8:37pm Thursday 26th July 2007
By Simon Barrett
Albion fans say the main opponents of the planned stadium at Falmer would be hypocritical to appeal against the Government's decision to approve the scheme.
This week, after a decade without a permanent home, the Government finally gave plans for the 22,000-seat arena the green light.
Opponents now have until September 4 to try and block the development - and Seagulls fans fear the worst.
Campaigners say Lewes District Council would be hypocritical to appeal against the stadium on the grounds it will encourage more development on the South Downs and other Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
In response to the stadium being given the thumbs up, Peter Gardiner, the lead member for planning at Lewes District Council, said only time would tell if the decision paved the way for "further major intrusive development" on the South Downs.
But only this month the council approved plans for a wind turbine on the Downs - despite staunch opposition from countryside groups.
Lewes council's planning committee voted in favour of a 70m turbine to supply energy to Glyndebourne Opera House.
National organisations including the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the Council for National Parks and the Ramblers Association all vehemently opposed the plan.
Ed Bassford, who stood for the Seagulls Party in the Lewes council elections in May, said: "The decision that the council took to approve the building of the wind turbine at Glyndebourne clearly demonstrates they understand there are circumstances in which major developments in AONBs are acceptable.
"Throughout the Albion planning application they claimed no such circumstances existed. It is somewhat hypocritical."
Mr Bassford said the principle that applies to all major development in protected countryside is that each case has to be looked at on its merits - and in the light of national planning policy.
He added: "The suggestion that the stadium could open the floodgates for more building on protected land is nonsense. Besides which, Lewes council is a local planning authority.
"Whatever they think, it is not their role to set themselves up as nationwide defenders of every AONB and national park in England."
Both Lewes council and Falmer Parish Council have promised to announce their intentions on whether to appeal within the next fortnight.
Campaigners have long accused both councils of employing delay tactics as a way of preventing the stadium being built.
A spokesman for Lewes council said: "They are entirely different proposals with entirely different effects on the Sussex Downs.
"Each case has been considered on its own individual planning merits. In the case of the wind turbine, the council's planning committee thought that the benefits in terms of renewable energy and reducing CO2 outweighed any impact on the landscape."
Meanwhile it has emerged that Falmer council attempted to get the public inquiry reopened - for the third time - earlier this year.
The approval document sent to interested parties this week reads: "The Secretary of State has also considered a request dated May 9 by Earthrights Solicitors on behalf of Falmer Parish Council to re-open the inquiry.
"However, the Secretary of State has taken the view that it is not necessary to re-open the inquiry having regard to all the information before her."
The Argus revealed yesterday that Lewes council had already spent £140,000 on lawyers to fight the plans.
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