[Albion] Additional Seats

[Clive Walker]

its going to be so cold sat there without the warmth of hundreds of people surrounding us.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

I've just had a bit of a dig online:


The application to extend the capacity is currently under consideration and highways still have some issues:

https://planningapps.brighton-hove....B0F51/pdf/BH2020_00769-TRANSPORT-16013920.pdf

The AMEX Stadium and the Club are valued members of the community and we wish to help improve the services
they provide. Unfortunately, before we can support this application, we need to be satisfied that the travel impacts
have been adequately assessed and mitigated, and that opportunities to maximise the use of sustainable forms of
transport have been taken (per NPPF paras 108-111). The Club and partners have had great success at promoting
certain forms of sustainable transport (particularly rail) and we want to ensure that future travel arrangements build
on this. Updating the TMP before first use of any additional capacity is likely to be an important step towards doing
so. However, we first require additional data and assessment to understand what the focuses for that should be and
if related infrastructure improvements or adjustments to other conditions/obligations need to be secured in support
of this

The Albion's transport consultants have replied in the last ten days with how to overcome the problems and provide highways with more information:

https://planningapps.brighton-hove....00769-REVIEW_OF_COUNCIL_COMMENTS-16028138.pdf

In terms of the mode share estimates, the additional capacity at the AMEX Stadium anticipated to
generate the following trip numbers on each mode:
• Bicycle – 6 fans
• Motorcycle – 7 fans
• Walking – 138 fans
• Bus – 100 fans
• Coach – 316 fans
• Park and Ride – 332 fans
• Rail – 851 fans

Good to have all local MPs support in public: https://planningapps.brighton-hove....pdf/BH2020_00769-COMMENT_SUPPORT-15960059.pdf

 

[Uter]

14 seats from an aisle always seems to be the UK max.

Yes, that's correct for rows with a gangway at both ends. New stadiums follow the Green Guide:



I am not sure they can get around this constraint.

The club are planning to eventually add 1750 seats. We know from planning applications that the proposed new tier in the north stand and seats in the NE corner will add around 400.

So where are the remaining 1350 going? That's a lot of seats.

The only information we have is that it will involve "filling in of existing gaps within the stands"



And the cost of doing so will be tiny (relative to the cost of the new north and NE seats)



Exactly where and how they plan to squeeze in so many seats at so little cost is a real mystery.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Yes, that's correct for rows with a gangway at both ends. New stadiums follow the Green Guide:

View attachment 130843

I am not sure they can get around this constraint.

The club are planning to eventually add 1750 seats. We know from planning applications that the proposed new tier in the north stand and seats in the NE corner will add around 400.

So where are the remaining 1350 going? That's a lot of seats.

The only information we have is that it will involve "filling in of existing gaps within the stands"

View attachment 130844

And the cost of doing so will be tiny (relative to the cost of the new north and NE seats)

View attachment 130845

Exactly where and how they plan to squeeze in so many seats at so little cost is a real mystery.

I agree, i've found the following drawing online, from a previously approved application but nothing on the outstanding application on the additional seating.

 

[Uter]

I agree, i've found the following drawing online, from a previously approved application but nothing on the outstanding application on the additional seating.

They don't need planning approval for internal alterations, so we won't find out where they are going from planning documents. The only reason there is one for the north stand is because of the proposed change of use of the offices to a lounge.

I am really puzzling on how they can find room for 1350 more seats in existing areas without spending significant money. I suspect it will be from several small schemes rather than one or two big changes.

For instance, although there is a constraint of 28 seats per row, the rows between vomitories have fewer, 23 I think. I think they might be able to increase this to 24 without reducing the gangway widths to below the minimum requirements. But that alone would only add around 200, and I've seen no evidence that this has happened.

Or they could bolt another row onto the front of the East and West upper to add around 400 seats. But I don't think they could do this for the tiny cost stated in the planning application (maybe Derek Chapman has quoted mates rates). And again, I've seen no evidence this has been undertaken.

Where the hell are these seats going?

 

[el punal]

I think it is based on how many supporters you need to get out of the stadium at full-time. They have calculated that an extra 6,000 could easily get out of those exits following the average footfall studies

Full time exiting shouldn’t be a problem, it’s the masses that leave at the 85th minute that will create absolute havoc.

 

[Wilka]

I had an e-mail as well. My seat in the middle of the West Stand upper has changed seat number by 17 seats.

 

[Weststander]

Yes, that's correct for rows with a gangway at both ends. New stadiums follow the Green Guide:

View attachment 130843

I am not sure they can get around this constraint.

