An overflow car park can be turned into floodlit all-weather football pitches after councillors voted unanimously in favour of the plans today (Wednesday 7 June).
The proposed 3G pitches at the Withdean Sports Complex, in Tongdean Lane, Brighton, would include 20ft (6m) LED floodlights and a 15ft “ball stop” fence.
The plans also include three covered spectator shelters, cycle parking and storage containers for maintenance equipment.
Brighton and Hove City Council submitted a planning application last November and today those plans were approved by the council’s Planning Committee at Hove Town Hall.
Green councillor Sue Shanks raised concerns about the effect of the lights on wildlife in nearby woodland, saying: “It’s difficult to know what the impact is.
“At the moment, there’s quite a lot of research about whether the lights affect wildlife. It’s quite a long time having the lights on until 10pm at night.”
Labour councillor Les Hamilton said that it would not be the first time that there were floodlights at Withdean Stadium.
He said: “For a number of years, this was where Brighton and Hove Albion played their football matches.
“There were floodlights until 10pm at night so I wonder if there were many objections about that.”
The council received three objections to the latest plans along with 16 letters of support for the project.
AFC Varndeanians manager Justin Jones was one of the supporters. His team plays on grass at Withdean and he welcomed the opportunity for more football that all-weather pitches would bring.
And parking for vehicles?
There are loads of unrestricted roads in the area.
But they probably won’t be unrestricted for much longer.
Whilst I don’t object to the new pitches, I can foresee trouble with traffic and parking. The junction that the lower car park at Withdean joins has always been dangerous, as visibility is bad for those coming up to the stadium, under the bridge. This has been made worse by more vehicles being parked up the hill and along Tongdean Lane.
A while ago a car pulled out in front of me as I came down Withdean hill on my bike. The driver hadn’t noticed me. Although I went into his car, I was ok, but his car took a battering.
However, earlier this year, I also happened to be there when a car. again coming up from under the railway bridge, hit a cyclist that he hadn’t seen. The bike was trapped under the car, along with the injured cyclist and an ambulance and police attended. I don’t know how badly injured the cyclist was.
I think traffic lights should be installed at this junction to make it safer.