If Ruth Kelly says "no"...

[Barrel of Fun]

If she says no to Falmer because she prefers Sheepcote, could we then apply to build at Sheepcote, get permission from the council, and build away? I know the problem is MONEY, but is it reasonable to assume an application for a site already recommended by the government wouldn't get called in for a public enquiry?

It would very much depend on people appealing against the planning permission, if it were granted. Black Rock (Capacity 10k) has been delayed due to transport issues. I suspect if she refused Falmer and preferred Sheepcote, were we able to build on it, we would be looking at moving in 2015 or later. The ground is not safe to build on, being a former landfill. Transport links etc. I am not wholly convinced that Labour will be so powerful come May...

PLUS it is a haven for nesting and migrating birds. They have been known to nscupper even bigger projects...

 

[Simster]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: If Ruth Kelly says "no"...

I'll be there!!

LOVELY stuff.

 

[andybaha]

What about building permanent stands with roofs at Withdean, wouldn't take much to get capacity up to 12K or so and with the crowds we are getting at the moment should be more than enough. We never got more than 8K in the Championship. Cannot see planning permission being too much of a problem, been there 7 years with no great problems and at the end of the day it's been a sports stadium for the past 70 years. I think where Withdean is is fine, just lacks decent facilities.

 

[Yorkie]

What about building permanent stands with roofs at Withdean, wouldn't take much to get capacity up to 12K or so and with the crowds we are getting at the moment should be more than enough. We never got more than 8K in the Championship. Cannot see planning permission being too much of a problem, been there 7 years with no great problems and at the end of the day it's been a sports stadium for the past 70 years. I think where Withdean is is fine, just lacks decent facilities.

We will not get planning permission for Withdean and we cant even get permission for a roof now.
We have been to the High Court twice just to stay there due to Mr Catt. He is also gearing up getting his legal aid to try and take us on yet again.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

We will not get planning permission for Withdean and we cant even get permission for a roof now.
We have been to the High Court twice just to stay there due to Mr Catt. He is also gearing up getting his legal aid to try and take us on yet again.

He is a wally. The effect on Withdean/Westdene is absolutely minimal and it is a criminal waste of taxpayers money from Mr Catt.

I had to laugh when he explained himself in the Argus saying he was asset rich and not cash rich. Then accused the council of pumping money into The Seagulls. :

What is he planning this time?

 

[withdeanwombat]

Looks like plan B,then.













Oh.

 

[Yorkie]

He is a wally. The effect on Withdean/Westdene is absolutely minimal and it is a criminal waste of taxpayers money from Mr Catt.

I had to laugh when he explained himself in the Argus saying he was asset rich and not cash rich. Then accused the council of pumping money into The Seagulls. :

What is he planning this time?

He's still trying to appeal to get us kicked out.

 

[andybaha]

Assuming we get Falmer we're still going to be at Withdean for another couple of years. And then what happens to Withdean. As I said it's been a sports stadium for 70 years and will presumably continue to be one. It will be a massive waste of an opportunity if the council don't use it to stage sizable sports events - maybe athletics internationals. Didn't they once get a crowd of 12K for the B52 Bombers.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

He's still trying to appeal to get us kicked out.

Why? Why? WHY!? What could possibly be the problem with us playing there. It is 'temporary measure'!! ARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!

I remember reading the SWEAT newsletter (Save Withdean Environment Action Team). It got delivered through my parent's letterbox. Warning of crime/vandalism/urination etc. He is obviously a pathetic old scrote that likes to see his name printed in the paper or have his name mentioned on the airwaves.

 

[Yorkie]

Why? Why? WHY!? What could possibly be the problem with us playing there. It is 'temporary measure'!! ARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!

I remember reading the SWEAT newsletter (Save Withdean Environment Action Team). It got delivered through my parent's letterbox. Warning of crime/vandalism/urination etc. He is obviously a pathetic old scrote that likes to see his name printed in the paper or have his name mentioned on the airwaves.

The stupid thing is that he moved into his house AFTER us so he has no case to prove really but he is a cantakerous old fool. Yes, sue me JC, but I haven't got anything you can sue me for!!

 

[The Large One]

Labour lost overall control in Brighton Al.
There's no way we would get planning permission for Sheepcote. Not in a thousand years.

They don't have the majority, but they are the largest party, and, in chaoots with the Greens, do hold all the key positions within the Council. Effectively, it is still a Labour-run city.

 

[BensGrandad]

I have always maintained that in the event of a No from Ruth Kelly we will stay at Withdean but having said that readily accept that there would be objections etc and problems but history tells us that Withdean has never been as successful for use as it is now, it has always beena white elephant, so logic should overrule all other aspects and redevelope it as a Sports/Football Stadium.

Hopefully that will not be necessary as we wil get Falmer eventually. I am 64 will I ever see a game at Falmer?

