Bennetts Field Temporary Car Park at the Amex

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Here are some summaries of the recent comments from interested parties that are posted on the Lewes DC website, you can get the full details by routing through their planning portal and typing Falmer into the search query. You may also find it useful to have a read of the relevant part of the Club's application, particularly on traffic flows, before sounding off about FPC as a matter of routine.

East Sussex County Archaeologist
Comment Date: Thu 26 May 2011
Recommends that a programme of archaeological works be carried out, to be secured by condition.

Falmer Parish Council
Comment Date: Thu 26 May 2011
Have raised concerns as follows: 1. An additional 650 cars entering the B2123/Village Way junction in a small space of time would compromise the A37 westbound sliproad/B2123 junction. 2. The application recognises that the area will not cope if over 400 cars are parked on the application site and recommends a traffic diversion to resolve this problem. 3. The data does not allow for unknown traffic quantities. There is no way of knowing how many fans will travel to Falmer by car, especially away fans. 4. Cars parked at Southern Water have not been factored into the traffic data. 5. Cars parking at Sussex University will bring an unknown quantity of extra traffic to the Falmer junctions. The Parish Council believe that planning permission should not be granted until it is clear that the Flamer junctions can cope with the traffic flow. The only way forward is for traffic surveys to be carried out on matchdays before permission is given, in order to see how well the traffic flow functioned at Famer without the additional 650 cars. If permission is granted without the Parish Council's concerns being carried out, the Parish Council would prefer to see permission granted for only six months or a year in case of disastrous traffic consequences. Also, guarantees should be inplace that the car park is not permanent.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

How many cars does Bennett need to park anyway?

 

[Brovion]

If this doesn't get approved will it mean that the stadium can't open?

 

[Hunting 784561]

It's down to Lewes DC, and not the wickerfolk from the wickerman village.

 

[Everest]

Where is Flamer?

It's very close to Famer

 

[skipper734]

They have already extended a whole new road as well. The A37 wtf. Yeovil to Brizzle.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

How many cars does Bennett need to park anyway?

The planning application is for 650 temporary spaces as this is the number the club are short because of the non/limited availability of space at Falmer High School/Academy. The revised stadium approval granted by B&HCC in 2009 is for a minimum 2,000 parking spaces (max 2,200) within 1.5km of the stadium

If this doesn't get approved will it mean that the stadium can't open?

Pass, but that's a matter for B&HCC who are reponsible for this. If LDC reject the Bennett's Field application then, on the face of it, it seems that the Albion cannot comply with the planning consent atm. It could be varied of course but then that would put more pressure on the rest of the Stadium Transport Scheme/Plan.

It's down to Lewes DC, and not the wickerfolk from the wickerman village.

True but you might like to refer to the last sentence in my OP, then take a read of the application and have a think.

 

[public school boy]

No need for too many people to drive to Falmer. Easy to cycle in from Lewes or Brighton, only 2.2 miles from Kingston,30- 45 minutes over the downs from telscombe.

 

[Everest]

But after a few games we'd look like your avatar

 

[devonsi]

Could car share with Muzza on his way to the alotment

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Normally, I'm the first to jump into a discussion about stadium-related planning issues and say that the objectors have got things WRONG. But, in this particular instance, there are aspects of the Club's planning application that worry me.

The first is the basic one ... even the Club's own transport consultants are saying that the road system in the vicinity of the stadium isn't adequate to cope with the volume of cars that will be using the proposed new car park unless temporary traffic management measures are put in place when traffic is at its height. What is suggested is that the right turn from the Woodingdean road on to the slip road that Brighton-bound traffic normally uses should be prohibited and traffic should cross the bridge and do a U-turn round the roundabout on the Sussex University side of the bridge, then cross the bridge again, before turning left on to the Brighton-bound slip road.

The consultants reckon that this will work. But they don't appear to have taken into account the fact that the bridge will be extra busy because of another factor that will come into play - the fact that the Southern Water car park will also be in use for matchday parking. And how will people coming from Brighton and the Bypass reach the Southern Water car-park? By driving up the eastbound slip road off the A27 at Falmer, over the bridge and then doing the same left turn on to the Brighton-bound slip road that Woodingdean to Brighton traffic will be using.

It would appear that the consultants were under the impression that the entrance to the Southern Water car park for traffic from Brighton was via the underpass at the new entrance to Stanmer Park. It isn't. And the traffic predictions fail to take this into account.

Any serious congestion on the Falmer flyover could seriously impede access to the stadium by everyone - including the park and ride buses and coaches, as well as the cars aiming for Bennetts Field and Southern Water. The delays could be serious.

It's a worry. I'm not particularly concerned that Lewes District Council might turn down the planning application - even Falmer Parish Council isn't asking for that. What troubles me is the likelihood that access to the stadium site will be dreadful, because of the build-up of queuing traffic.

