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Lewes District Council has spent £140,000 on lawyers to fight plans for Albion's Falmer stadium, The Argus can reveal.
Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that during the past five years £138,988 has been forked out trying to stop the 22,000 seater ground.
The cash could have paid for eight extra bin men in Lewes for one year.
In February 2003, a four-month inquiry kicked off the Albion's bid to build in the area of outstanding natural beauty.
Lewes council spent just under £60,000 that year on consulting external lawyers - over and above work carried out in-house.
In July 2004, the planning inspector ripped apart the Albion's case for a stadium, leaving the club's dreams in tatters.
But former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott threw the club a lifeline by reopening the case.
The second inquiry was launched in February 2005, concluding with a "yes" decision by Mr Prescott.
But just a few weeks later a mistake emerged in the report and Lewes announced a High Court challenge in November 2005.
The case was dropped in October 2006, less than a day before the High Court appearance, with the quashing of Mr Prescott's decision.
Yesterday, after a decade without a permanent home, the Government finally gave the go-ahead to the plans.
Lewes spent almost £50,000 in the year ending April 2006, an extra £25,000 in the 12 months to April 2007 and £5,000 alone in the past few months. Supporters of the club have been critical of the district councils use of public money to fight the proposed stadium.
Councillor Paul Gander said: "The Lib Dems do not want it in Falmer and that is it. They have wasted taxpayers' money. More people in Lewes support the stadium than are against it."
Roz South, of the Seagulls Party, added: "The opposition has fought a long battle and I hope they just accept that a stadium is going to be built. It is a lost cause."
Ms South believes the total expenditure is likely to be in excess of £140,000, given the time spent by the council's own employees is not factored in. She said: "It must have cost them at least £200,000 to fund all of this and the stadium is going to be built at Falmer anyway."
A council spokeswoman pointed out that funds used to overturn Mr Prescott's decision will be reimbursed by the Government.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/display.var.1574417.0.140_000_spent_on_falmer_fight.php
Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that during the past five years £138,988 has been forked out trying to stop the 22,000 seater ground.
The cash could have paid for eight extra bin men in Lewes for one year.
In February 2003, a four-month inquiry kicked off the Albion's bid to build in the area of outstanding natural beauty.
Lewes council spent just under £60,000 that year on consulting external lawyers - over and above work carried out in-house.
In July 2004, the planning inspector ripped apart the Albion's case for a stadium, leaving the club's dreams in tatters.
But former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott threw the club a lifeline by reopening the case.
The second inquiry was launched in February 2005, concluding with a "yes" decision by Mr Prescott.
But just a few weeks later a mistake emerged in the report and Lewes announced a High Court challenge in November 2005.
The case was dropped in October 2006, less than a day before the High Court appearance, with the quashing of Mr Prescott's decision.
Yesterday, after a decade without a permanent home, the Government finally gave the go-ahead to the plans.
Lewes spent almost £50,000 in the year ending April 2006, an extra £25,000 in the 12 months to April 2007 and £5,000 alone in the past few months. Supporters of the club have been critical of the district councils use of public money to fight the proposed stadium.
Councillor Paul Gander said: "The Lib Dems do not want it in Falmer and that is it. They have wasted taxpayers' money. More people in Lewes support the stadium than are against it."
Roz South, of the Seagulls Party, added: "The opposition has fought a long battle and I hope they just accept that a stadium is going to be built. It is a lost cause."
Ms South believes the total expenditure is likely to be in excess of £140,000, given the time spent by the council's own employees is not factored in. She said: "It must have cost them at least £200,000 to fund all of this and the stadium is going to be built at Falmer anyway."
A council spokeswoman pointed out that funds used to overturn Mr Prescott's decision will be reimbursed by the Government.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/display.var.1574417.0.140_000_spent_on_falmer_fight.php
