Lewes District Council accept Falmer decision - official

[attila]

That is the news we have been waiting for after all these ******* years!!!!!!
Well done to everyone who helped save our club, from the dark days of 95-97 till now.
Ed, do you think that there is ANY chance the other lot will appeal? Are we absolutely 100% there?
If so then BEER!!!

 

[SurreySeagulls]

That is fantastic news, but still I will wait until the official dead line has passed before cracking open the champers. Well done Lord B and all at FFA and the Club.

 

[pasty]

BACK OF THE NET

 

[The Large One]

Lewes decides not to appeal Falmer decision
By Katya Mira

One of the last barriers to a new stadium for Brighton and Hove Albion has been removed. Lewes District Council announced today it is not going to appeal the Government's decision to allow the new stadium to be built at Falmer.

The council released a statement today saying it was frustrated and alarmed at the "blatantly party-political" decision to award planning consent but for practical reasons had decided not to appeal.

Peter Gardiner, lead councillor for planning, said: "We are deeply worried that this permission will set a precedent for development in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. By approving the stadium in an area of the highest environmental protection, the minister has diminished what AONBs mean - and this in the interests of encouraging regeneration', when it is quite clear that another option for the stadium, Sheepcote Valley, would have done a lot more for Brighton. This is a kick in the teeth for everyone who has paid good money to adhere to the planning process. It is too early to assess the full implications, but if a stadium complex that has no place in an AONB can be given permission on the grounds that it encourages local regeneration, this could open the floodgates to other inappropriate applications and mark the end of protection for nature sites as we know it."

Last week new Communities Secretary Hazel Blears decided to end a decade of uncertainty by approving plans for the 22,500-seat arena. Opponents have until September 4 to try to block the development. Two years ago the celebrations which greeted John Prescott's decision to approve the stadium were put on hold after Liberal Democrat-controlled Lewes council launched a High Court appeal.

Falmer Parish Council has promised to announce if it will appeal again within the next fortnight. Coun Gardiner added: "The planning grounds for an appeal are promising as this decision is also flawed but even if we were to win, the decision would still end up with a Government minister. The last two approvals have been blatantly party-political in motivation so we'd be back to square one. We therefore feel that for practical reasons it makes no sense to appeal against it. Throughout this procedure, we have never been anti-football, as some have tried to paint us. We have done what we believe is right to defend both the people of our district and planning policies designed to protect the countryside. If the stadium is now to go ahead, we hope to move forward in co-operation with the football club, and we would be particularly keen to hear how they plan to help the people of Falmer whose lives will be seriously affected by this development."

The Argus revealed last week that Lewes Council has already spent £140,000 on lawyers to fight the plans. Albion now hope to be kicking off the 2010/11 season in their new £50 million home.

Martin Perry, CEO of Brighton and Hove Albion, said: "I openly welcome the decision not to challenge the decision by Hazel Blears. It is time to draw a line under the differences we have had in the past. We recognise they obviously had the right to challenge the decision although we did not agree with their grounds.

"But what we would like to do now is to meet up with Lewes District Council as soon as possible and discuss the ways in which we can move forward in particular how we can make the development work both for the football club and for Lewes and to make sure that the impact with the village of Falmer is kept to an absolute minimum. We now look to Falmer Parish Council to follow suit and we will again be very happy to meet with them to talk about measures that can be taken so that the peace and tranquility of their village is protected."

Paul Samrah, chairman of Falmer For All Campaign, said: "I am grateful to Lewes District Council for coming out so quickly and making that decision. It gives us enormous hope that the plans can actually become a reality and that we can start building work soon. Now it falls to Falmer Parish Council to follow suite. I appreciate the issues and problems they have but it is time to wake up and smell the coffee - this has been going on for eight years and enough is enough. Now their main ally has accepted it is time to move on and I would urge Melanie Cutress and other parish councillors to get round the table to talk to us.

"I hope we can move forward."



Edit: Damn, too slow.

 

[The Large One]

When you read the comments that I've highlighted in red, you would really have to have the Patience of Job and an EXTREMELY forgiving nature to want to 'build bridges' with these people.

Councillor Gardiner is, of course, wrong. And even in this admission of the most ungracious of defeats, he cant' - or won't - bring himself to publicly say it. He is trying to save face. Fact is, with these comments, he has lost even more face.

 

[coventrygull]

So when will the building start

 

[Icy Gull]

Can FPC fund a fight?? I somehow doubt it?

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Get in!

 

[pornomagboy]

fpc... would they have enoth funds to challange the appeal on there own with out the backing of ldc

 

[Bozza]

"We now look to Falmer Parish Council to follow suit and we will again be very happy to meet with them to talk about measures that can be taken so that the peace and tranquility of their village is protected."

Isn't that a curious quote? Haven't we long maintained that the notion of tranquil Falmer is somewhat ludicrous, what with the road etc etc?

 

[Goodfella]

visions of trying to jemmy open the champers on a bike wheel!

Well i did type it while on me bike.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

That statement is clearly written with gritted teeth

 

[pornomagboy]

the south downs trust can still appeal, cant they? or not?

 

[itszamora]

Isn't that a curious quote? Haven't we long maintained that the notion of tranquil Falmer is somewhat ludicrous, what with the road etc etc?

The village is reasonably tranquil, but of course it's not where the stadium is going which is near the two universities and dual carriageway.

 

[Heffle Gull]

Good News

Without LDC hopefully the remaining opposition will skulk away and find something else to complain about

:yahoo::yahoo::yahoo:

 

[Fourteenth Eye]

This is truly excellent news !!!

 

[Brighton till i die]

AWESOME NEWS!

so is it just FPC that can mess us about now then?

 

[Virgo's Haircut]

This is fantastic news. Lord B, I think I love you, and want to have your babies.

 

[Scoffers]

This is indeed massive. It's not just FPC's ally that has made this decision, but a key funder of any action.

Nearly there folks, nearly there.

 

[MattBackHome]

Incredible