Homes

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 disused car park that will be replaced by student accommodationCredit: Brighton Pictures
An artist’s impression of the student accommodation next to the stadiumCredit: Brighton Pictures
The disused car park would be redeveloped into more than 500 flatsCredit: Brighton Pictures
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.”
The car next to the stadium is no longer in useCredit: Brighton Pictures
Local residents are furious about the plansCredit: Brighton Pictures
Lewes District Council refused planning permission, but it was granted by the Planning InspectorateCredit: Brighton Pictures More

DESPITE his record-breaking start to life in Germany, Harry Kane is still having no luck finding a house. England captain Kane has broken the all-time record for most goals in a player’s first ten Bundesliga appearances after already scoring 15 league goals for new club Bayern Munich.
Harry Kane has had a record-breaking start to life with Bayern MunichCredit: Getty
Kane has been staying at the Vier Jahreszeiten KempinskiCredit: Alamy
It is a five-star hotel located in the centre of MunichCredit: Alamy
Kane, 30, started life in Munich by checking in to the luxurious Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski, one of Munich’s most expensive hotels.
The Bavarian club have put Kane and his wife, Katie, up at the hotel.
SunSport has revealed how Kane has racked up a tab worth £1MILLION since arriving.
And taking a look at the five-star digs it is not hard to see why.
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The hotel has played host to many celebrities since it opened its doors in 1958.
It is located in the centre of Munich and is approximately a 16 to 20-minute drive to the Allianz Arena, where Kane’s employers play its home matches.

The hotel provides a butler service, has access to luxury chocolate brand Purity and Krigler perfume house as well as an exclusive BMW test driving experience.
Kane’s suite is understood to be located in the historic wing of the hotel and features a separate living room.
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There are also said to be two bathrooms made of Carrara marble, silk curtains, designer furniture, six televisions and a host of other state-of-the-art facilities.
His room reportedly sets him back a cool £10,000 per night.
However, given his bumper £415,000-a-week contract with Bayern, Kane remains well in the green.
On the former Tottenham striker’s househunt, a source told The Sun: “Harry is a family man so finding somewhere to be with his wife and children clearly has to be a priority.
“But it’s clear he’s been able to keep his mind focussed on his game because he’s had an incredible start to his Bayern career.
“If his house hunting is half as good as his goal-scoring he’s going to end up with a palace. Not that his hotel is too shabby.”
Kane had viewed a dream £70,000-a-month eight-bed home in the village of Grunwald, dubbed “Bavaria’s Beverly Hills”, last month but remains in the hunt for a home for his wife and four children.
Kane’s suite is £10,000-a-night
It features a separate living room
It has a number of luxury facilities More