Has Dick Knight run out of steam and ideas?

[The Large One]

Agreeing with your son?

Seriously, and we have been down this road before, there is nothing Tesco could ever have done to get Brighton a stadium quicker than now. Whatever way you look at it, whichever site was chosen for the planning application, Tesco throwing money at the Council/club would have made not a blind bit of difference, because they would ALL have gone to a Public Inquiry (with the possible exception of Brighton Station, which (a) was always a non-starter, and (b) has a Sainsbury on it now).

 

[BensGrandad]

I think that inference from other posters is that the club /directors lack of money has hindered the progress but that has been explained away many times.

I feel that the the likes of Tesco, who I have continually used as an example, had the financial clout to push these matters further and faster possibly. We have had to continually go back to the fans for funding for the next stage and with unlimited finance available that would not have happened and may have speeded up the process, only MAY HAVE, not definte one way or the other.

 

[The Large One]

These projects work at the government's speed, not to the planning applicant's agenda.

The only things that would have happened it this were a Tesco-sponsored project would be that Lewes District Council wouldn't be in such a position to think that they could bankrupt the applicant, they way they do now. However, if this proejct had taken this long (or even half the time), Tesco would have pulled out by now, and gone to look for something else.

 

[William Chops]

Expain.

Er, what is there to explain? DK choose a strategy to achieve Falmer which has taken ten years and cost us millions (allegedly).

Maybe someone else would have chosen a different strategy which may well have cost us more money but have ultimatelty got us a new stadium sooner?

It was obvious from the outset that choosing to build on an AONB would result in a public enquiry. Another strategy would have been to buy some brownfield and build on that. What the brown field would have cost could have been recouped in revenue streams from the new stadium which would have been up and running years ago. A number of the alternative sites would have NOT resulted in a time and cost consuming public enquiry.

I know there are a number of reports stating that Falmer is preferable, but they simply state Falmer is preferable....not that other sites are totally unworkable.

 

[BensGrandad]

I know there are a number of reports stating that Falmer is preferable, but they simply state Falmer is preferable....not that other sites are totally unworkable.

Now is not the time to start on that again.

 

[The Large One]

Er, what is there to explain? DK choose a strategy to achieve Falmer which has taken ten years and cost us millions (allegedly).

Maybe someone else would have chosen a different strategy which may well have cost us more money but have ultimatelty got us a new stadium sooner?

It was obvious from the outset that choosing to build on an AONB would result in a public enquiry. Another strategy would have been to buy some brownfield and build on that. What the brown field would have cost could have been recouped in revenue streams from the new stadium which would have been up and running years ago. A number of the alternative sites would have NOT resulted in a time and cost consuming public enquiry.

I know there are a number of reports stating that Falmer is preferable, but they simply state Falmer is preferable....not that other sites are totally unworkable.

:thud:

Good grief. Where have you been these past five years?

What do you think the report from the Planning Inspector from the second Public Inquiry specifically said? There is nowhere else suitable and available. Eight other sites were tested for a whole host of criteria, and all others fell down on at least one issue in a way to make them unviable. He also said no other sites which were not specifically listed were available either.

So the short answer is, yes, there is a report that states nowhere else is suitable and available - it was made by Her Majesty's Planning Inspectorate. It was the basis for John Prescott approving Falmer in the first place.

If someone had chosen a site other than Falmer, it would have been turned down at Council planning stage.

 

[Gully]

The main fly in the ointment, from my rather limited knowledge of the city, is that it isn't blessed with an abundance of brownfield sites on which a football stadium can be built. Granted there are a number a little further away, such as the cement works at Bramber, but I thought there were limits as to how far a ground could be from the place it represents (thus sinking that idea in the water). It may appear that we have put all our eggs in one basket, but I remain convinced that it is the only viable solution, hence we have spent years stuck at the inquiry stage...only one more hurdle to cross and we are there...at last!!!

 

[William Chops]

Anyway, this is moving away from my original comment about DK having run dry of ideas. Maybe he should step to one side to concentrate on his Falmer legacy and let someone else have a bash at running the football and marketing side of things?

