Albion lawyers celebrate

12:59pm Tuesday 24th July 2007

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Lawyers for Albion were today celebrating the decision.

DMH Stallard, a Top 100 law firm based in London and the south east, represented the club throughout the campaign to obtain planning permission for the new stadium.

The legal team included Brighton-based Tony Allen, senior partner in the DMH Stallard planning team, and Jonathan Clay, a planning specialist barrister from Gray's Inn Square in London.

Martin Perry, Brighton & Hove Albion's chief executive, said: "This decision is testament to the commitment and determination of the club, its supporters, the team at DMH Stallard and Jonathan Clay, to secure what is a truly exciting opportunity for this club and for the wider city.

"All parties involved in the planning application have worked tirelessly to reach this stage. Coming back stronger after every hurdle and continuing until we get the right result."

The DMH Stallard planning team began preparing the club's planning application in 2000 and submitted the application in October 2001. In June 2002 the application was approved by the planning applications' sub-committee at Brighton & Hove City Council, but was called in by the Secretary of State for determination in September 2002. Plans had to be reviewed after permission granted by John Prescott in October 2005 was overturned amid opposition from Lewes District Council, Falmer Parish Council and conservation groups.

Tony Allen said: "It has been a pleasure to have worked alongside Martin Perry since the beginning of this project when Falmer was first identified as the site for the new stadium. Hazel Blears' decision vindicates the club's original selection of Falmer and the work which the professional team has done to support that choice.

"Our team, particularly Peter Rainier, our director of planning, who gave planning evidence at the public inquiries, and Jonathan Clay, have worked extremely hard to achieve today's decision."

"One of the major deciding factors in Ms Blears' decision was the ability of the club to provide the infrastructure needed to maintain such a stadium, like good public transport links for spectators to minimise the use of cars. The stadium immediately adjoins a railway station to which improved services can be provided, and it will be easily accessible by bus and coach."

Jonathan Clay said: "This is possibly one of the most significant planning decisions in recent years. The Secretary of State has balanced the need of the club to have a permanent home in the city and the regeneration benefits it will provide against the impact of locating the new stadium within the Sussex Downs area, and close to the proposed South Downs National Park boundary, Falmer village and the campuses of the two universities."

The DMH Stallard planning team is ranked in the UK's Top 50.

Tim Aspinall, managing partner at DMH Stallard, said: "Our planning team has the advantage of combining chartered planning consultants and experienced planning lawyers together in one team which has created a seamless planning service for the club on this important project."

Meanwhile the commercial property team at DMH Stallard has been patiently waiting in the wings for a positive decision. Providing there are no challenges to the decision the commercial property team can now deliver the final phase of the project - completing the development agreement and leases, which will pave the way for construction to commence and the project to finally be completed.