Seagulls Face New Stadium Delay - 30/11/2006

Brighton are facing further delays to plans for a new 23,000 seater stadium at Falmer after Local Government Secretary Ruth Kelly called for alternative sites to be reconsidered. The longer the saga goes on the longer the Seagulls have to use the athletics stadium at Withdean with its inadequate capacity and athletics track and the greater the risk of the club folding. Albion chief executive Martin Perry commented, 'Every week this drags on is hurting us finacially.' The club is convinced that there is no viable alternative to the Falmer site which was initially approved after a seven year battle. However, Ruth Kelly wants more information about how other sites were assessed at a two year public inquiry. In particular she believes that there were 'deficiencies' in the evidence on the brownfield Sheepcote Valley site. At the last public inquiry the inspector concluded that transport concerns made the site unworkable and no site other than Falmer was likely to be given planning permission. One long suffering Brighton fan commented ironically, 'Has this "valley" just been discovered like ancient Egypt's Valley of the Kings? No it hasn't. It's just Lewes [Council] wasting more time, disgracefully endorsed by Whitehall.' The plan has met strong oppsoition from both environmental groups and Lewes District Council, who have claimed that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's decision - since quashed - to allow the stadium in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is against government planning policy. In fact, the site is sandwiched between a major road, a railway line and some old university buildings so it is hardly the heart of the South Downs.