 

[The Large One]

If she says no to Falmer because she prefers Sheepcote, could we then apply to build at Sheepcote, get permission from the council, and build away? I know the problem is MONEY, but is it reasonable to assume an application for a site already recommended by the government wouldn't get called in for a public enquiry?

You make it sound oh so simple.

Getting permission from the City Council is not as simple as a 'Yes' because Ruth Kely said so. For a start, she has to go flatly against Brighton & Hove City Council's planning policy as well as the second Inspector, who gave very clear concise reasons for saying Sheepcote was a no-no. All this when John Prescott has already dismissed Sheepcote Valley as a suitable and available alternative.

If no real tangible evidence is provided to make Sheepcote workable (and neither the City's transport consultants, nor the Albion's transport consultants have been able to do that), then she almost certainly will not reverse that decision.

However, the short answer is, provided someone can come up with a satisfactory method to make Sheepcote Valley workable in terms of public transport (as well as all other considerations), then in theory, no there ought not be a public inquiry into a planning application for that site. The assumption being that all evidence would already have been heard. Money is the one issue which Sheepcote does not fall down on, with the exception of the extra expense to be incurred in trying to make any sustainable transport scheme work.

As I understand it, although technically the decision has been quashed, and therefore no decision has been taken, we do already know what the government thinks of the scheme. So, in that sense, we know they have already said YES. It's not unreasonable, therefore, to make a leap from there to 'Falmer is YES, unless proved NO'. This is where Lewes' 20 tonnes of bollocks comes in.

It's also where we remind Ruth Kelly that this stadium is REALLY wanted by a massive amount of people. So everyone, make sure you send your postcards, purely to ensure Ms Kelly understands the issue without ambiguity.

 

[BensGrandad]

Am I the only fan who doesn't really give a monkeys f..k where the new ground is so long as we get one and I support Falmer because the club say that it is the best and only viable site, so I am prepared to go along with it.

But if they said Victoria Industrial Estate at Burgess Hill was the best I would still go there or the docks at Newhaven. I will go wherever BHA build a ground and play at.

 

[The Large One]

I don't want it in Whitehawk. f***ing near impossible to get without driving (meaning no beer), the driving taking yonks because of the horrific snarl-ups in central and east Brighton, nowhere to park, except in some God-forsaken council estate that time forgot...

f*** it, Falmer is almost door to door for me. London Road Station to Falmer - plenty of pubs on the way.

Yes, of course I care where it will be built.

 

[BensGrandad]

I have had pubs in:

East London, Kings Cross, Harlesden, Watford, Manor Park, Tottenham,Islington all in London then on my way home Epsom, Guildford, Fishersgate for a short while, Midhurst, Burgess Hill. Living in any of them or more recently since semi retiring and doing reliefs, in Ipswich, Newmarket, Lincoln, Maidstone, Ashford Kent and Molesey has not stopped me travelling to matches for the past 38 years. So wherever it is built I will be there provided they get their finger out and build it while I am still alive. So please Ruth say YES.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I don't want it in Whitehawk. f***ing near impossible to get without driving (meaning no beer), the driving taking yonks because of the horrific snarl-ups in central and east Brighton, nowhere to park, except in some God-forsaken council estate that time forgot...

f*** it, Falmer is almost door to door for me. London Road Station to Falmer - plenty of pubs on the way.

Yes, of course I care where it will be built.

Derby, Stoke and Coventry are just three grounds at the top of my head that are miles away from anything (pubs included!) and they have set up a decent bus service.

 

[Yorkie]

Derby, Stoke and Coventry are just three grounds at the top of my head that are miles away from anything (pubs included!) and they have set up a decent bus service.

The public inquiry heard that there weren't enough buses in Brighton on a Saturday to serve Sheepcote.
It would also clog up Eastern Rd and access to the hospital.
There's enough problems trying to sort out the new ice rink with a capacity of 8,000 let alone a stadium for 22,000.

The friends of Sheepcote Valley gave some fantastic evidence at the inquiry. The houses on Wilson Avenue are closer to a possible stadium than the villagers of Falmer for instance. They would suffer more noise and pollution than being beside the A27 because of queuing traffic.

 

[The Large One]

Derby, Stoke and Coventry are just three grounds at the top of my head that are miles away from anything (pubs included!) and they have set up a decent bus service.

So what? Not only are Derby, Stoke and Conventry utter shitholes, their cities' football clubs don't even consider their own supporters' needs. Community clubs need to serve the community, and that means not plonking them in the first place you find. You build them where they are easy to get to, and with at least some amenities close by.

It's also got nothing to do with Sheepcote. The decent bus service you talk about will not be relevant down here, because it won't be able to service a stadium in Whitehawk, as was talked about at length at the Public Inquiry.

 

[byf]

Start pressing all the buttons...to en-large withdean up to a 10,000 all seater...and see if we can stay there!