Falmer Stadium

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Falmer Stadium is the codename of the community football stadium in East Brighton, near the village of Falmer and the council estate of Moulsecoombe, East Sussex, England. It is to be funded by Brighton and Hove Albion F.C. The stadium is currently planned to be a 22,000 all-seater stadium, however this capacity could increase.

The stadium site will occupy part of the Falmer campus of the University of Brighton and an adjacent vacant field owned by the city of Brighton and Hove. The university has received planning approval for a substantial rebuilding of the campus; the stadium would replace several outdated campus buildings. Albion intend to make a substantial contribution to the university's building fund in exchange for the campus land.

Whilst planning permission was given by the unitary authority for the area, Brighton and Hove City Council, the Lewes District Council has fought stadium plans extensively. Although the stadium itself will lie completely within Brighton and Hove, the vacant field straddles the boundary with Lewes (despite being owned by Brighton and Hove), and a dedicated bus parking facility planned for the stadium will be on the Lewes side.

To complicate matters further, both the vacant field and the entire Falmer campus are included in the South Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Because of this designation, the stadium plans were subject to a separate planning inquiry by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

In order to minimise land uptake and encourage use of public transport, the plan envisions a heavily policed no-parking zone around the stadium on matchdays, whilst including a free local public transport voucher in the price of all match tickets. (This procedure is now used at Albion's current ground at Withdean.) Several existing park-and-ride lots will be employed on matchdays, and the stadium site is adjacent to the Falmer railway station.

Four years after the original plans were put forward by The Seagulls, John Prescott approved the plans on October 28, 2005. The stadium is planned to open in time for the 2008/09 English football season. However, the Lewes District Council immediately mounted a new legal challenge to the stadium plan, which has yet to be resolved. In April 2006, Prescott admitted that he had made his "yes" decision based on the misconception that only a small part of the stadium site lay on the Lewes side, and withdrew his approval. Prescott will now conduct a new planning inquiry; the Lewes legal challenge will continue because it gave several other reasons why the stadium should not be built at the proposed site.[1]

[edit] The Struggle, the details!

"The History of the Falmer Stadium Project

Brighton & Hove Albion have been homeless since May 1997. They spent two seasons in exile 70 miles away groundsharing in Gillingham , Kent , before the council gave them permission to use the city's Withdean Athletics Stadium. However, Withdean is far from suitable for League football, let alone Championship football, hence the club have been pushing for a 23,000-seat stadium of their own for over seven years now.

Here is a resume of the ongoing battle for a new stadium:

March 1998 - Falmer (a muddy field next to the University and A27 dual carriageway) emerges as a possible site for Albion 's future home. Martin Perry writing in the club programme on 21 March reveals, 'You will have seen in the press we have added a new site to the list under consideration for our permanent home. It is at Falmer, adjacent to the University of Brighton .

This site has a number of advantages, including being on the south side of the A27, close to Falmer railway station, and with good road and bus links... this creates a very exciting opportunity for us.'

Saturday 17 October 1998 - Martin Perry, again in the matchday programme, reveals that after a survey into 16 possible sites in and around Brighton & Hove, the club and council are considering a short list four sites for the new stadium. One site stands out clearly as the best option: Village Way North , Falmer.

Supporters are asked to write to Brighton & Hove Council asking for the Falmer site to be included in the Local Plan as the site for the Albion 's proposed new stadium.

February 1999 - Brighton & Hove Council announce that a referendum will be held alongside the May local council elections asking the people of Brighton & Hove whether they favour Falmer.

Saturday 13 February 1999 - Brighton & Hove Council Leader Steve Bassam, writing in Seagull, throws his support firmly behind Albion 's Falmer bid. He details the excellent transport links, the boost a new stadium would provide to the local economy and in terms of new jobs, and declares the club's proposal 'a winner'.

Monday 22 March 1999 - By now it has emerged the May 6 Falmer referendum will involve two questions. Firstly asking the voter do they wish to see a permanent home for the Albion in Brighton & Hove; secondly should that home be at Falmer.

At the Island Night Club in Hove , the YES YES campaign is launched by Albion 's various supporters groups - who later form the Falmer For All Campaign Team. Fans are asked for their assistance in distributing public information leaflets on behalf of the YES YES Campagin, and urged to spread the word that a YES YES response at the referendum is the only response come the big day on May 6.

Monday 12 April 1999 - On the night Micky Adams is unveiled as the new manager of the Albion, wearing a YES YES t-shirt, fans pack Hove Town Hall for a Falmer update from Dick Knight and Martin Perry . Once again, supporters are urged to spread the YES YES message.

Sunday 18 April 1999 - Hundreds of supporters take to the streets of the city as a three-week leafleting campaign begins. In the run up to the referendum, Albion fans make two separate YES YES leaflet deliveries to each of 104,000 households in Brighton & Hove.

