The History of the Falmer Stadium Project Here is a resume of the ongoing battle for a new stadium: March 1998 - Falmer (a muddy field next to the University and A27 dual carriageway) emerges as a possible site for Albion 's future home. Martin Perry writing in the club programme on 21st March reveals, 'You will have seen in the press we have added a new site to the list under consideration for our permanent home. It is at Falmer, adjacent to the University of Brighton . This site has a number of advantages, including being on the south side of the A27, close to Falmer railway station, and with good road and bus links... this creates a very exciting opportunity for us.' Saturday 17th October 1998 - Martin Perry, again in the matchday programme, reveals that after a survey into 16 possible sites in and around Brighton & Hove, the club and council are considering a short list four sites for the new stadium. One site stands out clearly as the best option: Village Way North , Falmer. Supporters are asked to write to Brighton & Hove Council asking for the Falmer site to be included in the Local Plan as the site for the Albion 's proposed new stadium. February 1999 - Brighton & Hove Council announce that a referendum will be held alongside the May local council elections asking the people of Brighton & Hove whether they favour Falmer. Saturday 13th February 1999 - Brighton & Hove Council Leader Steve Bassam, writing in Seagull, throws his support firmly behind Albion 's Falmer bid. He details the excellent transport links, the boost a new stadium would provide to the local economy and in terms of new jobs, and declares the club's proposal 'a winner'. Monday 22nd March 1999 - By now it has emerged the May 6th Falmer referendum will involve two questions. Firstly asking the voter do they wish to see a permanent home for the Albion in Brighton & Hove; secondly should that home be at Falmer. At the Island Night Club in Hove , the YES YES campaign is launched by Albion 's various supporters groups - who later form the Falmer For All Campaign Team. Fans are asked for their assistance in distributing public information leaflets on behalf of the YES YES Campagin, and urged to spread the word that a YES YES response at the referendum is the only response come the big day on May 6th. Monday 12th April 1999 - On the night Micky Adams is unveiled as the new manager of the Albion, wearing a YES YES t-shirt, fans pack Hove Town Hall for a Falmer update from Dick Knight and Martin Perry . Once again, supporters are urged to spread the YES YES message. Sunday 18th April 1999 - Hundreds of supporters take to the streets of the city as a three-week leafleting campaign begins. In the run up to the referendum, Albion fans make two separate YES YES leaflet deliveries to each of 104,000 households in Brighton & Hove. Thursday 6th May 1999 - A historic day in the history of the Albion . Brighton & Hove awakes to 5,000 green and white YES YES balloons all over the two towns. 56,701 (83.5% of those voting) vote in favour of a permanent home for the Albion, while 44,985 (67.6%) people vote in favour of the stadium being at Falmer. Wednesday 2nd August 2000 - Brighton & Hove City Council earmarks Village Way North as the site for a community stadium in the first Deposit Draft of the Local Plan.
