BHASVIC Hockey Pitch Proposals (July 2006)

by Simon Battle

On 12 July, a lively public meeting attended by myself discussed plans for two-floodlit hockey pitches and a pavilion on BHASVIC field.

The plans have been given the go-ahead by the City Council's planning despite oppostion from ward councillors and residents. However, a stringent set of conditions have been set by planning which should help minimise some of the environmental impact and enable continued access by local schools.

Many residents in roads such as Ferndale, Chanctonbury, Silverdale, Cissbury, Montefiore and Avondale Roads are worried about the loss of open space and the impact of the development on the local community.

It is clear from the meeting that Cardinal Newman School have not consulted sufficiently in the Goldsmid community, and most glaringly they so not appear to have been working closely with the other schools using the field, Stanford Infants and Juniors and BHASVIC.

The hockey club needs now to enter into a lease agreement with Brighton and Hove City Council and so the process still has some way to go, with the opportunity for further conditions to be introduced.

My submission to planning is attached here as a Word Document.

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