Agenda Item No.7 Committee: Planning and Highways Sub Committee Date: 13 February 2002 Report by: Director of Transport and Environment Proposal: Proposed community stadium with accommodation for class B1 business, educational, conference, club shop merchandise, entertainment and food and drink uses, together with associated landscaping and transportation facilities including road works, pedestrian and cycle links, coach/bus park and set down area, shared use of existing car park space at the University of Sussex and shared use of land for recreation and parking at Falmer High School. Site Address: (a) Land north of Village Way, Falmer, Brighton. (b) Land south of Village Way, Falmer, Brighton. Application No (a) BH/2001/02418/FP (b) BH/2001/02419/FP Applicant: Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club Ltd. Issues: · Justification for major development in the Sussex Downs AONB including social and economic impacts on East Sussex. · Environmental impact on character of landscape and local communities of East Sussex by way of scale, design and noise. · Transport impact. · Waste. RECOMMENDATION:- EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL STRATEGIC REPRESENTATIONS To resolve to inform Brighton & Hove City Council that whilst it is acknowledged that a new stadium serving the City could bring significant social and economic benefits to the local and wider community, Village Way, Falmer is an inappropriate location for a major football stadium and associated development and these applications should be refused as contrary to Structure Plan and local plan policies, for the following reasons: 1. The applicant has failed to submit adequate evidence as part of these planning applications that: (a) a countryside location is necessary and that no suitable alternative sites exist elsewhere, contrary to structure plan policies S10, EN5, LT14 and Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPGs) 6 and 7; and, (b) alternatives to design and layout and meeting the need for the development by other means have been genuinely considered, contrary to the requirements of PPG7 and Circular 2/99 (Environmental Impact Regulations); 2. The proposed schemes represent inappropriate development within this nationally designated AONB landscape at Falmer, specifically: (a) because of their scale and nature they would adversely affect the character and quality of the AONB landscape and Falmer Village and the adverse impact could not be effectively mitigated, contrary to structure plan policies, S1 and EN1-3; (b) the schemes are not compatible with the purpose of the AONB designation to protect the landscape and scenic beauty, contrary to advice found in PPG17 (1991) and draft revisions (March 2001); (c) the proposals would erode the important countryside gap separating the village of Falmer and the City of Brighton & Hove, contrary to Structure Plan policy S1(k); and (d) no compensatory measures have been proposed to offset the loss of designated landscape contrary to structure plan policy EN2(f); 3. Insufficient information has been provided to assess realistically the extent and severity of noise impacts on the tranquillity of the Downs and the village of Falmer, contrary to Structure Plan policies S1(b) and EN3; 4. The proposals would hinder the implementation of the "Academic Corridor” as the Village Way North proposal would involve the loss of land allocated (subject to strict tests) for university or business uses and both proposals would compromise the implementation of the permission for business use at Woollards Field, contrary to Structure Plan policy E14 and EP7 of the adopted Brighton Borough Plan; and 5. It is not clear that all appropriate transport services and infrastructure for access, parking and other non car means of access necessary to ensure safe access and highway safety can be put in place, contrary to structure plan policies TR1(i) and TR3 and the Transport Assessment does not include the potential traffic impacts on the Village Way/B2123 junction or those arising from other non-stadium uses. 6. Brighton & Hove City Council should also be informed that the proposals are considered premature as they could prejudice the outcome of the forthcoming local plan inquiry in to the Brighton & Hove Local Plan. CONSIDERATION BY DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT 1. The Proposal Introduction 1.1 The County Council has been consulted as a neighbouring authority on two separate applications for football stadia at neighbouring sites at Falmer, located within the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Although located in the City of Brighton & Hove, both have potential impacts on the western part of the County. Due to the marked similarity between the two schemes and sites, they are both considered in this report. 