Monday 8th October 2001 - Albion deposit 32 boxes - containing two planning applications, one for Village Way North and one for Village Way South - at Hove Town Hall. The council officers now begin the process of writing their reports for the 12 councillors who'll decide Albion 's fate. Albion fans are asked to write to the council in support of the application. Wednesday 10th October 2001 - Micky Adams resigns as Albion manager, to take the job as assistant manager at Premiership Leicester City - with the view to taking over as manager. Adams says the lack of a permanent stadium and facilities is the reason why he trades the Second Division title race for the Premiership relegation dogfight. Thursday 16th May 2002 - Albion fans deliver a 61,452-signature petition to Council Leader Ken Bodfish. Each one asks the council the give Albion 's stadium the go ahead. Wednesday 12th June 2002 - Brighton & Hove City Council's Planning Committee votes overwhelmingly (11:1) in favour of the club's stadium at Falmer. The officer's report reveal 9,643 fans wrote to the council in support of Albion 's application. Tuesday 18th February 2003 - The four-month public inquiry kicks off, and Albion call a number of witnesses to present their case, including experts on traffic, pollution, planning and other areas. The FA's David Davies, Des Lynam and Sportswriter Paul Hayward also take the stand for the Albion . Thursday 5th June 2003 - Albion ask for extra time at the public inquiry in order to submit an additional planning application concerning access to the coach park at the stadium. Inspector John Collyer grants a further session in October 2003. The application is required in order for the club to satisfy the University of Brighton - with whom the club are still locked in negotiations concerning the lease of part of their land. The QC quotes Daily Telegraph writer Hayward's evidence, saying that the lack of a stadium in Brighton and Hove was "a glaring omission, and an affront to children growing up across the county." Tuesday 14th October 2003 - The public inquiry resumes to consider the additional planning application made by the Albion, concerning access to and from the stadium site. Brighton University officially withdraws its objections to the proposed stadium, and signs agreements with the Albion and the city council in support of the stadium. University Vice Chancellor David Watson admits, "We have always supported the stadium, but we had to ensure the university campus and stadium could satisfactorily co-exist alongside each other. The documents that have been painstakingly negotiated address all of our concerns and we now look forward to a positive outcome to the inquiry." Thursday 9th October 2003 - Almost two years to the day Micky Adams tendered his resignation as Brighton manager, Steve Coppell does the same - and becomes the fourth departing Albion manager to cite the lack of permanent stadium as one of the reasons why he is leaving. Dick Knight tells the club's website, "Once again this club is facing the reality of losing another high-profile manager because of our new stadium, or lack of it." Thursday 23rd October 2003 - The public inquiry closes, and Albion's Martin Perry, in upbeat mood, declares, "We have done everything we can to present a very strong case for the stadium to be built." Tuesday 27th July 2004 - Prescott announces he is to re-open the Public Inquiry to ensure that Falmer is the best available site for a stadium. Chairman Dick Knight says: "It is clear from the evidence we have presented that Falmer is the only site in Brighton that can accommodate this stadium, and meet the strict criteria set by Prescott. We will re-present the evidence on all the sites to demonstrate why this is the case." Monday 27th September 2004 - Thousands of Albion fans march on the Labour Party Conference in Brighton urging Prescott to 'Give Them A Ground'. Fans are joined by chairman Dick Knight, manager Mark McGhee, the players and former manager Micky Adams. This part of the inquiry looked in detail at all of the potential alternative sites that had been proposed by objectors to Falmer – Waterhall, Brighton Station, The Greyhound Stadium, Withdean Stadium, Sheepcote Valley, Toad’s Hole Valley, Shoreham Harbour, Shoreham Airport and Upper Beeding Cement Works. Detailed evidence was presented by all the major objectors, including Falmer Parish Council, Lewes District Council, the Sussex Downs Conservation Board and the Regency Society of Brighton & Hove. The Albion ’s own expert witnesses also presented evidence about these sites. Friday 20th May 2005 - The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announces that Albion can expect a final decision on the stadium on or before 31st October 2005 . Among the throng were some familiar faces; former managers Barry Lloyd and Steve Coppell joined current boss Mark McGhee and the first team squad; Des Lynam and Norman Cook were in attendance, plus Albion legends Peter Ward and Gary Stevens. Having arrived at the Brighton Centre, Albion chairman Dick Knight addressed the crowd with the aid of a police loud-hailer, ending a rousing speech with a plea to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, "We have the love, we have the passion. Now let us consummate it with a stadium."