The club are planning to eventually add 1750 seats. We know from planning applications that the proposed new tier in the north stand and seats in the NE corner will add around 400.

So where are the remaining 1350 going? That's a lot of seats.

The only information we have is that it will involve "filling in of existing gaps within the stands"

View attachment 130844

And the cost of doing so will be tiny (relative to the cost of the new north and NE seats)

View attachment 130845

Exactly where and how they plan to squeeze in so many seats at so little cost is a real mystery.

Thanks, a very informative post.

 

[VAL1850]

Am I the only one who has yet to receive this email?

I have not received any club mails either (have checked spam folders)

 

[Magic Sponge]

Interesting. I didn't think that was legally possible for most of the seats as the middle seats between each aisle are already at the legal maximum for the number of seats between them and the aisle ?

Perhaps there is more flexibility in ground level stands ?

I’m sure I read somewhere that the legal requirement was that there could only be a maximum of 14 seats from an aisle.

Edit: as already stated by [MENTION=21158]Weststander[/MENTION]

 

[seagullwedgee]

Interesting. I didn't think that was legally possible for most of the seats as the middle seats between each aisle are already at the legal maximum for the number of seats between them and the aisle ?

Perhaps there is more flexibility in ground level stands ?

My understanding is that each block of seats is currently 28 seats wide for this legal reason, you cannot be more than 14 seats away from an exit walkway. But I think they have realised you can make this 29 seats wide, by squeezing the seats together on the rails, making room for a 29th seat, and still not be more than 14 seats away from an exit. If this was replicated in every row of seats, in every full size block, this could add about 1100 seats. Together with the north stand lounge/shelf which adds about 800, this makes up most of the 2000 in the application currently being considered by the council.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

My understanding is that each block of seats is currently 28 seats wide for this legal reason, you cannot be more than 14 seats away from an exit walkway. But I think they have realised you can make this 29 seats wide, by squeezing the seats together on the rails, making room for a 29th seat, and still not be more than 14 seats away from an exit. If this was replicated in every row of seats, in every full size block, this could add about 1100 seats. Together with the north stand lounge/shelf which adds about 800, this makes up most of the 2000 in the application currently being considered by the council.

You would of thought it would have been easier to add a third tier on the East Stand!

 

[Uter]

My understanding is that each block of seats is currently 28 seats wide for this legal reason, you cannot be more than 14 seats away from an exit walkway. But I think they have realised you can make this 29 seats wide, by squeezing the seats together on the rails, making room for a 29th seat, and still not be more than 14 seats away from an exit. If this was replicated in every row of seats, in every full size block, this could add about 1100 seats. Together with the north stand lounge/shelf which adds about 800, this makes up most of the 2000 in the application currently being considered by the council.

The council are responsible for issuing the stadium safety certificate and they follow the "green guide":



The green guide explicitly states 28 seats per row:



I think the club are unlikely to have found a loophole to exploit and any safety body would likely take a dim view if they had.

I have no idea how they plan to get all these extra seats in, but I think having 29 seats per row is unlikely.

 

[BeHereNow]

I agree, i've found the following drawing online, from a previously approved application but nothing on the outstanding application on the additional seating.

View attachment 130847

A lot of what you’ve posted has already been on the main ‘Amex Expansion’ thread for a while, although I didn’t know the club had responded yet as I recently deleted the link to the search page for the application and couldn’t find it, but now I have it again, so thanks for that! I check it quite regularly for updates.

As for the new seats, the email said something like they had already put a few in, so if they are all in the same area/areas, presumably we might see them tomorrow. I assume they are probably a odds ones here and there. The only other areas I can think of receiving a substantial number of seats would be the West Upper corners and maybe the bits on the end of the East Upper, but the wording in the application doesn’t suggest this.

 

[AZ Gull]

I am sure they read out an exact number like 2453 at the friendly v Chelsea. They must be under a lot of scrutiny on having the correct data.

I am sure it was something like 47 people didn't make it.

I have no idea what figure was mentioned at the match itself, but both Andy Naylor (in the Athletic) and Brian Owen in the Argus have reported the figure as 2,524.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I have no idea what figure was mentioned at the match itself, but both Andy Naylor (in the Athletic) and Brian Owen in the Argus have reported the figure as 2,524.

Cheers, I could not find it either, just heard it over the tannoy at the time. So we actually had more in than tickets sold. Makes sense as directors et al were in the TV box seats in the South East,