NEW MOVES ON ALBION STADIUM

Government minister with responsibility for planning,Ruth Kelly, is looking at the issue afresh.

A statement from Lewes District Council said:

'In a letter to all parties this week Ruth Kelly singles out Sheepcote Valley for special consideration. She has dismissed objections by the Albion's solicitors and has set a deadline of 15 February 2007 for further representations.'

David Neighbour, Planning Lead Councillor for Lewes District Council said: 'John Prescott made a political decision which ignored established national policies. He disregarded advice from two senior independent inspectors when he granted planning permission for the Falmer site.

"Now the Government needs to show it will respect its own national planning policies and not bend to local political pressure."

"The people who do the business planning for the club took a big gamble when they pitched for the Falmer site.

"They knew that they were taking a big risk with the Club's money going for a site in the proposed National Park.

"We are not surprised that the government now realises it should look again at the alternatives.

"The Club and Brighton and Hove City Council should have given more serious consideration to alternatives from the start. Perhaps the truth is they saw the Falmer site as the cheap option."

He added: "The recent revelations about the Albion's proposal to locate a hotel with the stadium must be a factor in the decision. The Club kept their consultant's report a secret in the resumed inquiry and never mentioned where they would locate the hotel if they got the Falmer site. It's no surprise to us that their own consultants said that Sheepcote was the best location for a combined Stadium and hotel development."