Lord Bracknell
On fire
Good stuff!
The full documentation sent to Ruth Kelly can be found here:
http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1001178
Falmer Community Stadium
On 20 November 2006, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Ruth Kelly) invited parties to make further representations to enable her to reconsider the applications by Brighton & Hove Albion to build a community Stadium at Falmer.
Representations were submitted in February 2007 by the city council, the football club, Lewes District Council, Falmer Parish Council and several other bodies and individuals. The city council's representations are under "February 2007 Representations" below.
In March 2007 the Secretary of State invited comments on the representations made by other parties. The city council's comments are set out under the four headings below which refer to the four issues identified in the Secretary of State's letter of November 2006.
a) the location of the site in relation to the built up area of Brighton. These comments relate to points raised by Lewes DC and the South Downs Joint Committee. They primarily cover the interpretation of policies in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan and the Brighton Hove and East Sussex Structure Plan.
b) the effect on the planning applications of Planning Policy Statement 7 (development in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty). These comments concern two main issues the interpretation of PPS7 and the regeneration arguments. The city council believes that Lewes DC and Natural England have, in their representations, misinterpreted PPS7 and the council's comments set out what it believes to be the correct interpretation. The council then comments on the regeneration arguments which have been made by Lewes DC and Falmer PC.
c) the merits of alternative sites, but in particular Sheepcote Valley and its accessibility. Lewes DC submitted as part of its representation in February a Transport Assessment which purported to demonstrate that Sheepcote Valley is a suitable alternative site and that it can be accessed without disruption to the public transport and highway network. The council commissioned Colin Buchanan and Partners Ltd to comment on this. Their report Appendix C1 identifies a number of serious flaws which the council believes are sufficient to make a proposed statium at Sheepcote Valley unworkable for transport reasons.
d) any new matters or changes of circumstances which are material. This section responds to comments on the proposed designation of the South Downs National Park and other issues relating to a proposed stadium at Sheepcote Valley.
History
The application for the development was first considered by the council's Planning Applications Sub-Committee at a special meeting on 12 June 2002. The sub-committee endorsed the building of the new 22,000 seat community stadium on the north-eastern ease of the city adjacent to Brighton University. The site is just off the A27 Trunk Road and close to Falmer railway station about 6km from the city centre.
The first public inquiry into the stadium application was completed in October 2003. Following this inquiry, the Secretary of State concluded that he needed further evidence concerning the suitability of alternative sites. A second inquiry took place in early 2005 and considered seven alternative sites, concluding that none was suitable for a new stadium.
The scheme
The centrepiece of the scheme is a multi-purpose all seater stadium, with a capacity of 22,374 seats. The stadium will also incorporate:
a banqueting and conference facility
a nursery school/crèche
720 square metres of teaching space
1200 square metres of office space.
As well as football matches, the stadium is also designed for other sports such as rugby and hockey, and music concerts, conferences and exhibitions. The proposed building of curved lines clad in glazing and aluminium panelling, would be sunk into the land through the use of 'cut and fill' techniques, thus reducing its visual impact.
Other components of the scheme are:
a transport interchange/coach park to the east of the stadium linked to the concourse around the stadium - this would provide facilities for Park and Ride buses operating from Brighton Racecourse, Mill Road and Mithras House, as well as scheduled services and home and away fans' coaches
some 1200 spaces at Sussex University to be used by spectators on match days
a 1000 space car park at Falmer High School in connection for use only on main event days
a new subway under the A27
alterations to the A27/A270 road junction - including a new flyover -for access to the car park at Falmer High School
a new link road through the southern part of Stanmer Park to the car parks at Sussex University
a combined footpath/cycleway along the northern boundary of the Falmer School/Brighton University campus to the stadium
a new footbridge over the railway at Falmer Station
220 cycle spaces
The full documentation sent to Ruth Kelly can be found here:
http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1001178
Falmer Community Stadium
On 20 November 2006, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Ruth Kelly) invited parties to make further representations to enable her to reconsider the applications by Brighton & Hove Albion to build a community Stadium at Falmer.
Representations were submitted in February 2007 by the city council, the football club, Lewes District Council, Falmer Parish Council and several other bodies and individuals. The city council's representations are under "February 2007 Representations" below.
In March 2007 the Secretary of State invited comments on the representations made by other parties. The city council's comments are set out under the four headings below which refer to the four issues identified in the Secretary of State's letter of November 2006.
a) the location of the site in relation to the built up area of Brighton. These comments relate to points raised by Lewes DC and the South Downs Joint Committee. They primarily cover the interpretation of policies in the Brighton & Hove Local Plan and the Brighton Hove and East Sussex Structure Plan.
b) the effect on the planning applications of Planning Policy Statement 7 (development in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty). These comments concern two main issues the interpretation of PPS7 and the regeneration arguments. The city council believes that Lewes DC and Natural England have, in their representations, misinterpreted PPS7 and the council's comments set out what it believes to be the correct interpretation. The council then comments on the regeneration arguments which have been made by Lewes DC and Falmer PC.
c) the merits of alternative sites, but in particular Sheepcote Valley and its accessibility. Lewes DC submitted as part of its representation in February a Transport Assessment which purported to demonstrate that Sheepcote Valley is a suitable alternative site and that it can be accessed without disruption to the public transport and highway network. The council commissioned Colin Buchanan and Partners Ltd to comment on this. Their report Appendix C1 identifies a number of serious flaws which the council believes are sufficient to make a proposed statium at Sheepcote Valley unworkable for transport reasons.
d) any new matters or changes of circumstances which are material. This section responds to comments on the proposed designation of the South Downs National Park and other issues relating to a proposed stadium at Sheepcote Valley.
History
The application for the development was first considered by the council's Planning Applications Sub-Committee at a special meeting on 12 June 2002. The sub-committee endorsed the building of the new 22,000 seat community stadium on the north-eastern ease of the city adjacent to Brighton University. The site is just off the A27 Trunk Road and close to Falmer railway station about 6km from the city centre.
The first public inquiry into the stadium application was completed in October 2003. Following this inquiry, the Secretary of State concluded that he needed further evidence concerning the suitability of alternative sites. A second inquiry took place in early 2005 and considered seven alternative sites, concluding that none was suitable for a new stadium.
The scheme
The centrepiece of the scheme is a multi-purpose all seater stadium, with a capacity of 22,374 seats. The stadium will also incorporate:
a banqueting and conference facility
a nursery school/crèche
720 square metres of teaching space
1200 square metres of office space.
As well as football matches, the stadium is also designed for other sports such as rugby and hockey, and music concerts, conferences and exhibitions. The proposed building of curved lines clad in glazing and aluminium panelling, would be sunk into the land through the use of 'cut and fill' techniques, thus reducing its visual impact.
Other components of the scheme are:
a transport interchange/coach park to the east of the stadium linked to the concourse around the stadium - this would provide facilities for Park and Ride buses operating from Brighton Racecourse, Mill Road and Mithras House, as well as scheduled services and home and away fans' coaches
some 1200 spaces at Sussex University to be used by spectators on match days
a 1000 space car park at Falmer High School in connection for use only on main event days
a new subway under the A27
alterations to the A27/A270 road junction - including a new flyover -for access to the car park at Falmer High School
a new link road through the southern part of Stanmer Park to the car parks at Sussex University
a combined footpath/cycleway along the northern boundary of the Falmer School/Brighton University campus to the stadium
a new footbridge over the railway at Falmer Station
220 cycle spaces
