Lord Bracknell
On fire
Falmer For All Press Release -
FALMER FOR ALL
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday 24 March 2004
---------------------------------------------------------------
Early Day Motion tabled in the House of Commons
An Early Day Motion (EDM) has been tabled in the House of Commons, in support of Brighton & Hove Albion’s application for a new Community Stadium at Falmer. Within a matter of hours of being tabled, the EDM (No: 889) has attracted high profile Labour & Conservative support.
An EDM is a colloquial term for a notice of motion given by a Member for which no date has been fixed for debate. EDMs allow Members to put on record their opinion on a subject and canvass support for it from fellow Members.
Proposer of the EDM, Deputy Chair of the House of Commons All Party Football Group, Burnley Labour M.P. Peter Pike said “Football fans everywhere know how important local clubs are to the town in which they are based, and the mutual benefits that grow out of that relationship. Brighton and Hove, like Burnley, are proud of their football team. I hope the Falmer site gets the all clear and that they can enjoy many years and games of success in their new community stadium - except, of course, when they play Burnley!”
Chair of the All Party Football Group, Feltham & Heston Labour M.P. Alan Keen said: "League football in Brighton and Hove has played a vital part in the city and enhanced community spirit for many years. This application offers a superb and unique opportunity to enhance the assets of the local area and is undoubtedly needed, not just for football but for the wider economic, cultural and leisure benefits that will result."
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport Julie Kirkbride and M.P. for Bromsgrove, recently visited the proposed site at Falmer and was one of the first to sign the Early Day Motion. Ms Kirkbride commented, “A huge amount of effort has been put into these plans and the stadium would make a great use of the site, next to a station. The plan makes enormous sense. It's good for Brighton and Hove, good for fans, good for the local population and good for the Club. It's win, win, win all round and I very much hope John Prescott sees the good sense of this proposal. I am happy to lend any support I can in Parliament to make sure it goes ahead".
Paul Whelch from the FFA Campaign said “The EDM clearly sets out the tangible benefits that the stadium will bring. These are not only benefits for the local community, but for the whole country. I am delighted that Peter Pike is sponsoring this motion supported by Alan Keen and Julie Kirkbride. Support is coming from Members of Parliament from across the country and across the political divide. This is a One Nation issue. Local MPs, David Lepper and Des Turner, are also strongly supporting the EDM. The Early Day Motion commends the Falmer plans to the Deputy Prime Minister and we will be urging MPs to sign it. In so doing, they will demonstrate that the strength of feeling on this matter extends well beyond the Albion’s own supporters”.
Paul Samrah, Chair of the FFA Campaign, added “Brighton & Hove Albion are part of the national game and it is very significant that the EDM has attracted support from MPs across the country. With John Prescott’s decision expected in the next eight weeks, the Club’s future hangs in the balance. Our long campaign has now arrived at the nation’s seat of democracy - the overwhelming public majority have said Yes to Falmer, the City Council have said Yes to Falmer and now the DPM’s own Parliamentary colleagues are saying Yes to Falmer. We urge John Prescott to listen and say Yes to Falmer. Quite simply without Falmer, there can be no Albion.”
ENDS
Background note to Editors
The EDM reads:
That this House congratulates Brighton and Hove Albion FC on its success since returning to Brighton in 1999; further congratulates the Club for its hard work in partnership with the local authority and elected representatives to develop a community stadium at Falmer; believes that the only suitable site for a community stadium is at Falmer; welcomes the economic and socio-economic benefits that will accrue to the Club, the community of Brighton and Hove and the local authority, directly through increased tourism, educational opportunities, skills-training and employment, which will also be beneficial for the country; further recognises that the development will complement national Government objectives, by incorporating sustainable transport strategies and will promote social inclusion by providing a focus from which to build community programmes; welcomes the Club's vision of building on its existing community links and expanding its successful Football in the Community programme within the new facility; believes that the community and wider benefits of the proposed stadium at Falmer far outweigh any neglible impact on the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; recognises the evidence given by national organisations during the public inquiry demonstrating that the stadium is in the national interest; acknowledges the overwhelming public support for the plans at every stage of consultation; and commends the Falmer site proposal to the Deputy Prime Minister.
Further details of the EDM (Number : 889) can be found at
http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=889
Brighton & Hove Albion’s plans for a new Community Stadium at Falmer, which would secure its future, are in jeopardy.
Despite an overwhelming show of public support, a report by a Planning Inspector on the City of Brighton & Hove’s new Local Plan has summarily dismissed the proposals, citing a lack of National Interest and that part of the site is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The final decision though now rests with the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, and is expected in the next eight weeks.
Quite simply, without Falmer, there can be no Brighton & Hove Albion. Why? Because the present temporary home is a rented 7,000 capacity athletics stadium - income is capped and ongoing losses are the inevitable result.
Plans were submitted to Brighton & Hove City Council for a Community Stadium at Falmer in October 2001. The Council approved the application by 11 votes to 1. The application though was ‘called in’ for a Public Inquiry, this concluded in October 2003. The Club has spent £2.5m on the application to date.
The Deputy Prime Minister, in his capacity as First Secretary of State, is expected to publish his decision in the next eight weeks, having this week granted a further consultation period.
