Falmer: The big debate

The debate by Brighton and Hove city planning committee at Hove Town Hall over a community stadium at Falmer was a game of two halves.

Supporters and opponents were each given time to state their case before the decision was made 11-1 in favour.

Then the council chamber erupted with emotion as fans hugged each other with delight following the emphatic vote in principle.

Chairman Bob Carden thanked the fans and opponents for their excellent behaviour during the meeting.

The application, first submitted last October, caused almost unprecedented levels of interest in the city.

Almost 6,000 people signed a petition against the stadium at Village Way North but this was dwarfed by a petition signed by 61,452 people in favour.

Another application made by the club for a nearby site at Village Way South has been held in abeyance. However, a transport interchange approved as part of the scheme last night will go on part of this site.

Albion chief executive Martin Perry said the club would apply to Lewes District Council for permission to build this on a less obtrusive site at Village Way North.

The application was approved in principle subject to a legal agreement with more than 30 conditions.

Contentious issues still have to be sorted out, such as whether Falmer Road should be closed on match days and whether the club can use Sussex University car parks. Many fans will be persuaded to use public transport as they do at Withdean, the club's current home.

Several councillors felt the application was premature and one, Tory councillor David Smith, voted against the scheme because of this. However, Mr Perry said while there were some loose ends to tie up, there was nothing that could not be resolved.

Assistant environment director Sheila Holden said transport was the biggest issue. She believed many of the conditions imposed by the council in the legal agreement would control transport so people were not affected.

She said overall the stadium would provide considerable benefits for the club and the city.

Speaking for the Society of Sussex Downsmen, which has 3,000 members, Hilary Leigh said the Sussex Downs were about to be made a national park.

She said the stadium would dominate the area and the development would cause a lot of noise and pollution. She warned councillors: "If you approve this, in five or ten years' time people may regard you as environmental vandals."

Martin Small, from the Sussex Downs Conservation Board, said other sites could be better for the stadium, such as land next to Brighton station.

The stadium would be vast, more than 100ft high and be visible from the higher parts of the Downs.

Tom Carr, a member of Falmer Parish Council, said there were dozens of possible alternative sites.

He showed councillors impressions of a stadium at Brighton station and at Wild Park in Moulsecoomb.

Mr Carr said the temporary stadium at Withdean could also be expanded.

Mr Carr was not confident the council, which was closely connected with the club, could make an objective planning decision.

The first public speaker in favour of the stadium was pensioner Kenneth Nightingale, 68, of Goldstone Villas in Hove.

He told councillors he knew the stadium site well and it was stretching a point to consider it in any way as countryside.

Adrian Newnham, from Brighton and Hove Supporters' Club, said Brighton and Hove Albion was no ordinary club and it needed a wonderful stadium.

Roz South, editor of an Albion fanzine, said the club now had a chance to cement its place in the community. She said: "There is no other location."

Paul Samrah, who chairs Falmer For All, said the area where the stadium would be built had good public transport, thriving shops and was a place where thousands of people lived and worked.

It was separate from historic Falmer village and the stadium would have no more impact on that than the two universities had had.

Speaking for Albion because chairman Dick Knight is abroad, Mr Perry told councillors the decision they were taking was equal in importance to approving the Marina or the Brighton Centre.

Mr Perry said Albion had 6,000 seats for home supporters at Withdean but many times that number wanted to go there.

He said the club was now on a sound financial footing and added: "This stadium represents a major opportunity for Brighton and Hove. We have the opportunity to create a new theatre of dreams for sport and community uses."

Two ward councillors were allowed to address the committee. Moulsecoomb Labour councillor Jack Hazelgrove said it would be good for the area and jobs. He quoted a leader column in The Argus yesterday in favour of the stadium.

Tory councillor Dee Simson from Woodingdean said there would be traffic chaos when the stadium was used for other events, such as concerts.

She said there were real worries in Woodingdean and Rottingdean about the traffic impact.

Rob Stephenson, representing Brighton and Hove Environment Forum, is a non-voting committee member. He said there were many better sites for the stadium and was worried about public transport.

Conservationist John Small said some information about the scheme was unclear while wheelchair-bound Janet Turner asked questions about disabled access and means of escape in case of fire.

Labour councillor Francis Tonks was the first committee member to speak after the meeting had been going for more than two hours.

He represents Moulsecoomb, the ward where the stadium will be, and said the people there were among its keenest supporters.

Coun Tonks said: "Football is part of our culture. If we aim to be a European Capital of Culture, this should be part of it."

Tory councillor Carol Theobald supported the stadium but said there were still many questions to be answered.

Woodingdean Tory councillor David Smith said traffic problems had not been resolved.

However, his Tory colleague, Peter Willows, said: "This is the greatest opportunity ever for Brighton and Hove Albion."

Stanmer Labour councillor Gwenda Beishon said there was strong support for the stadium and she felt most of the problems could be sorted out.

Labour councillor Kevin Allen said he had doubts about the project but had been persuaded to vote in favour by the club's decision to apply for the transport interchange to be in a less intrusive space.

Economic development Labour councillor Don Turner said: "This isn't just about a football stadium. It will create hundreds of jobs."

Labour councillor Leslie Hamilton said having looked at the area on a site visit, he could hardly call Village Way North an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Liberal Democrat councillor Jenny Barnard-Langston said she was reassured by the hefty list of conditions that would be imposed on the applicants.

Tory councillor David Bennett, the final speaker, said: "What better place to have a stadium than in an area where the urban sprawl meets the outskirts?"

A recorded vote was taken at the request of councillors and there was loud cheering when it went the club's way.

Opponents of the scheme said they were determined to keep fighting.

Among them is Green convenor Keith Taylor, who boycotted the meeting on the grounds it was a stitch up. He said: "The result is no great surprise."

Coun Taylor said the application could run into real trouble if there were a public inquiry.

However, Liberal Democrat group leader Paul Elgood said afterwards: "This is an excellent result for the city."

Planning manager Maggie Brian said councillors would receive reports on the progress of talks with the club.