Thursday 6 May 1999 - A historic day in the history of the Albion . Brighton & Hove awakes to 5,000 green and white YES YES balloons all over the two towns. 56,701 (83.5% of those voting) vote in favour of a permanent home for the Albion, while 44,985 (67.6%) people vote in favour of the stadium being at Falmer.

Withdean Stadium Saturday 24 July 1999 - Albion return home to the temporary facility of Withdean. After two years' exile in Gillingham, the Seagulls play their first match in Brighton & Hove since the tearful Goldstone farewell on 26 April 1997 .

Wednesday 2 August 2000 - Brighton & Hove City Council earmarks Village Way North as the site for a community stadium in the first Deposit Draft of the Local Plan.

Tuesday 1 May 2001 - A Danny Cullip header sees Albion beat Chesterfield 1-0 at Withdean to win the Third Division Championship.

Monday 8 October 2001 - Albion deposit 32 boxes - containing two planning applications, one for Village Way North and one for Village Way South - at Hove Town Hall. The council officers now begin the process of writing their reports for the 12 councillors who'll decide Albion 's fate. Albion fans are asked to write to the council in support of the application.

Wednesday 10 October 2001 - Micky Adams resigns as Albion manager, to take the job as assistant manager at Premiership Leicester City - with the view to taking over as manager. Adams says the lack of a permanent stadium and facilities is the reason why he trades the Second Division title race for the Premiership relegation dogfight.

Saturday 13 April 2002 - Albion clinch the Second Division Championship with a 0-0 draw at home to Swindon. A little over a fortnight later, Peter Taylor resigns as Albion manager, citing the lack of a permanent stadium as one the main reasons behind his decision.

Thursday 16 May 2002 - Albion fans deliver a 61,452-signature petition to Council Leader Ken Bodfish. Each one asks the council the give Albion 's stadium the go ahead.

Wednesday 12 June 2002 - Brighton & Hove City Council's Planning Committee votes overwhelmingly (11:1) in favour of the club's stadium at Falmer. The officer's report reveal 9,643 fans wrote to the council in support of Albion 's application.

Friday 9 August 2002 - On the eve of Albion kicking off in Division One, the Secretary of State's office 'calls in' the application, meaning Albion now face the additional hurdle of a public inquiry.

Tuesday 18 February 2003 - The four-month public inquiry kicks off, and Albion call a number of witnesses to present their case, including experts on traffic, pollution, planning and other areas. The FA's David Davies, Des Lynam and Sportswriter Paul Hayward also take the stand for the Albion .

Thursday 5 June 2003 - Albion ask for extra time at the public inquiry in order to submit an additional planning application concerning access to the coach park at the stadium. Inspector John Collyer grants a further session in October 2003.

The application is required in order for the club to satisfy the University of Brighton - with whom the club are still locked in negotiations concerning the lease of part of their land.

Jonathan ClayFriday 13 June 2003 - QC Jonathan Clay, representing the Albion, ends this part of the public inquiry by telling the Inspector that the hopes and dreams of an entire community rest with the Secretary of State's decision.

The QC quotes Daily Telegraph writer Hayward's evidence, saying that the lack of a stadium in Brighton and Hove was "a glaring omission, and an affront to children growing up across the county."

Tuesday 14 October 2003 - The public inquiry resumes to consider the additional planning application made by the Albion, concerning access to and from the stadium site.

Brighton University officially withdraws its objections to the proposed stadium, and signs agreements with the Albion and the city council in support of the stadium. University Vice Chancellor David Watson admits, "We have always supported the stadium, but we had to ensure the university campus and stadium could satisfactorily co-exist alongside each other. The documents that have been painstakingly negotiated address all of our concerns and we now look forward to a positive outcome to the inquiry."

Thursday 9 October 2003 - Almost two years to the day Micky Adams tendered his resignation as Brighton manager, Steve Coppell does the same - and becomes the fourth departing Albion manager to cite the lack of permanent stadium as one of the reasons why he is leaving.

Dick Knight tells the club's website, "Once again this club is facing the reality of losing another high-profile manager because of our new stadium, or lack of it."

Thursday 23 October 2003 - The public inquiry closes, and Albion's Martin Perry, in upbeat mood, declares, "We have done everything we can to present a very strong case for the stadium to be built."

The Seagulls land at 10 Downing StreetMonday 1 December 2003 - The Seagulls land at 10 Downing Street . Norman Cook and Des Lynam lead a delegation of supporters delivering over 6,200 letters - and a summary of the 61,452-signature petition - to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, urging him to give Albion 's stadium the green light.

Tuesday 27 July 2004 - Prescott announces he is to re-open the Public Inquiry to ensure that Falmer is the best available site for a stadium. Chairman Dick Knight says: "It is clear from the evidence we have presented that Falmer is the only site in Brighton that can accommodate this stadium, and meet the strict criteria set by Prescott. We will re-present the evidence on all the sites to demonstrate why this is the case."

