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South Downs bosses "shocked" by decision
9:23am Tuesday 24th July 2007
The South Downs Society reacted with incredulity to the decision.
Chairman John Songhurst said: "We are deeply shocked by this decision.
"The stadium will be a monstrous blight on this area of virgin downland. This massive structure will not only visually destroy the downland scenery but will have a major negative environmental impact in terms of vehicle, noise and light pollution.
"This is an example of Government cynicism towards the supposedly protected landscapes of our precious areas of outstanding natural beauuty and other legally protected landscapes.
"How can this crass concrete carbuncle on the face of our beautiful downland be justified in the national interest?"
Your Say YourArgus
Paul, Brighton Seafront says...
9:28am Tue 24 Jul 07
Tony Sheppard, Brighton says...
9:29am Tue 24 Jul 07
markc, hove says...
9:31am Tue 24 Jul 07
Andrew, Patcham says...
9:32am Tue 24 Jul 07
virgin downland
area of outstanding natural beauuty
beautiful downland
You obviously haven't visited the stadium site Mr Songhurst. Now run along, take a look at the site and come back when you've got something sensible to say.
David, Bristol says...
9:32am Tue 24 Jul 07
Dave, Brighton says...
9:33am Tue 24 Jul 07
SM, says...
9:36am Tue 24 Jul 07
Shocked ???? where has he been for the last ten years ????????
Anyway, it Is the most logical place to put it. Simple as that.
And I for one look forward to watching games there. Just couldn't bring myself to go to Withdean seeing as that's where we used to have our school sports day but I remember, clearly, the last game at the 'Stone. Even though I was there as a copper and at the bloody visting fans end !
Perhaps now it is time for all these wingeing, nimby's and so-called 'societies' to STFU.
Jules, Brighton says...
9:37am Tue 24 Jul 07
Paul, Brighton says...
9:37am Tue 24 Jul 07
Well done everyone!
Robert, Brighton, just down the road from Falmer!!! says...
9:40am Tue 24 Jul 07
Zteve, 843-592 says...
9:40am Tue 24 Jul 07
Paul Evans, West Hoathly says...
9:40am Tue 24 Jul 07
Captain Pugwash, The Galley says...
9:46am Tue 24 Jul 07
I know 45 year old prostitutes who are more virginal than that piece of land.
Who are these idiots?
Chippy, brighton says...
9:48am Tue 24 Jul 07
James, T.Wells says...
9:49am Tue 24 Jul 07
gaz, worthing says...
9:51am Tue 24 Jul 07
Paul, Worthing says...
9:51am Tue 24 Jul 07
Mark H, Brighton says...
9:51am Tue 24 Jul 07
This 'concrete carbuncle' is your personal opinion of the proposed stadium. Many of us think the design is very aesthetically pleasing, and indeed improves on the current ploughed field appearance of this particular piece of 'downland'. The view from the Stadium to the lovely Downs in the distance will no doubt be one of its most charming qualities...
Rather than Government cynicism, I believe that this is actually an example of the Government finding an acceptable solution for the majority - I believe it's called democracy...
dave, sompting says...
9:58am Tue 24 Jul 07
Mr Longhurst you are a buffoon!
I cannot wait for our club to take the cherry of the virgin downland.
Andrew, Patcham says...
10:01am Tue 24 Jul 07
Don Cropone, Brighton says...
10:02am Tue 24 Jul 07
John Songhurst, Uranus says...
10:07am Tue 24 Jul 07
John Songhurst's mentor, Somewhere far from Mr Songhurst says...
10:08am Tue 24 Jul 07
We will be dealing with his comments internally.
John Songhurst's Exit Hole, His backside says...
10:16am Tue 24 Jul 07
jo, brighton says...
11:08am Tue 24 Jul 07
Dave, Hastings says...
12:54pm Tue 24 Jul 07
Eddie the Eagle, Selhurst Park says...
1:35pm Tue 24 Jul 07
jon, Woodingdean says...
1:43pm Tue 24 Jul 07
Jack Jones, Lewes says...
1:59pm Tue 24 Jul 07
Geoff Franks, Brighton says...
2:15pm Tue 24 Jul 07
Chris, Gibraltar says...
2:51pm Tue 24 Jul 07
SSSSSSS!!!".
Secondly, sorry Mr Songhurst but I fully endorse the views so eloquently expressed by previous correspondents.
Thirdly, surely the point is that the particular field in question cannot be described as "virgin downland". However not far away there is beautiful downland countryside which is worth protecting....so how about an alliance with Mr Songhurst and Falmer Parish Council to resist the future development of any more downland in this area whilst allowing the present development to stand unchallenged? - Problem solved for everyone!
ray ellerton, portslade says...
2:52pm Tue 24 Jul 07
so what are your views on all the uni buildings which are not exactly pretty, or is it different for them?
Alan, Hove says...
5:49pm Tue 24 Jul 07
Jules wrote:VERY VERY good point!!! Hopefully this will only add to that battle!
I see now an even better reason to open up and electrify the Lewes Uckfield line and upgrade the whole route. :-)
Seagull, Sussex by the sea says...
7:16pm Tue 24 Jul 07
Eddie the Eagle wrote:Atleast we wouldn't be living and playing in the arsehole of England like Palarse :thumbsup:
Seeing the plans this will be the finest staidum in the Conference when finished!!!! LOL
palace hater, anywhere but croydon says...
10:28pm Tue 24 Jul 07
Eddie the Eagle wrote:seagulls **** on eagles. go away u filthy inbread.
Seeing the plans this will be the finest staidum in the Conference when finished!!!! LOL
adrian, saltdean says...
