome the decision by Lewes District Council and others to challenge John Prescott's decision in the courts [4]. In an open letter to the Secretary of State released today (Wednesday), CPRE expresses its disappointment at the decision to allow a massive new stadium development in the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site is also partly within what is expected to become Britain's newest National Park [5]. CPRE has further concerns about the possible use of similar reasoning to assess cases affecting landscapes elsewhere [6]. CPRE Head of Planning, Henry Oliver, said: 'When he announced the Government's plans to designate the South Downs a National Park in 1999, John Prescott described it as a "present from Labour to the nation". That makes this decision — made for what we think are the wrong reasons [7] and which will do lasting damage to one of our finest landscapes — even worse.' | ||
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The Deputy Prime Minister has admitted that he made an error in his original decision letter. He will not challenge the Judicial Review. He has rescinded his decision and will reconsider. The interested parties may have an opportunity to make further comments. | ||
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October 2006
It is reported in The Argus and elsewhere that Lewes District Council has withdrawn its legal challenge to the stadium, and that the decision will now be made by the Secretary of State, Ruth Kelly, who has agreed to consider all points raised by the protesters.
July 2007
The Secretary of State has granted the appeal. The determination may be seen here.
