A row which threatened Brighton and Hove Albion’s expansion plans of the American Express Community Stadium has taken an unexpected twist.
Brighton and Hove City Council’s Green administration has softened its stance on plans which would help add 8,000 seats to the £100 million stadium.
In a joint statement issued yesterday (December 8), Brighton and Hove City Council and Brighton and Hove Albion announced their commitment to bringing Premiership football to the city.
They will work together to find a temporary and permanent solution for land at the former Falmer High School previously promised to the club to provide up to 1,000 match day car parking spaces.
'Yellow card'
The move came just hours after The Argus’ front page of “Greens Give Albion Yellow Card”.
The Green group had said it wanted to market the land itself and get a better “commercial deal” for the taxpayer.
Political rivals called the new approach a “U-turn”, a Green party spokesman denies this.
In the joint statement, council leader Bill Randall and Albion chief executive Martin Perry said: “The council and the football club want the Albion to continue to flourish, bring Premiership football to Brighton and Hove, sustain and develop its highly successful community work, to expand the stadium by 8,000 more seats and create even more jobs.”
Travel survey
The statement confirmed Albion would fund an independent travel survey for a 30,000-seater stadium, which would look at how to get fans to and from the ground.
This would include sustainable transport options and consider the impact of match day car parking in the neighbouring areas of Coldean and Moulsecoomb.
The Argus understands the club had senior council officers’ backing to demolish the buildings on the former school site and establish a temporary home for The Bridge Community Education Centre and a 1,000 capacity match day car park.
But, just weeks before the club was to apply for an extra 8,000 seats at The Amex, the Green group decided on Monday, December 5, it wanted to keep the land itself.
Labour Lord Steve Bassam, who is also a former city council leader, said: “I urge the fans of football and the Albion to keep the pressure up on the Green party so we get a sensible approach to helping the continued success of the club.”
Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas publicly said: “I fully support stadium expansion and believe [it] is brilliant for the city.”
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