11:08pm Tue 24 Jul 07
Geoff Franks wrote:this view would have so much more credibility if those who objected to the stadium didn't suggest other more environmentally sensitive sites with less use of public transport
Obviously you soccer fans don't have much love for the south downs. The reasons why many were against this development was because for every new structure that goes up on the outskirts of the downs, there is even more pressure for development. "If they can have a soccer stadium we can have our offices etc." Then of course the village of Falmer will be decimated by this intrusion.
T.Ruth, brighton says...
11:22pm Tue 24 Jul 07
Talk about inconsistency and hypocrisy, WHY do we have to put up with the self indulgent and NIMBY attitudes of those who get into positions of power for no other reasons than to protect their back yards regardless of what the general public want. Take Chichester District Council as an example, they went ahead, without a mandate, and spent hundreds of thousands of pounds of council tax payers money fighting the very idea of the proposed South Downs National Park, simply because they knew it would result in a loss of power and restrict the favours they could hand out to the privileged few land owners, who up until now have controlled most of Sussex and Hampshire without ever being challenged. Whereas, on the other hand, Lewes District Council supported the National Park scheme purely because they believed it would aid their fight against the Falmer football stadium, and because of their blind opposition to football in general, they have ignored the fact that this stadium could be a great asset to other sports as a training and competition venue and if they got on board before its too late they could still have some input into the design and overall use of the stadium in such a way that it will benefit Lewes in a positive way.
Pete P, Hong Kong says...
5:46am Wed 25 Jul 07
Mark, Brighton says...
7:09am Wed 25 Jul 07
Jack Jones wrote:The stadium site is part brownfield and COMPLETELY in Brighton & Hove boundaries. I do wish the opponents would get their facts straight before spouting off.
"We couldn't put the stadium on a brownfield site in Brighton and Hove because we could build lots of flats there and get lots of council tax". This decision is a complete joke! I feel so sorry for the village of FALMER . I thought it was supposed to be BRIGHTON and HOVE Albion. Losers!
Paul, West Hoathly says...
12:40pm Wed 25 Jul 07
Eddie the Eagle wrote:Such a funny post....come back when you can spell stadium you illiterate fool.
Seeing the plans this will be the finest staidum in the Conference when finished!!!! LOL
J Valentine, Brighton says...
1:11pm Wed 25 Jul 07
Realfan, Nearby says...
2:18pm Wed 25 Jul 07
J Valentine, Brighton says...
2:45pm Wed 25 Jul 07
Mike Ainsworth, Seaford says...
3:01pm Wed 25 Jul 07
Did you raise any objection, and if you did, how strong when Sussex University was built?? What about that expansion and all that it has brought?
Mark Brighton, Brighton says...
4:34pm Wed 25 Jul 07
Have you read any of the reports from these eminent scientists?
I thought not.
J Valentine, Brighton says...
4:50pm Wed 25 Jul 07
Mark, Brighton says...
5:59pm Wed 25 Jul 07
J Valentine wrote:Now we have it. You are just anti football. It was a fine masquerade as being concerned about the environment whilst it lasted.
The key word there is "greater". You admit, therefore, that the construction of a stadium anywhere will have an impact on its vicinity? The proposed Falmer site will therefore damage what has been determined to be place of natural interest. In answer to you question, no you are correct I haven't read the reports as I have neither the education nor lexicon to make use of them, I do however have an understanding of the long and difficult process that anyone who would write these reports would go through. I therefore respect their findings and reiterate my earlier point - the cost is too high. it's just a football ground.
Seagull, Sussex by the sea says...
9:16pm Wed 25 Jul 07
I still fail to see what interest people find with the current Falmer site. It is an eyesore.
Richard, Houston, Texas says...
11:51pm Wed 25 Jul 07
PS some of these comments are brilliant, I've had a good chuckle reading them, thanks y'all
J Valentine, brighton says...
9:12am Thu 26 Jul 07
Seagull - it is just a game get over it
Sam Baxter, near brighton says...
9:15am Thu 26 Jul 07
So by a dictionary definition the Falmer stadium is dangerous and unpleasant?? sounds about right!
Graham Hannaford, hove says...
8:13pm Fri 27 Jul 07
Mark H wrote:Could not agree more,as some one who walks the Downs seven days a week I find it deeply depressing that this buffoon should be speaking up for something I love so deeply. This mans ludicrous statement means his lost all credibilty.
Mr Songhurst - This is not 'virgin downland', it is a ploughed field.The field does not form any part of 'downland scenery', unless you count 1960's buildings, roads on 3 sides and a lovely view of Sussex University beyond as 'downland scenery'... Most of us wouldn't... How will the 'vehicle and noise pollution' be increased? - there is a 4 lane highway alongside the field already, which is a bit noisy from all the vehicles on it. A few more once a fortnight won't make a noticeable difference. However, hopefully there will be the occasional cheer from the stadium - one would hope that in 21st century Britain the sound of people enjoying themselves could be seen as acceptable noise pollution...Light pollution - for the occasional evening match under floodlights, yes, there will be some light pollution in the immediate vicinity - I don't believe any local residents will be substantially affected, and most of us can live with that... This 'concrete carbuncle' is your personal opinion of the proposed stadium. Many of us think the design is very aesthetically pleasing, and indeed improves on the current ploughed field appearance of this particular piece of 'downland'. The view from the Stadium to the lovely Downs in the distance will no doubt be one of its most charming qualities... Rather than Government cynicism, I believe that this is actually an example of the Government finding an acceptable solution for the majority - I believe it's called democracy...
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supertom, says...
9:28am Tue 24 Jul 07
hahahahahaahhahahaha
has he actually BEEN to the area
cor! yeah those university buildings and by-pass, PHWOR, yeah, thats a real NATURE TRAIL isn't it
same old ballacks i'm afraid
accept the decision