1.2 Applications BH/2001/02418/FP (land at Village Way North) and BH/2001/02419/FP (land at Village Way South) for full planning permission are in essence alternative proposals for development of a 22,000 seater football stadium on adjacent sites. The scale, bulk and form of the proposals and their composition of uses are similar. The key differences of the schemes arise from their respective locations, namely; · The proposal north of Village Way proposes a stadium occupying part of the campus of the University of Brighton and would entail the demolition of university buildings to accommodate the scheme. This application does not, however, include proposals to replace any lost buildings other than indicating where replacements may be located. The site area spills over Village Way to accommodate the turning and parking areas. · Land South of Village Way is located on the prominent downland slopes, but would involve the development of section of land north of Village way to enable access to the rail station and the underpass to Sussex University to take place. 1.3 The Village Way South proposal appears to be an alternative to avoid the demolition of the University of Brighton buildings. 1.4 Both proposals encroach on to the land owned by the County Council, at Woollards Field, in order to provide access to car parking. Background to the Proposal 1.5 The “Taylor Report” (1989) recommended a number of crowd safety measures for football stadiums in the UK. This included the phased introduction of all seater stadiums at the 92 football league grounds in the country. 1.6 Brighton & Hove Albion FC (BHAFC) needed to relocate, as its original ground (Goldstone) was unsuitable for these regulatory improvements. However, the Goldstone Ground was sold before an alternative home was found, forcing the Club to enter into a ground sharing agreement with Gillingham FC. 1.7 The Club returned to the City in 1999 following the granting of a temporary permission to upgrade the Withdean stadium to football league standards. The return of the Club to Brighton, it is argued, has brought about an increased demand for tickets following poor attendance figures whilst playing at Gillingham. Site 1.8 As noted in the introduction to this report, the sites of Village Way north and south are located within the AONB on the eastern edge of the City of Brighton & Hove. The landform falls from a height of 105 metres above ordnance datum (AOD) at the Village Way south site to approximately 70 metres AOD at the Village Way north site where the undeveloped downland meets the northern border defined by the Lewes – Brighton rail line. The downland forms an open north/south valley bisected by an embankment forming Village Way. The campus of the University of Brighton (forming part of the site area for the Village Way North proposal) lies to the west. The woodland known as the Westlain plantation forms the western boundary for the Village Way South site. There are no natural features defining a boundary to the east. 1.9 Village Way forms the access to the University of Brighton from the B2123 (The Drove). The Drove running north south links the A259 at Rottingdean to the A27 at Falmer. The easternmost part of the proposal site is some 70 metres from the junction of Village Way with the Drove. 1.10 The small downland village of Falmer, and its conservation area, lies less than 300 metres from the boundary of both sites. 1.11 Village Way north has a site area of 16.7 hectares, whilst the Village Way south proposal is 18.2 hectares in area. The Proposal 1.12 The development proposals entail the development of a football pitch with four stands with ancillary facilities and parking and other associated development, including B1 office space and education facilities. This is proposed to take place over a period of 7 – 10 years and is divided in to four phases designed to accommodate an anticipated increase in crowd numbers. 1.13 Common elements of both schemes include: · A two-tier west stand (to be built as part of the initial phase of development) providing the main accommodation for spectators (10,718 covered seats and hospitality boxes), ancillary facilities. The west stand would also incorporate: o a banqueting/conference suite capable of accommodating 500 persons; o nursery/crèche and a homework club/learning hub for up to 50 students of 11-18 years of age and adult education programmes; and o 720 sq.m of teaching space (for use by the University of Brighton). · A single tier temporary east stand (also built as part of the first phase) with 3,600 seats · A permanent east stand with 6,888 seats to be built as part of the second phase increasing the stadium total second phase capacity to 17,606 seats, replacing the temporary stand. This stand would also include commercial floor space comprising 1,200 sq.m of hi-tech office space suitable for use as an “Innovation Centre” or for accommodating business starter units aimed at fostering employment linkages with the two nearby universities. · A north stand with 2,384 seats, to be built as the third phase · A south stand, also with 2,384 seats, to be built as the fourth phase, bringing total seating capacity to 22,374 · access and traffic arrangements directly affecting East Sussex involve: § a bus/coach park, set down area, parking for players, VIPs and disabled to be accessed from Village Way and the B2123 in East Sussex; § shared parking with the University of Sussex (accessed from East Sussex County Council’s highway network).