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Final countdown for Falmer
7:12am Tuesday 4th September 2007
There are just hours left for opponents to try to block Brighton and Hove Albion's Falmer dream.
Today is the last day for objections to the club's proposed 22,500-seat arena.
Falmer Parish Council, Lewes District Council and the South Downs Society have said they will not launch another legal challenge to the Government's decision to grant Albion permission to build the ground.
Opponents at the Campaign to Protect Rural England could have objected to the stadium but it is believed they will not launch their own bid to block the development.
If there are no objections at the eleventh hour, Albion can look forward to kicking off the 2010/11 season in their new home.
Over the past decade, Albion fans have taken part in demonstrations and marches, written thousands of letters and even sent flowers to Government ministers.
Paul Samrah, the chairman of the Falmer For All campaign, said: "Six weeks have passed since the Government's decision and hopefully it will be all systems go.
"Anyone who objects now can only be regarded as a vexatious litigant who is deliberately setting obstacles in our path.
"There is no substance to their objections given that the three main opponents have said there is nothing more to fight on with.
"It is going to be one hell of a party once we are in the clear and we all deserve to celebrate the good news.
"But the worry is if an individual who has some money would want to throw their cash at the issue to delay it."
Albion chief executive Martin Perry said: "Potentially we might not know the results until some time on Wednesday.
"Frankly, I'm not expecting any serious objections."
On being asked if he though a wealth individual might oppose the scheme, he said: "I cannot see anyone wasting their money - and it would be a waste of money."
Albion supporters' club chairman Tim Carder said: "No-one has objected that we are aware of.
"I'm optimistic that no-one will come forward at the last minute.
"The main opposing parties have all opted not to challenge and we are looking forward to getting the stadium built."
What will you be doing to celebrate if Falmer gets the final approval? Leave your messages below.
Your Say YourArgus
Cap'n Pugwash, Studying Shiny New Stadium Plans-Complete with Hotel and Private Runway says...
9:54am Tue 4 Sep 07
In honour of the above there will be at least one bottle of champagne quaffed at Pugwash Towers whilst I hope the defeated feel sick to their very cores...it's the least they deserve.
Brian, Hove says...
10:06am Tue 4 Sep 07
Nah only joking Im not that forgiving.
Falmer For Small, Brighton says...
10:06am Tue 4 Sep 07
Chippy, Off Surrenden Road says...
10:09am Tue 4 Sep 07
Brian, Hove says...
10:09am Tue 4 Sep 07
Falmer For Small wrote:ooer those grapes are getting sour again
These first two predictable gloating posts demonstrate why there is such contempt for football fans like these.
Roger, Woodingdean says...
10:10am Tue 4 Sep 07
Sue, Hove says...
10:11am Tue 4 Sep 07
Brian, Hove says...
10:13am Tue 4 Sep 07
Paul, Brighton Seafront says...
10:37am Tue 4 Sep 07
Falmer For Small wrote:To be fair Falmer for Small, there has been alot of gloating and smugness from both sides through out this lengthy battle.
These first two predictable gloating posts demonstrate why there is such contempt for football fans like these.
The real shame is that so much money has been wasted along the way, all parties involved!
I dearly hope that there will be no further objections and we can move on from this. I honestly feel that the fears of FPC will not justified and we will be a good neighbour.
Cap'n Pugwash, Looking at Shiny New Stadium Plans-Complete with Secret Hotel and Private Runway says...
11:26am Tue 4 Sep 07
Falmer For Small wrote:Excuse me? Gloating? I don't think so-more like ramming the truth home one more time-something you NIMBYs struggle with isn't it? The truth!
These first two predictable gloating posts demonstrate why there is such contempt for football fans like these.
You NIMBYs lied and misled everybody for years, costing our local football club millions and who knows how many future fans? 2 Lib Dumb politicians WERE instrumental in efforts to destroy the football club-very well documented if you care to look.
So Yes! No matter how much it p155es people like you off.....
I will be enjoying some champagne tonight or whenever the final announcement is made public. And you? A whiskey sour perhaps?
Cap'n Pugwash, etc., etc. says...
11:43am Tue 4 Sep 07
I dearly hope that there will be no further objections and we can move on from this. I honestly feel that the fears of FPC will not justified and we will be a good neighbour.
Well said Paul!
We all know that FPC and residents of Falmer have no need to fear the majority of football fans-that's what has been the most galling thing about this whole nonsense. We have been portrayed as a bunch of marauders who will destroy everything in our path. Nothing could be further from the truth-as the residents of Withdean will attest to. I attend matches in the company of doctors, actors, lawyers, accountants, businessmen, professional people and family men and women. Is it any wonder we get annoyed when we all get branded as thugs troublemakers? As far as I am aware, there have been no unsavoury incidents in our 8 years at Withdean (thanks for that FPC) and the local streets are cleaner after matches thanks to our litter patrols. Hardly enough to get hysterical about is it?
