New Moves On Albion Stadium

[ditchy]

And thats before you consider that Sheepcote is (a) a landfill site and so not appropriate for a large scale building development such as this, and (b) that (unlike Falmer) it is currently a much loved (and much USED) nature reserve for locals.

Apart from that though, yes, Sheepcote is perfect. [/B][/QUOTE]

Not arguing with you Easy but why not suitable to build on .?Reading was built on landfill as i iam led to believe so are a number of other sizeable projects.

 

[ditchy]

Maybe i'm getting old too but that seems the most accurate post on the subject yet.

Agree with you Brixtaan .. at the end of the day i would love Falmer but if i have to watch football at a new stadium elsewhere in the brighton area i dont care as long as its a decent covered modern stadium ..

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I fear you are being too optimistic. As even Lord B has said the likely outcome is that Ruth Kelly will be presented with 2 different scenarios. Lewes will present new evidence to show that Sheepcote is OK in transport terms. Brighton and the Albion will put up a rebuff. Ruth Kelly will have to order a new inquiry to resolve the conflict, otherwise Lewes will go to Judicial Review and say she did not properly consider their evidence. New Inquiry late 2007 early 2008. Decision mid 2008. Assuming it is in favour of Falmer then there will be another protest by Lewes DC............ If it is in favour of Sheepcote what will Brighton and the Albion do? Whatever it will take some time.

Lewes are winning let their be no mistake.

You've missed the best bit out ...

... between the new Inquiry and the Decision ...

... New Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, decides to hold a snap general election. Tories make some gains, but not enough to win power. Brown is forced into a coalition government with the Lib Dems. Norman Baker is appointed Secretary of State with responsibilities for planning ...

... then we get the Decision.






PS. Sleep well, boys and girls.

 

[BensGrandad]

Agree with you Brixtaan .. at the end of the day i would love Falmer but if i have to watch football at a new stadium elsewhere in the brighton area i dont care as long as its a decent covered modern stadium ..

I agree 100% and I am sure so do most fans. We have only fought for Falmer because the club have told us it is the only possible site.

If anybody can find a better site that is practical so be it lets build it there but not start the whole proceedure over again.

 

[London Irish]

I fear you are being too optimistic. As even Lord B has said the likely outcome is that Ruth Kelly will be presented with 2 different scenarios. Lewes will present new evidence to show that Sheepcote is OK in transport terms. Brighton and the Albion will put up a rebuff. Ruth Kelly will have to order a new inquiry to resolve the conflict, otherwise Lewes will go to Judicial Review and say she did not properly consider their evidence. New Inquiry late 2007 early 2008. Decision mid 2008. Assuming it is in favour of Falmer then there will be another protest by Lewes DC............ If it is in favour of Sheepcote what will Brighton and the Albion do? Whatever it will take some time.

Lewes are winning let their be no mistake. I listened to Martin Perry on BBC SCR tonight. I have never heard him so depressed.

No, I don't agree. There is no new inquiry, Lewes have just been granted a 7-week extension, let 'em have it if it stops them bleating later about not being able to put their case to the Secretary of State. It's not credible that there could be such a huge dispute on the facts to warrant a new inquiry, the transport infrastructure is either there, or it is not.

As for appeals by Lewes, we have to remember that they've been given a free shot this time due to government incompetence. The next time, permission will be watertight and any legal challenges will be costly. I'm not convinced there is the political will at Lewes to risk run up huge costs on this issue. They were always going to take their "free" shot this time, next time will be very different.

 

[London Irish]

This is what's bugging me....surely they should have put their points across by now. What's the point of B&H electing THREE labour Mps if they can't get a simple message to Ruth K

But who's to say they haven't? The problem is the third unelected part of government, the judiciary. We can influence the executive and legislative branches very well, but we must ensure that our case survives the judges, if that's what Ruth Kelly is doing here, who's to quibble?

 

[London Irish]

You've missed the best bit out ...

... between the new Inquiry and the Decision ...

... New Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, decides to hold a snap general election. Tories make some gains, but not enough to win power. Brown is forced into a coalition government with the Lib Dems. Norman Baker is appointed Secretary of State with responsibilities for planning ...

... then we get the Decision.






PS. Sleep well, boys and girls.

A general election in 2008??!!! Poor Gordy hasn't waited this long just to chuck it all away like that. He'll want at least 2 or 3 years of looking presidential before risking the polls.

 

[London Irish]

And thats before you consider that Sheepcote is (a) a landfill site and so not appropriate for a large scale building development such as this, and (b) that (unlike Falmer) it is currently a much loved (and much USED) nature reserve for locals.

Apart from that though, yes, Sheepcote is perfect.

Not arguing with you Easy but why not suitable to build on .?Reading was built on landfill as i iam led to believe so are a number of other sizeable projects.

Yeah, I think the serious planning objection is the transport issues. It is on that it will stand or fall - and Lewes can spend as much money on consultants as they like, they aren't going to be able to magic up tens of millions of pounds worth of approach roads to a Sheepcote stadium.

 

[ditchy]

[As for appeals by Lewes, we have to remember that they've been given a free shot this time due to government incompetence. The next time, permission will be watertight and any legal challenges will be costly. I'm not convinced there is the political will at Lewes to risk run up huge costs on this issue. They were always going to take their "free" shot this time, next time will be very different. [/B][/QUOTE]

Not so sure they have been given their "free shot" LI .. the cynic in me thinks they have been coached on the workings of higher Govt by Baker and they are playing a good game .I hope im wrong but they always seem to be capable of pulling something out at the last minute and i for one am starting to wane .. Please convince me otherwise.
As i said earlier ive got to the point where i dont care where it gets built in the Brighton conurbation as long as we get a decent stadium

 

[sully]

As i said earlier ive got to the point where i dont care where it gets built in the Brighton conurbation as long as we get a decent stadium

But there isn't anywhere else.