Thursday 24th November 2005 – News breaks that Lewes District Council’s Cabinet Committee, meeting behind closed doors, has decided to mount a challenge to the Deputy Prime Minister’s decision. Backed by Falmer Parish Council and the South Downs Joint Committee, they will submit an appeal to the High Court, seeking to have the planning permission overturned. Stadium supporters are outraged and mount an immediate campaign to persuade Lewes District Council to reconsider the Cabinet Committee’s decision – on the grounds that it is not supported by Lewes residents and that the costs that could fall on council tax payers would be excessive. A petition is organised that achieves, in just one week, over 5,000 signatures from Lewes district residents, opposing their council’s planned appeal. Wednesday 11th January 2006 – Stadium supporters again question Lewes District Council’s decision, this time using public question time at a Cabinet Committee’s meeting. Once more, councillors ignore the wishes of local people and another meeting passes with no public debate. Over the following weeks, Lewes District
Council circulates the Spring issue
of its District Link magazine to all households. Photographs
accompanying a feature about the stadium attract attention. One is
revealed to be a composite of two images, assembled in a way that
concealed existing buildings next to the stadium site. Another was
taken several miles away from Falmer. Albion
supporters question the integrity of the council and claim its
motive is to mislead local residents. Wednesday 10th May 2006 – Lewes
District Council reveal that they have responded to the Treasury
Solicitor by laying down the conditions under which they might be
prepared to avoid a High Court hearing into their appeal. They fail
to send a copy of this response to either the football club or Brighton & Hove
City Council. LDC seek a response from the Treasury Solicitor by
1 June. Thursday 17th August 2006 – The Seagulls Party contest their first by-election in Ouse Valley & Ringmer Ward. The success of our candidate, Ed Bassford, who took a significant number of votes for a party only formed 5 weeks earlier clearly rattled the opposition. Sunday 17th September 2006 - Albion supporters hold a rally at the Annual Liberal Democrat Conference in Brighton to protest at the behaviour of Lewes Lib Dems. Supported by a group of Brighton Lib Dems the rally was a huge success and later that day, a contingent from the Seagulls Party handed out spoof menus at the Lib dem Gala Dinner and were very well received by all the delegates including the Leader of the Party. Go here to see pictures from the Rally Thursday 3rd May 2007
- Local Elections
Tuesday 24th July 2007 - The Secretary of State says "Yes" to Falmer (again!) but celebrations are muted since there is a 6 week period for opponents to the stadium to confirm whether they intend to appeal against Hazel Blears' decision. Go here to read the Secretary of State's decision letter Tuesday 31 July
2007 - Lewes District
Council announces that it will not appeal against
the decision. |
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Brighton & Hove Albion have been homeless since May 1997. They
spent two seasons in exile 70 miles away groundsharing in Gillingham
, Kent , before the council gave them permission to use the city's
Withdean Athletics Stadium. However, Withdean is far from suitable
for League football, let alone Championship football, hence the club
have been pushing for a 23,000-seat stadium of their own for over
seven years now. 
Saturday
13th April 2002 - Albion
clinch the Second Division Championship with a 0-0 draw at home to
Swindon. A little over a fortnight later, Peter Taylor resigns as
Albion manager, citing the lack of a permanent stadium as one the
main reasons behind his decision. 
Friday
13th June 2003 - QC Jonathan
Clay, representing the Albion, ends this part of the public inquiry
by telling the Inspector that the hopes and dreams of an entire community
rest with the Secretary of State's decision. 
Monday 1st December 2003 - The
Seagulls land at 10 Downing Street . Norman Cook and Des Lynam lead
a delegation of supporters delivering over 6,200 letters - and a
summary of the 61,452-signature petition - to Deputy Prime Minister
John Prescott, urging him to give Albion 's stadium the green light. 
Tuesday 2nd February 2005 - The
public inquiry re-opens, with a new Inspector David Brier. Dick Knight
tells the club website that the stadium is vital for the very future
of the football club. He says, "We cannot sustain the level
we are playing at indefinitely." The inquiry runs for over three
months and finally closes on the 5th May. 
Monday 26th September 2005 - Once
again Albion fans march for Falmer. Initial estimates from Sussex
Police suggest that up to 10,000 Albion fans descended on Brighton
seafront tonight to show their support for a new stadium. 
