500+ oppose sports pitch near Brighton open-air theatre

Objections Raised Against Proposed Sports Pitch Near Theatre

More than 500 people have objected to plans for an all-weather sports pitch. They fear it could interfere with performances at an open-air theatre.

BHASVIC (Brighton, Hove And Sussex VI Form College) submitted plans for an artificial grass pitch and multi-use games area to Brighton and Hove City Council.

Brighton Open Air Theatre (BOAT) and its supporters are concerned that noise could drown out actors.

The theatre opened in Dyke Road Park in 2015. After an appeal on its website, over 550 people lodged objections with the council in the first five days of the year.

Four people have sent letters of support for the scheme.

Concerns from Brighton Open Air Theatre

BOAT said it spent much of the summer discussing the application with BHASVIC. They proposed limiting the use of the pitch from May to September when the theatre stages shows.

BOAT stated: “Our suggestions would have had very little impact on student use of the pitches. However, nothing we discussed with BHASVIC has been adopted in their planning application.”

They added, “It has therefore become clear that BHASVIC’s objective for the use of the pitches is not to benefit their students but rather to hire them out commercially to make money, primarily on evenings and weekends.”

BOAT noted that the noise impact assessment submitted by BHASVIC does not mention BOAT, despite ongoing discussions since May 2025.

They concluded that this omission suggests BOAT has been ignored because an assessment would show the noise impact would be unacceptable.

Reactions from the Community

Carole Bremson, chair of the actors’ union Equity’s Brighton and Sussex branch, questioned why a college that provides performance courses would proceed with the application.

She said, “Speaking personally, as an actor and director, I know how the persistent repertoire of musical theatre songs from a nearby studio can disrupt rehearsals.”

An anonymous objector stated, “My wife and I are regular attendees at Brighton Open Air Theatre, and its existence is threatened by this application. It is unacceptable to place this pitch near the theatre.”

Details of the Proposed Pitch Usage

A draft community use agreement would allow sports until 10 PM from Monday to Thursday, until 6 PM on Saturdays, and 2 PM on Sundays.

On Fridays, the pitches would be available to the public until 6 PM during term-time and 2 PM during holidays.

Priority would be given to under-18s, girls and women’s sports groups, low-income individuals, black people, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.

The noise management plan states that a staff member would monitor noise when pitches are in use. Neighbours would receive contact details for noise complaints.

Current Use and Future Plans

BHASVIC stated that the sports pitches are currently rented out about 20 times a year for flag football and children’s holiday camps.

Proposed LED lighting would have controlled beam angles to limit spillage and automated curfews.

BHASVIC’s planning statement said, “It is understood there is a desire to avoid conflicts between use of the pitches during BOAT performance times.”

They added that the application includes a lighting assessment, noise impact assessment, and draft noise management plan.

Statement from BHASVIC Principal

BHASVIC principal William Baldwin said the college wants to ensure it has the best facilities, which would also become a community asset.

He stated, “We always knew that our proposal would not be universally supported. We engaged with local residents, stakeholders, and user groups over a three-month period this summer.”

Baldwin concluded, “Planning is a democratic process, and we respect the right of all voices to be heard. My hope is that the educational benefits and community needs will lead to the approval of this project.”