 

[attila]

Is Kelly prepared to sacrifice 3 Brighton MPS for..what?
'Cos that's what she'd be doing if she doesn't approve the stadium, or we don't have a decision by the next general election. An organised intervention by the Seagulls Party at the election, fuelled by thousands of angry Albion fans, plus general disillusionment with 'New' 'Labour', would in my opinion spell the end for all the local MPs. In a close run election campaign this would perhaps be the difference between a 'Labour' and Tory government.

Martin Perry has assured me she is aware of that and has asked us not to write to her pointing this out.

Can anyone give me a logical reason why she would deliberately end her colleagues' careers and perhaps the rule of her own party? (I'm not being hyperbolic here, the next election is going to be a close run thing)

Ed, thoughts?

 

[ditchy]

But there isn't anywhere else.

Their isnt anywhere else suitable .. i agree wholehartedly , but like everything else in life if yopu dont get what you want you look for the next best option.. .. dont get me wrong i want Falmer , just that getting frustrated it is taking so long and would settle for another site if we could get a stadium built

 

[Nemesis]

Kelly needs to get her butt into gear and actually VISIT the sites. We all know that LDC and the NIMBYs are experts at presenting the Falmer site as the worst possible option. F**k knows, they've done it so often and fooled so many people.

The only way a fair decision can be made is for the decision makers to see both sites-without that, we're in danger of being screwed over by those lying LibDem and Tory bastards on LDC again and again.

 

[Nemesis]

Martin Perry has assured me she is aware of that and has asked us not to write to her pointing this out.

Why?

It is something as strong as that that might actually focus her mind on arriving at the right decision. Gloves off time pretty soon I think-especially if we get yet another load of delays whilst awaiting more reports.

I'm sick to death of it by now.

 

[Curious Orange]

BBC article:

Kelly looks again at stadium site

The football club has been pushing for a new stadium since 2001
The government is to look again at alternative sites for Brighton and Hove Albion's proposed new Falmer stadium.

Local Government Secretary Ruth Kelly has asked for more information about how the sites were assessed at a two-year public inquiry.

She has said that, in particular, there were "deficiencies" in the evidence on the brownfield Sheepcote Valley site.

Ms Kelly is reviewing the planning application after permission granted last year by John Prescott was quashed.

Feasibility studies

The club, along with other bodies which gave evidence at the public inquiry, has been given until 15 February to make representations.

Sheepcote Valley was one of nine other sites for which feasibility studies were conducted, but the club always believed Falmer was the best.

Brighton and Hove City Council backed the plan, as did the city's MPs.

But some Falmer residents objected strongly to having a stadium built in their village.

The parish council, along with Lewes District Council and the South Downs Society, has fought a long campaign against the Falmer site, because of its proximity to the South Downs and an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

In a letter to the council, Ms Kelly said she also wants more information on whether the government's regeneration objectives are being met.

And she wants to look at how the stadium would impact on the proposed South Downs National Park.

Ms Kelly will then consider whether to re-open the public inquiry or grant planning permission for the Falmer development.

 

[Lammy]

At the next general elcetion I'm going to demand a re-count for 7 years.....

 

[Curious Orange]

There is also an article in the Argus.

Rather disingenuous of David Neighbour to say that the Government realises that the alternative sites need to be looked at again - when in fact its just Sheepcote, and only the transport issues. Arse.

 

[Seasider78]

How many more inspectors are going to have to look at this!!?? No doubt the latest Lewes inspector will say Sheepcote is viable we will stick by the fact it is not and then the governement will have to appoint another independant one to decide who is right!!

Can't help but think the only way Falmer will get built is if the council are removed in the local elections.

 

[Ex Shelton Seagull]

Funny how Sheepcote has now turned into a "brownfield" site. I always thought it was a park. If it's a brownfield site because it used to be a landfill site, then doesn't that make Waterhall a brownfield site as well?

Does anyone have any idea what the "deficiences" were with the evidence on Sheepcote? It seems like the Government is setting the whole thing up so they will turn down Falmer and recommend Sheepcote, which the council won't let us build on. Personally I think this whole thing is an embarrasment to the Government and rather than just issue planning permission again they've decided to try and bury the whole thing under red-tape and hope no-one notices.

Better start making up those plans for a South Stand roof.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Is Kelly prepared to sacrifice 3 Brighton MPS for..what?
'Cos that's what she'd be doing if she doesn't approve the stadium, or we don't have a decision by the next general election. An organised intervention by the Seagulls Party at the election, fuelled by thousands of angry Albion fans, plus general disillusionment with 'New' 'Labour', would in my opinion spell the end for all the local MPs. In a close run election campaign this would perhaps be the difference between a 'Labour' and Tory government.

Martin Perry has assured me she is aware of that and has asked us not to write to her pointing this out.

Can anyone give me a logical reason why she would deliberately end her colleagues' careers and perhaps the rule of her own party? (I'm not being hyperbolic here, the next election is going to be a close run thing)

Ed, thoughts?

.... just maybe she's giving LDC every opportunity to come up with evidence so when she's says's 'YES' as I believe she will, and LDC say 'hold on what about this bit of evidence and you should re-open the public enquiry' she'll say ' look I gave you lot an extra 8 bloody weeks, I've pissed of a great deal of people in my own party as well as the electorate, I've ignored public opnion and I even let you bring new evidence which you had ample chance to do before when I didn't have too'. So tough, live with it.