The breakdown in negotiations: Albion's view

In June 2001 negotiations with Brighton University broke down following disagreement over the value of land at the preferred Village Way North site.

The Albion then instructed its architects and other consultants for the community stadium to prepare a planning application for a new site 200 metres away at Village Way South.

The club says this 'fallback' site is a viable option and the 200-metre move would make no difference from transportation and environmental perspectives.

It insists the groundwork and research has been done and the plans have been drawn up. From a financial perspective, the club says the business plan is viable in either location because it is not dependent upon university funding and there is no need for any enabling development.

Both Village Way North and South are within an area of outstanding natural beauty, but the club insists its plans for a community stadium on either site meet the three main criteria for building on AONB land; namely -

1. There must be a demonstrable need for the development
2. There must be no viable alternative site
3. Development must be made in the most sympathetic way

Brighton and Hove Albion are determined to press ahead with talks with Brighton University on Village Way North, but says if there is no breakthrough they will pursue Village Way South.

Negotiations with Brighton University broke down, the Albion say, because the university's valuation of the land and buildings it would lose was four times that of the club's professional advisors.

Albion chief executive Martin Perry, said: "Along with the city council, we have worked extremely hard over the last 18 months with the University of Brighton on this vital community project, and together we were finally not poles apart on the planning and contractual issues.

"However, at the end of the day, it simply boiled down to the amount the club were prepared to pay for the university's part of the site and their valuation was far higher than ours. We were unable to close the gap."

Albion chairman Dick Knight said: "It is time for us to move on. We delayed the submission of the Falmer planning application to allow time for these negotiations to take place, but we cannot delay this any longer.

"The marvellous response to the Albion's success in the season recently ended has demonstrated beyond any doubt just how important the club is to this community. To allow us to develop that role more fully, to give the club a chance to realise its potential, to give the new city a stunning modern arena of which it can be proud - all of these benefits make the new community stadium essential.

"We are disappointed with the stance taken by the University of Brighton which is clearly for their own financial reasons. We have satisfied the city council how we intend to fund the project and remain absolutely determined to achieve the worthwhile community goals at Falmer."