Monday 27 September 2004 - Thousands of Albion fans march on the Labour Party Conference in Brighton urging Prescott to 'Give Them A Ground'. Fans are joined by chairman Dick Knight, manager Mark McGhee, the players and former manager Micky Adams.

David Brier re-opening the Public InquiryTuesday 2 February 2005 - The public inquiry re-opens, with a new Inspector David Brier. Dick Knight tells the club website that the stadium is vital for the very future of the football club. He says, "We cannot sustain the level we are playing at indefinitely." The inquiry runs for over three months and finally closes on 5 May.

This part of the inquiry looked in detail at all of the potential alternative sites that had been proposed by objectors to Falmer – Waterhall, Brighton Station, The Greyhound Stadium, Withdean Stadium, Sheepcote Valley, Toad’s Hole Valley, Shoreham Harbour, Shoreham Airport and Upper Beeding Cement Works. Detailed evidence was presented by all the major objectors, including Falmer Parish Council, Lewes District Council, the Sussex Downs Conservation Board and the Regency Society of Brighton & Hove. The Albion ’s own expert witnesses also presented evidence about these sites.

Friday 20 May 2005 - The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announces that Albion can expect a final decision on the stadium on or before 31 October 2005 .

Peter Ward, Dick Knight & Des Lynam on the marchMonday 26 September 2005 - Once again Albion fans march for Falmer. Initial estimates from Sussex Police suggest that up to 10,000 Albion fans descended on Brighton seafront tonight to show their support for a new stadium.

Among the throng were some familiar faces; former managers Barry Lloyd and Steve Coppell joined current boss Mark McGhee and the first team squad; Des Lynam and Norman Cook were in attendance, plus Albion legends Peter Ward and Gary Stevens.

Having arrived at the Brighton Centre, Albion chairman Dick Knight addressed the crowd with the aid of a police loud-hailer, ending a rousing speech with a plea to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, "We have the love, we have the passion. Now let us consummate it with a stadium."

celebrating the decision Thursday 27 October 2005 – The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister finally gives its decision on the planning application that the Albion had first submitted four years and nineteen days earlier. Among John Prescott’s conclusions, he states that “there is no viable alternative site” and “no reasonable prospect of planning permission being granted for a community stadium at any of the alternative sites”. Planning permission is given for Falmer. Albion fans celebrate.

Thursday 24 November 2005 – News breaks that Lewes District Council’s Cabinet Committee, meeting behind closed doors, has decided to mount a challenge to the Deputy Prime Minister’s decision. Backed by Falmer Parish Council and the South Downs Joint Committee, they will submit an appeal to the High Court, seeking to have the planning permission overturned.

Stadium supporters are outraged and mount an immediate campaign to persuade Lewes District Council to reconsider the Cabinet Committee’s decision – on the grounds that it is not supported by Lewes residents and that the costs that could fall on council tax payers would be excessive. A petition is organised that achieves, in just one week, over 5,000 signatures from Lewes district residents, opposing their council’s planned appeal.

the petition about to be presented to LDCWednesday 7 December 2005 – The petition is presented to a meeting of the full council at Lewes, but no opportunity is given to council members to debate the decision to submit an appeal. It later transpires that the council’s solicitor has already sent the papers off to the High Court. LDC’s case highlights sixteen reasons they believe justify planning permission being overturned.

Wednesday 11 January 2006 – Stadium supporters again question Lewes District Council’s decision, this time using public question time at a Cabinet Committee’s meeting. Once more, councillors ignore the wishes of local people and another meeting passes with no public debate.

Over the following weeks, Lewes District Council circulates the Spring issue of its District Link magazine to all households. Photographs accompanying a feature about the stadium attract attention. One is revealed to be a composite of two images, assembled in a way that concealed existing buildings next to the stadium site. Another was taken several miles away from Falmer. Albion supporters question the integrity of the council and claim its motive is to mislead local residents.

Thursday 6 April 2006 – The Treasury Solicitor responds to Lewes District Council’s claim that there are sixteen reasons why planning permission should be quashed. He rejects fifteen of these claims, conceding only that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister had made one technical error, relating to the boundary of the built-up area published in Brighton & Hove City Council’s Local Plan. Lewes District Council are offered the opportunity to accept this assessment and avoid the expense and delay that a High Court hearing would entail.

Wednesday 10 May 2006 – Lewes District Council reveal that they have responded to the Treasury Solicitor by laying down the conditions under which they might be prepared to avoid a High Court hearing into their appeal. They fail to send a copy of this response to either the football club or Brighton & Hove City Council. LDC seek a response from the Treasury Solicitor by 1 June.

Monday 5 June 2006 – Frustrated by the continuing delays, a group of Albion supporters launch The Seagulls Party, which commits itself to openness, honesty, accountability and engagement with local people." All of the above information is directed quoted from http://www.seagullsparty.org/stadium.html