Falmer - ODPM asks interested parties to comment on Inspectors report

[BensGrandad]

Depending on how you see the glass as either half full or half empty you could interpret this latest move however you wished but being a rather sceptical person about most things and the current government more so than most could this be a way of avoiding giving a decision until after the local government and European elections are held in early June. Or am I being too sceptical? Also I visited the site concerning the EDM and could only find about 5 MPs who have signed it. Am I doing something wrong? Should I write to Nicholas Soames (MP for Mid Sussex)? I noticed the EDMs that he has signed were mostly concerning the care of horses and similar. Has anybody ever asked his view on the matter or does it not matter what he says although a large number of his constituents are BHA supporters.

 

[perseus]

How much of the Falmer VWN is actually in the AONB?

 

[Caveman]

could this be a way of avoiding giving a decision until after the local government and European elections are held in early June.

That's exactly what i've been saying along. Could be just a smoke screen...? But you never know!

 

[FG aka Football Genius.]

Lord B

cant see how the club could EVER satisfy the point you make re "the need is material in terms of national considerations."

FG

 

[Lord Bracknell]

FG -

For starters ... the evidence given to the Public Inquiry (and ignored by Hoile) by The Acting Chief Executive of the Football League, the Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, the Football League and Sport England.

To say nothing of the massive support that the application has received over the past few weeks.

 

[perseus]

FG

In his interview, Prescott said rural groups were 'always shouting' about protecting greenfield sites even when it was the most sensible place to build, for example near roads or railway links. [extract]

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/poli...1174547,00.html

 

[fataddick]

I think they'll wait until after the local elections (June 10th) before announcing a Yes. With no council elections in Brighton and Hove itself, there is no electoral benefit in announcing prior to then, and many of the places that are holding elections are "shire" type areas, ie hotbeds of NIMBYs and green-belters who might see the Falmer decision as the thin end of a wedge.

List of local councils holding elections in June if it's of any use (includes Adur, Worthing and Eastbourne): http://www.electoralcommission.org....algovernmentelections2004_12020-9069__E__.pdf

 

[portslade seagull]

maybe we need to get groundforce down to falmer in an
attempt to turn it into an area of oustanding natural beauty
i'd start by knoking the uni down and then falmer village itself
geez those buildings look ugly and that pond well charlie would
have kittens call that a water feature !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Depending on how you see the glass as either half full or half empty you could interpret this latest move however you wished but being a rather sceptical person about most things and the current government more so than most could this be a way of avoiding giving a decision until after the local government and European elections are held in early June. Or am I being too sceptical? Also I visited the site concerning the EDM and could only find about 5 MPs who have signed it. Am I doing something wrong? Should I write to Nicholas Soames (MP for Mid Sussex)? I noticed the EDMs that he has signed were mostly concerning the care of horses and similar. Has anybody ever asked his view on the matter or does it not matter what he says although a large number of his constituents are BHA supporters.

I'm sure that the timing of this latest development is unconnected with the elections. Hoile's report was published in January. The Albion's comments on it were sent to the ODPM on 11 March. On 19 March, ODPM asked the interested parties for comments on the paper produced by the Albion. They have allowed three weeks for those comments to be produced (ie until 9 April). There may be a further opportunity to comment after 9 April (with a likely deadline of early to mid May). And all those comments will then have to be considered before the decision is announced.

No-one has "worked back" from the election date. The Planning Process doesn't work like that. There are 18,000 planning appeals every year, remember. Stuff just gets caught in congestion. And, anyway, there are no local elections this year in Brighton and Hove.

As for the EDM, it was only launched yesterday. The five signatures were the launch signatures. That's the way EDMs work. Get one launched and invite other MPs to sign it. More signatures have already appeared - presumably from MPs who have turned up at Westminster on Thursday morning. Some MPs actually spend time in their constituencies. They may not have even seen it yet.

I don't know whether Nicholas Soames has been approached. What I do know is that he has a track record of siding with "villagers" against development - but that was over Gatwick Airport. He may take a different view on the stadium.

 

[BensGrandad]

LB

Many thanks for your explanation. I will now try to contact Nicholas Soames

 

[FG aka Football Genius.]

but LB "national considerations" you can hardly say Brighton is of National consideration being so clos eto the capital how can that be? This point is clearly twisted to the Albions end in the same way the opposition will twist it their way, the way I see it irt will depend on whether 2 Jags looks at the factual evidence to support ALL the points you stated above (and the last one IMHO is NOT substanciated) or he takes the advice of over whelming fellow MP support for the Albion.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Personally, I'm as delighted as everyone else that this isn't already dead in the water, on the 'where there's life, there's hope' principle. But I can't be the only one on here with the uncomfortable feeling that despite an 'overwhelming' case compiled by the club and £3m odd quid spent, if we do get it the result will be as much down to the fuss we've all made in the past few weeks as anything that preceded it.

We've probably whittled it down from a definite no, to about 60/40 against. If it happens, it'll truly be a case of 'the fans wot won it'. Whichever way the result goes, there have clearly been flaws in the tactics by the club, and as for the council's planning advisers, they should all resign having recommended it to the council with so little idea of how to convince Inspectors.

If we get it, not only are we going to be delighted but there should be some very releived people whose role may escape due scrutiny in the jubilation. If we don't, God help them.

 

[Skintagain 1983]

Fellow Albionites,

The level of debate on this thread and the fantastic campaign led by you Southern based Seagulls has been absolutely breath-taking.

When we get Falmer :falmerspi ... and we will... I'd like to buy you all a pint (..subject to me winning the lottery of course!)


:dance:

 

[Eddie the Seagull]

EDM 889

Although you can't open it yet - you can still see how many MP's have signed - 14 so far -

 

[b.w.2.]

Got to be good news...

I will get some more letters sent from others...

Any advice from FFA team on what to do to keep the pressure up?...

 

[South Stand Zealot]

lord bracknell

RE NICHOLAS SOAMES

Brackers - I've just sent Nicky a 5 page letter with copies to all and sundry including Blair, Hill and Prescott and the lovely July Kirkbride.

Just a warm up for my letter to JP when I shall slash Hoile to bits with my wellhoned literary razor

 

[Yorkie]

Talking to my next door neighbour who works for the local council (and who seems to know a lot about Falmer - designated development land anyway etc etc) he reckons we'll get Falmer but with a reduced capacity.

I was quite astounded how much he knew when I was trying to tell him about our application.

He thinks we'll get permission for 18000 rather than 22000.

 

[Easy 10]

Talking to my next door neighbour who works for the local council (and who seems to know a lot about Falmer - designated development land anyway etc etc) he reckons we'll get Falmer but with a reduced capacity.

I was quite astounded how much he knew when I was trying to tell him about our application.

He thinks we'll get permission for 18000 rather than 22000.

What difference could that possibly make ? 4,000 less seats will make practically naff-all difference to the size and design of the stadium. I'm inclined to agree we may get Falmer "with strings", but a few thousand less seats won't make or break the thing (unless its something ridiculously crap like a drastically reduced capacity to 14,000 or something).

 

[Scoffers]

Yes, that is crap surely!

 

[unnameable]

The request of the ODPM for clarification of the issues raised by Hoile's report must be seen as a positive development. My understanding is that, based on Collyer's report, Prescott would have approved the planning application. Hoile, though, came to a different conclusion, so, in order to be seen to have considered the matter comprehensively, the ODPM has allowed all the parties to state their views on the issues raised by the Local Plan report. As we have seen, Hoile's report will not bear much scrutiny. By April 9th, then, the case against Falmer will have suffered one last defeat, and the planning application will be approved soon afterwards.