 

[dougdeep]

Anyway, this is moving away from my original comment about DK having run dry of ideas. Maybe he should step to one side to concentrate on his Falmer legacy and let someone else have a bash at running the football and marketing side of things?

This is suggested all the time, but what if nobody wanted to take his place?

 

[El Presidente]

What would we give for another Keith Wickenden to appear on the scene.

For the younger readers he was the owner of Townsend Thorensen Ferries and was the business brain behind Mike Bamber and with the help of Harry Bloom kept MB in line and provided the funds for Alan Mullery to take us into Div 1.

He was not the owner of Townsend Thorensen Ferries, he was a director. There is a big difference.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

This is suggested all the time, but what if nobody wanted to take his place?

But what if somebody does? Or could be encouraged?

 

[cjd]

This is suggested all the time, but what if nobody wanted to take his place?

I often see the above written, and that there is no-one to replace Mr.Knight...etc...etc
I presume then, if God forbid, Mr.Knight pegs out.....that,s it then ?

 

[Ernest]

I often see the above written, and that there is no-one to replace Mr.Knight...etc...etc
I presume then, if God forbid, Mr.Knight pegs out.....that,s it then ?

and seeing as he is well into his 70's could be sooner rather than later

 

[El Presidente]

and seeing as he is well into his 70's could be sooner rather than later

Ernest, you work on the railways, is it true that Dick Knight has his own steam engine, and if so, what is the most likely cause of it running out of steam?

 

[BensGrandad]

He was not the owner of Townsend Thorensen Ferries, he was a director. There is a big difference.

One of, if not the biggest inflential director, so to the layman he owned it in everything bar name.

He was still a great influenceand asset to this club and his sad death a major influence as was that of Harry Bloom.

 

[Biscuit]

:thud:

Good grief. Where have you been these past five years?

What do you think the report from the Planning Inspector from the second Public Inquiry specifically said? There is nowhere else suitable and available. Eight other sites were tested for a whole host of criteria, and all others fell down on at least one issue in a way to make them unviable. He also said no other sites which were not specifically listed were available either.

So the short answer is, yes, there is a report that states nowhere else is suitable and available - it was made by Her Majesty's Planning Inspectorate. It was the basis for John Prescott approving Falmer in the first place.

If someone had chosen a site other than Falmer, it would have been turned down at Council planning stage.

Spot on.

 

[Ernest]

Ernest, you work on the railways, is it true that Dick Knight has his own steam engine, and if so, what is the most likely cause of it running out of steam?

None at all as there is enough hot air to float an airship round the world.

 

[The Large One]

and seeing as he is well into his 70's could be sooner rather than later

66.

At least, it was a widely reported story back in 1997 that 57 year-old Dick Knight had taken over the chairmanship of the club.

 

[Yorkie]

The main fly in the ointment, from my rather limited knowledge of the city, is that it isn't blessed with an abundance of brownfield sites on which a football stadium can be built. Granted there are a number a little further away, such as the cement works at Bramber, but I thought there were limits as to how far a ground could be from the place it represents (thus sinking that idea in the water). It may appear that we have put all our eggs in one basket, but I remain convinced that it is the only viable solution, hence we have spent years stuck at the inquiry stage...only one more hurdle to cross and we are there...at last!!!

Despite the lies of LDC and FPC, Falmer is a part brownfield site because some of the Uni buildings are being demolished to make way for it. They already have planning permission to rebuild them elsewhere on the campus.

 

[ditchy]

Er, what is there to explain? DK choose a strategy to achieve Falmer which has taken ten years and cost us millions (allegedly).

Maybe someone else would have chosen a different strategy which may well have cost us more money but have ultimatelty got us a new stadium sooner?

It was obvious from the outset that choosing to build on an AONB would result in a public enquiry. Another strategy would have been to buy some brownfield and build on that. What the brown field would have cost could have been recouped in revenue streams from the new stadium which would have been up and running years ago. A number of the alternative sites would have NOT resulted in a time and cost consuming public enquiry.

I know there are a number of reports stating that Falmer is preferable, but they simply state Falmer is preferable....not that other sites are totally unworkable.

where are these brownfield sites ?