Brighton and Hove Albion have been given planning permission to build a training ground and academy in Lancing.
The Falmer club’s training complex will include
- 11 outdoor pitches, two of which are floodlit
- a half-size indoor pitch
- a two-storey building with changing rooms, medical facilities, a gym, offices and catering and leisure facilities
- a grounds maintenance building
- a security lodge
- a small boiler house
- 303 car parking spaces
Adur District Council Planning Committee approved the plans unanimously at a meeting last night (Monday 1 October).
The complex will be at Monk’s Farm, off Mash Barn Lane, just west of Shoreham Airport.
Albion director Martin Perry told the meeting that the £29 million scheme would create about 300 local building jobs and be worth about £3 million to the local economy.
When the complex opened it would provide about 76 local jobs – 50 full-time and 26 part-time – of which the aim was that half were taken by people living locally.
Mr Perry said afterwards: “This is a massive decision for Brighton and Hove Albion and the Adur community.
“We are now looking forward to delivering the project for Gus (Poyet) and the team.
“We are looking forward to becoming part of the Adur community and we will be announcing the contractor soon.
“We aim to have the complex ready for use by the early part of 2014.”
The meeting was told that a number of neighbours had concerns about traffic, noise and light pollution.
A number of conditions were attached to the planning permission to try to address those concerns.
A report to councillors suggested that the training complex would also release capacity at pitches currently being used by the first team and other academy squads at various venues.
It said that the venues affected included Sussex University, Brighton University, Waterhall, Eastbourne Sports Park and Worthing Leisure Centre.
