RESIDENTS living in the shadow of a “beautiful” Premier League stadium say it’s being ruined by an eyesore block of flats.
Two tower blocks containing 555 bedrooms are set to be built on a disused car park just yards from Brighton & Hove Albion’s Amex Stadium.
The 31,000-seater stadium, praised for its sweeping roof line, sits in a dip on the outskirts of the city and has been praised for blending in with the surrounding countryside.
But Lewes District Council initially refused planning permission or the two six-storey blocks to be built at a former match day car park.
Councillors concluded the substantial height of the buildings, along with their bulk and unsympathetic design, would be unacceptable and be an “incongruous feature” on the landscape.
The council also said the buildings would “compromise the transition urban environment of Brighton to the South Downs”.
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However, developers Downing Students subsequently appealed the decision.
It has now been given the green light by the Planning Inspectorate to build the student accommodation blocks on the former Bennett’s Field.
Locals have slammed the planning inspector’s decision as “short-sighted”.
They argue that having a large development so close to stadium will ruin the design and spoil the aesthetic.
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Local resident Deena Reid said: “The Amex was beautifully designed while the plans I’ve seen for the flats are ugly. Once built they would be an eyesore would ruin the whole area.
Gillian Burt, a resident in nearby Falmer, lodged a formal objection to the plans with the council.
She said: “I was amazed to learn that the developers had not approached either Brighton or Sussex Universities to establish whether they were even interested in further student accommodation.
“We already have a plethora of accommodation in this city from the actual university sites.”
She said “light pollution” from the two blocks would be a “further blight” on the area with the nearby village being consumed by “urban sprawl”.
Another Falmer resident, who would not be named, said: “It seems bizarre to place two student blocks right next to the football stadium – though it’s not far from the university.
“I’m sure it would have been better if the car park was used by the club to help with traffic congestion in the area on match days. There is little enough parking as it is.’
However, planning inspector Graham Wyatt concluded: “There is no escaping the fact that the proposed building is large and would be at odds with the bowl-shaped Amex Community Stadium (ACS) building.
“I am not persuaded that its design would detract from the wider area and moreover, it responds positively to the context of its built-up surroundings as a previously developed site that sits closely to a very large football stadium.”
“I think the planners have been short-sighted, especially given the effort that went into making sure the stadium looked good.”
Downing Students (Brighton) LPI – owned by Matthew Bennet and Richard Bennett – bought the site in August 2021.
The accommodation will be split into 130 studio rooms, 397 student “cluster” rooms, 18 accessible studios and 10 accessible “cluster” rooms.
Downing Students has been contacted for comment.
But Martin Fenlon, associate projects director at Downing Students, told Brighton & Hove News: “Like many parts of the UK, there is significant demand for high-quality purpose-built student accommodation in Brighton.
“We are delighted that planning has been granted for this new development, that will see the delivery of 555 beds across two interlocking linear buildings with a central social hub.
“This will not only relieve pressure on the existing stock of student accommodation but housing provision in the surrounding areas.
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“We intend to work closely with the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton, to ensure the new accommodation will meet the long-term needs of its student population, whilst also benefitting the wider community.
“In line with our commitment to sustainability, the scheme will be delivered to a BREEAM Excellent standard.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