Time to realise that the world doesn't stand still because Melanie Cuttress and her merry band wanted it to.
Falmer For Few, Brighton says...
12:20pm Tue 4 Sep 07
In fact, siting the stadium at Falmer guaranteed this kind of planning battle, that LDC were perfectly entitled to fight as much as anyone else, both on behalf of their residents and the people of Falmer. They won the only enquiry held regarding the Falmer site. They won the legal argument over John Prescott's decision letter. The only fight they lost was with Hazel Blears who chose to ignore long standing planning rules and regulations - pretty much by her own admission. Which in itself entirely validated LDC's decision to fight the battle.
Bob, brighton says...
12:43pm Tue 4 Sep 07
Still, relegation will be the most serious opposition to the building yet.
Marc, Hove says...
12:49pm Tue 4 Sep 07
John, Brighton says...
12:54pm Tue 4 Sep 07
Falmer For Few, clutching at straws, wrote:
Have you ever considered that this saga could have been over years ago if the stadium had been sited at say, the station site?
And just where at the station would it go? Hadn't somebody already started to build there? Doh!
we've got it, in the euphoric clouds says...
3:34pm Tue 4 Sep 07
I am assuming that's small minds yeah !!
Cap'n Pugwash, Looking a large chilled bottle of Champagne says...
4:14pm Tue 4 Sep 07
Falmer For Few wrote:And you accuse me of attempting to re-write history?
I see Cap'n Pugwash is re-writing history again. Have you ever considered that this saga could have been over years ago if the stadium had been sited at say, the station site?
In fact, siting the stadium at Falmer guaranteed this kind of planning battle, that LDC were perfectly entitled to fight as much as anyone else, both on behalf of their residents and the people of Falmer. They won the only enquiry held regarding the Falmer site. They won the legal argument over John Prescott's decision letter. The only fight they lost was with Hazel Blears who chose to ignore long standing planning rules and regulations - pretty much by her own admission. Which in itself entirely validated LDC's decision to fight the battle.
Yet another pathetic attempt by a NIMBY to distort the facts until they resemble something they like the look of-truth be damned.
Let's remember something FFS-sorry-FFF: The stadium is still going to be built within the boundaries of Brightn and Hove, no part of the building will be in LDC territory-just the coach park.
LDC won the only PI? I seem to remember the second one completely rubbishing the findings of the first one that LDC clung to for so long-why else did we get the go ahead? Surely, if the first biased and amateurish PI wasn't such a load of nonsense the Government would have told the football club to look elsewhere?
LDC did not win a legal battle over JP's letter-they used a small error to drag this thing out way longer than necessary. Struggling with that are you?
Still FFF, you believe what you like, claim as many victories as you care to make up and hold your breath 'til you're blue in the face, in fact, do whatever the hell you want to do. The fact remains that THE COMMUNITY STADIUM IS GOING TO BE BUILT...in a crappy grade C field NEAR FALMER.
Somebody has already dismissed your idiotic suggestion of the station site and the inspectors shot holes in the 'alternative sites' suggested by LDC and FPC.
Throughout this whole saga NOT ONE viable alternative site came to light despite you NIMBYs having 7 or so years to suggest one. You kept saying there was one but at no time did you tell anybody where it was.Remembering the requirements of the football authorities as to where the stadium needs to be for The Albion to retain their league status: Within Brighton & Hove-that is all you need to know. And this is without even considering the sustainable transport requirements of both the stadium and society in general, but of course, none of that concerns you does it? Society, sustainable transport, beneficial to thousands rather than catering to the wants of a few wealthy snobs.
Remind me again who is re-writing history? I think you need to clean your mirror if you're still struggling for an answer.
eagle, selhurst park says...
5:09pm Tue 4 Sep 07
Matt, Hove says...
5:31pm Tue 4 Sep 07
Both sides shut up !
Game over
Reginaldo, Muddy Field says...
6:00pm Tue 4 Sep 07
eagle wrote:Ho Ho says the man (or woman)whose (so called)team plays in Sainsburys car park.. Keep it coming Eagles we are going to have a state of the art stadium...you will have a car park...
Can't wait, it'll be the best ground in the blue square, plenty of room as well for the couple of thousand who'll be there.
SEAGULLS
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- Appeal against Falmer would be wrong say fans
- £140,000 spent on Falmer fight
- Elated...but the party is on hold
- Knight’s generation game says it all
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Auntie Sledd, Highway To Hove says...
9:34am Tue 4 Sep 07
;-D x X