Falmer road scheme gets green light

9:35am Tuesday 14th August 2007

A major scheme to improve roads around the proposed Falmer stadium will begin next year.

The South East England Development Agency (Seeda) and Brighton and Hove City Council have agreed a £5.3million package of transport infrastructure works.

The work is seen as a vital step in delivering Brighton and Hove Albion's new community stadium at Falmer, which was given the go-ahead by the Government last month.

Seeda says the work will create major improvements to the A27/A270, the socalled academic corridor into Brighton, improving access to Brighton and Sussex universities.

The road upgrades include improvements to the A27/A270 junction, a new access road to Sussex University, improved access to Falmer High School and a footpath and cycle path between Moulsecoomb and Falmer train station.

The move has been hailed as another step forward in Albion's ten-year search for a new home.

Peter Cusdin, Seeda development director, said: "As well as being fundamental to the development of the stadium, there are spin-off benefits of these infrastructure works which will benefit the people living in the local area.

"We are very pleased that Brighton and Hove City Council has approved the management arrangements for the project, and look forward to working with them on delivering it." Seeda says the road improvements will improve access to other key sites, including four hectares of land at Woollard's Field, which is currently being considered for East Sussex County Council's proposed History Management Centre.

Brighton and Hove City Council's leader, Brian Oxley, said: "It's good to see the benefits created by the stadium starting to take shape at this early stage, which vindicates our support for it.

"We welcome the improvements these works will bring to the communities and universities in the area around the stadium, the city and the wider surrounding area."

Work on the improvements is expected to start next year.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears moved to end a decade of uncertainty for Albion last month by approving plans for the 22,500 seat arena at Village Way North.

Opponents of the stadium still have until September 4 to appeal against the scheme's approval, but Lewes District Council has already decided not to initiate another appeal.

Albion fans are anxiously awaiting news from Falmer Parish Council, which could yet decide to launch a High Court challenge.

The original decision to grant permission, made by John Prescott in October 2005, was quashed by the Government after it was revealed he made a mistake in the wording of the document.

Editor's Choice