The Falmer For All Campaign continues to urge MPs and members of the football community across the country to urgently write or email the DPM asking him to back Falmer :
26 Whitehall, London SW1A 2WH
or email: planning.general@odpm.gsi.gov.uk
FALMER FOR ALL
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday 24 March 2004
---------------------------------------------------------------
Early Day Motion tabled in the House of Commons
An Early Day Motion (EDM) has been tabled in the House of Commons, in support of Brighton & Hove Albion’s application for a new Community Stadium at Falmer. Within a matter of hours of being tabled, the EDM (No: 889) has attracted high profile Labour & Conservative support.
An EDM is a colloquial term for a notice of motion given by a Member for which no date has been fixed for debate. EDMs allow Members to put on record their opinion on a subject and canvass support for it from fellow Members.
Proposer of the EDM, Deputy Chair of the House of Commons All Party Football Group, Burnley Labour M.P. Peter Pike said “Football fans everywhere know how important local clubs are to the town in which they are based, and the mutual benefits that grow out of that relationship. Brighton and Hove, like Burnley, are proud of their football team. I hope the Falmer site gets the all clear and that they can enjoy many years and games of success in their new community stadium - except, of course, when they play Burnley!”
Chair of the All Party Football Group, Feltham & Heston Labour M.P. Alan Keen said: "League football in Brighton and Hove has played a vital part in the city and enhanced community spirit for many years. This application offers a superb and unique opportunity to enhance the assets of the local area and is undoubtedly needed, not just for football but for the wider economic, cultural and leisure benefits that will result."
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport Julie Kirkbride and M.P. for Bromsgrove, recently visited the proposed site at Falmer and was one of the first to sign the Early Day Motion. Ms Kirkbride commented, “A huge amount of effort has been put into these plans and the stadium would make a great use of the site, next to a station. The plan makes enormous sense. It's good for Brighton and Hove, good for fans, good for the local population and good for the Club. It's win, win, win all round and I very much hope John Prescott sees the good sense of this proposal. I am happy to lend any support I can in Parliament to make sure it goes ahead".
Paul Whelch from the FFA Campaign said “The EDM clearly sets out the tangible benefits that the stadium will bring. These are not only benefits for the local community, but for the whole country. I am delighted that Peter Pike is sponsoring this motion supported by Alan Keen and Julie Kirkbride. Support is coming from Members of Parliament from across the country and across the political divide. This is a One Nation issue. Local MPs, David Lepper and Des Turner, are also strongly supporting the EDM. The Early Day Motion commends the Falmer plans to the Deputy Prime Minister and we will be urging MPs to sign it. In so doing, they will demonstrate that the strength of feeling on this matter extends well beyond the Albion’s own supporters”.
Paul Samrah, Chair of the FFA Campaign, added “Brighton & Hove Albion are part of the national game and it is very significant that the EDM has attracted support from MPs across the country. With John Prescott’s decision expected in the next eight weeks, the Club’s future hangs in the balance. Our long campaign has now arrived at the nation’s seat of democracy - the overwhelming public majority have said Yes to Falmer, the City Council have said Yes to Falmer and now the DPM’s own Parliamentary colleagues are saying Yes to Falmer. We urge John Prescott to listen and say Yes to Falmer. Quite simply without Falmer, there can be no Albion.”
ENDS
Background note to Editors
The EDM reads:
That this House congratulates Brighton and Hove Albion FC on its success since returning to Brighton in 1999; further congratulates the Club for its hard work in partnership with the local authority and elected representatives to develop a community stadium at Falmer; believes that the only suitable site for a community stadium is at Falmer; welcomes the economic and socio-economic benefits that will accrue to the Club, the community of Brighton and Hove and the local authority, directly through increased tourism, educational opportunities, skills-training and employment, which will also be beneficial for the country; further recognises that the development will complement national Government objectives, by incorporating sustainable transport strategies and will promote social inclusion by providing a focus from which to build community programmes; welcomes the Club's vision of building on its existing community links and expanding its successful Football in the Community programme within the new facility; believes that the community and wider benefits of the proposed stadium at Falmer far outweigh any neglible impact on the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; recognises the evidence given by national organisations during the public inquiry demonstrating that the stadium is in the national interest; acknowledges the overwhelming public support for the plans at every stage of consultation; and commends the Falmer site proposal to the Deputy Prime Minister.
Further details of the EDM (Number : 889) can be found at
http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=889
Brighton & Hove Albion’s plans for a new Community Stadium at Falmer, which would secure its future, are in jeopardy.
Despite an overwhelming show of public support, a report by a Planning Inspector on the City of Brighton & Hove’s new Local Plan has summarily dismissed the proposals, citing a lack of National Interest and that part of the site is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The final decision though now rests with the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, and is expected in the next eight weeks.
Quite simply, without Falmer, there can be no Brighton & Hove Albion. Why? Because the present temporary home is a rented 7,000 capacity athletics stadium - income is capped and ongoing losses are the inevitable result.
Plans were submitted to Brighton & Hove City Council for a Community Stadium at Falmer in October 2001. The Council approved the application by 11 votes to 1. The application though was ‘called in’ for a Public Inquiry, this concluded in October 2003. The Club has spent £2.5m on the application to date.
The Deputy Prime Minister, in his capacity as First Secretary of State, is expected to publish his decision in the next eight weeks, having this week granted a further consultation period.
The Falmer For All Campaign continues to urge MPs and members of the football community across the country to urgently write or email the DPM asking him to back Falmer :
26 Whitehall, London SW1A 2WH
or email: planning.general@odpm.gsi.gov.uk