For a stadium that is already dependent upon large numbers of spectators opting to use modes of access other than cars, it seems perverse to have been promoting the sale of higher value season tickets by promising hospitality users that they will get priority for parking that is close to the stadium. If this promise ends up delaying everyone, I won't be thanking the Club for making it.

Sorry and all that.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

If it were to be refused then it would put a MASSIVE spanner in the works, reduced capacity until a solution is found? All us ruffians have to come by train/cycle/bus anyway.

 

[Taybha]

But after a few games we'd look like your avatar

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

That's very well put LB.
I hadn't picked up on the Southern Water site access "mistake" but there also remains additional potential congestion at the intersection from P&R traffic routing to the Race Hill. This doesn't seem to have been considered either by the Consultants, unless it's in the original plan/submission to which they cross-refer. However, what about those cars being diverted from Mill Road which, as we've touched on before, is filled by a 7,500-8,000 Withdean gate? OK there is some capacity at Mithras House but that means more traffic going towards the city.

 

[Bozza]

For a stadium that is already dependent upon large numbers of spectators opting to use modes of access other than cars, it seems perverse to have been promoting the sale of higher value season tickets by promising hospitality users that they will get priority for parking that is close to the stadium.

Perverse, but not unexpected surely?

Being able to park close to a football ground is almost always seen as advantageous. I can't see our directors and associates parking up in some distant spot and getting on a bus to reach the Amex. It's very a case of "Do as we say, not as we do."

 

[DT Withdean]

Perverse, but not unexpected surely?

Being able to park close to a football ground is almost always seen as advantageous. I can't see our directors and associates parking up in some distant spot and getting on a bus to reach the Amex. It's very a case of "Do as we say, not as we do."

Exactly. Gives an advantage to those able to buy 1901 club seats (£8,375 including vat over 5 years, per seat) over the run-of-the-mill fans.

Some 1901 members mistakenly thought they'd park right at the ground like the Directors.
Turns out they've got either very long walks or tedious park'n'rides to get to the 'privileged' parking spaces.

 

[Giraffe]

Am I alone in thinking we wouldn't have seen this post in the Dick Knight era. You appear to be a little anti club lately Lord B!

Normally, I'm the first to jump into a discussion about stadium-related planning issues and say that the objectors have got things WRONG. But, in this particular instance, there are aspects of the Club's planning application that worry me.

The first is the basic one ... even the Club's own transport consultants are saying that the road system in the vicinity of the stadium isn't adequate to cope with the volume of cars that will be using the proposed new car park unless temporary traffic management measures are put in place when traffic is at its height. What is suggested is that the right turn from the Woodingdean road on to the slip road that Brighton-bound traffic normally uses should be prohibited and traffic should cross the bridge and do a U-turn round the roundabout on the Sussex University side of the bridge, then cross the bridge again, before turning left on to the Brighton-bound slip road.

The consultants reckon that this will work. But they don't appear to have taken into account the fact that the bridge will be extra busy because of another factor that will come into play - the fact that the Southern Water car park will also be in use for matchday parking. And how will people coming from Brighton and the Bypass reach the Southern Water car-park? By driving up the eastbound slip road off the A27 at Falmer, over the bridge and then doing the same left turn on to the Brighton-bound slip road that Woodingdean to Brighton traffic will be using.

It would appear that the consultants were under the impression that the entrance to the Southern Water car park for traffic from Brighton was via the underpass at the new entrance to Stanmer Park. It isn't. And the traffic predictions fail to take this into account.

Any serious congestion on the Falmer flyover could seriously impede access to the stadium by everyone - including the park and ride buses and coaches, as well as the cars aiming for Bennetts Field and Southern Water. The delays could be serious.

It's a worry. I'm not particularly concerned that Lewes District Council might turn down the planning application - even Falmer Parish Council isn't asking for that. What troubles me is the likelihood that access to the stadium site will be dreadful, because of the build-up of queuing traffic.

For a stadium that is already dependent upon large numbers of spectators opting to use modes of access other than cars, it seems perverse to have been promoting the sale of higher value season tickets by promising hospitality users that they will get priority for parking that is close to the stadium. If this promise ends up delaying everyone, I won't be thanking the Club for making it.

Sorry and all that.

 

[Easy 10]

Hmmm. If Lord B is worried, then so am I.

Where the hell IS this Bennetts Field anyway ? I can't see it named on any maps.

 

[Giraffe]

Hmmm. If Lord B is worried, then so am I.

Where the hell IS this Bennetts Field anyway ? I can't see it named on any maps.

Wolverhampton

 

[Bozza]

Wolverhampton

A genuine LOL moment for me there - well done.

(Any space in your car on matchdays?)