Brighton And Hove Albion Car Park Plans Go Before Councillors

Plans for a new car park at the American Express Community Stadium is recommended for approval when it goes before councillors next week.

The application is by Community Stadium Limited, which wants to excavate its “west bund” to install a three-storey car park with 43 spaces for employees and directors at the stadium site in Falmer.

The proposed structure, going before Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee on Wednesday 6 August, will include a footbridge link to the stadium’s west stand, and include a stairway and lift to allow access to the footbridge.

The proposed new car park has Brighton and Hove Albion’s logo, a silver façade and a live green wall to the south west.

Councillors are advised to be “minded to grant” the application subject to agreements on employment and training, and biodiversity.

More than 400 car parking spaces have been lost on the Bennett’s field site after an application to Lewes District Council to build two, six-storey blocks with a two-storey link block to house 555 students was approved on appeal.

The club said in its application:

“The loss of this parking has caused significant issues for running of the stadium on matchdays and provision of sufficient parking for its employees to aid with the success of its travel management plan.

“Further to the above, it is noted that the majority of the applicant’s matchday and non-matchday parking is leased from surrounding landholders, which puts this parking at threat in the future should those landholders not agree lease renewals.

“The likelihood of spaces being lost continues to rise, given the ever increasing demand to make an efficient utilisation of brownfield space within urban areas.”

There is one anonymous objection to the application stating there is enough parking.

The objector, whose details are redacted by the council, said:

“The stadium already has at least two car parks, one at the stadium proper and one at nearby BACA.

“The latter of which it closed to parents picking up their children, children who now have to walk along a road with no pavement to leave the school, shame on them.

“Considering this was despite promises made when they built the stadium, they already have a history of making false representations on the use of their car parks.”

The objector also raised concerns about the lack of investment in the junctions off the A27 which are congested on match days.

The Planning Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 2pm on Wednesday 6 August. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast.