Newsletter - Winter 2011
(View previous Newsletter here)

Glass of Wine Before Lunch

On 8 October the group of Kingscliffe members who had responded to the circulated invitation enjoyed a pre-lunch visit to Yew Tree House, 5b Preston Park Avenue, the home of Mick & Sue Paskins (both long time, contributing members of Kingscliffe). The opportunity to see over their home, with the owners on hand to explain the background and development, in which they had been very actively involved throughout, was much appreciated. Designed by award winning eco architects the house was winner of the Federation of Master Builders’ Energy Efficient Award 2011. The event proved to be fascinating and enjoyable - and all over a glass (or two!) of wine and in convivial company. Very many thanks indeed to Mick and Sue for their hospitality and input. Information on the house can be obtained via the internet –
www.ecoopenhouses.org (Brighton & Hove)

The Kingscliffe Society Annual Dinner

The aforementioned was held on 20 October ‘11, at the Gallery Restaurant, White Cross Street. This year, Kingscliffe celebrated twenty one years of continuous association with the restaurant, and consequently the event attracted considerable interest, and tickets sold very quickly. We even had to organise a waiting list!

Speaking at the event, David Hainsworth thanked Nicholas Worth who organised the raffle, which raised £234.00 towards Kingscliffe funds. Thanks also went to our friends from The North Laine Community Association and Hove Civic Society who attended and supported the dinner.

David also thanked Janie & George Thomas for organising the event, and special mention went to Trevor Scoble for the recent work he has done for local residents and the Kingscliffe membership, around the ‘Brighton Wheel’ planning application.

Grateful thanks went to everyone for supporting the Kingscliffe Society, and for making the evening such a tremendous success.

Photographs of the dinner are available to view on our website.


Brighton & Hove Council’s City Plan

The Council has recently conducted a beginning consultation on the City Plan that is to replace the previously drawn up Core Strategy (which had been withdrawn in September 2011, subsequent upon comments from the government Inspector coupled with changes in national policy. Previous Kingscliffe Newsletters have referred to the development of the Core Strategy).

The Council says that the City Plan ‘will be the council’s key planning document providing the overall strategic vision for Brighton & Hove to 2030’. The spring of 2012 will see a period of consultation on a full version of the draft Plan but as part of preparing for that four policy areas where important changes are proposed were first put out for consultation. Those policy areas are housing targets & housing delivery; park and ride (transport); employment; and student housing (including Houses in Multiple Occupation and new build accommodation). Various options for each policy area were put forward, with indication of the Council’s preferences. Comments on the policy options have been submitted on behalf of Kingscliffe and there will be a response to the full version of the proposed City Plan in due course. Members with particular views on this key planning document, either now or as more information becomes available, should please contact the Secretary. Relevant documents are usually available for perusal via the council’s web sites and at public libraries.


The Localism Act

The Localism Act, which was passed on 15 November, makes various alterations to the structures and processes of local government. Although lengthy, and inevitably laborious in its many references to previous legislation, it is set out in a legible and informative form and language. The opening contents table gives a good indication of the subject matter. Much of the detail and guidance on the practical implementation is found in the schedules. There is a plain guide summary document on the website of the department of communities and local government, but it is an introduction to the policy principles rather than to the actual administrative instructions of the law.

Among other changes, the law includes release from the compulsory cabinet system, abolition of regional strategies, promotion of major city mayors, and an extension of opportunities for local referendums. Some parts of the act, according to the letter of the law, took effect immediately, but local authorities are waiting for further direction and resources to enable them to carry out some of those measures. Of particular interest to local amenity groups and conservation societies is the part of the act concerned with neighbourhood planning, most of which is, theoretically, already in force.

Under this radical new policy, local groups and communities can bid for neighbourhood forum status. If, following independent examination, a bid is accepted by a local authority, a referendum is held within the proposed community boundary. If the majority vote in favour, the forum is approved and acquires neighbourhood powers in that area. The forum produces a development plan, receiving advice from the council but not direct finance. Neighbourhood planning is aimed at giving communities more say regarding the location and nature of new houses, businesses and shops. The neighbourhoods are very local but can cross district and city boundaries.

Community right to build orders can be applied for by community organisations. Communities can nominate assets for inclusion in a list of existing assets of community value - land or buildings of use to and serving the interests of local communities. Local people can initiate local referendums, and statutory bodies must take note of the results. A requirement is placed on development applicants to carry out pre-application consultation. And a community infrastructure levy can be required of developers to contribute to local infrastructure.


Planning

At the time of writing some applications under consideration in our area are:

a) BH2011/03155 10 Charles Street (listed property) – application for change of use from guest house to private dwelling.

b) BH2011/02361 & 02362 12 Charles Street - applications to change single dwelling house (listed) into multiple occupation of 9 ‘cluster flats’. Scheduled for committee determination on 11 January 2012

c) BH2011//02334 24 St. James’s Street - Appeal against Council’s refusal to allow an additional floor of two flats. The Society has supported the Council’s decision to refuse a further floor as that would be out of scale with the rest of the block and finally obscure the landmark building of Dorset Gardens Church, already damaged by the development.

d) BH2011/02949 39 Chesham Road (full planning). Conversion of existing accommodation and garage adjoining 39 Chesham Road to form a separate self-contained 2 bed house. The proposed development of the west addition to the Victorian school house would replace a current garage door with a housefront and endeavour to repeat the materials and styling of the school house.

e) BH2011/02468 & 02469 30-31 Devonshire Place (full planning). Demolition of existing building and erection of four storey building comprising offices and flats:
The present plain semi-industrial building is forlorn and detracts from the Regency character of the street as a whole. The proposal is for a horizontal flat-fronted grey cement-rendered building relieved by ‘juliette’ balconies.

f) BH2011/02864 68 St. George’s Road. Alterations to convert vehicle workshop to form 2 three-bedroom and 1 one-bedroom houses accessed from Eastern Street incorporating additional storey, formation of gardens and associated works. Retention of part of 2 storey building for office use..


Recently determined applications include:

BH2011/03058 Sussex Grill, 3 St. James’s Street - Extension of trading hours from 8 a.m – midnight to 7 a.m. - 5am, year round. The Society wrote to the Council’s Planning authorities objecting to this application for the following reasons:

The Planning authorities should harmonise with other council policy and recognise that the premises is located in the council’s designated cumulative impact area; we are strongly of the view that if this application is granted, it would give rise to potential negative cumulative impact. We are concerned about people congregating outside the premises, dispersal issues and related disorder, noise and general nuisance behaviour impacting on the local area. That would result in residents suffering from further noise, and place a burden on local residents, should the need arise to make complaints to the relevant authorities. Previously, similar applications have been refused by the planning department, supported by the Planning Inspectorate, in recognition of the need to protect residential amenity.

On this occasion the planning officer submitted a report recommending refusal (which was also the view of Environmental Health and the police) and we are happy to report that at the Planning Committee held on 14 December the application was unanimously refused. (Kingscliffe member, Janie Thomas, spoke to the committee on behalf of objectors.)

g) BH2011/ 02874 Flat 1, 100 St. George’s Road - Application for single storey extension above existing flat roof of ground floor. Refused – reason: would be intrusive and incongruous feature significantly harming both property and the street scene.

h) BH2011/03042 St George’s Church - Installation of 42 photovoltaic solar panels to south facing roof. Notwithstanding the general principle of alternative energy sources, panels on this roof would represent a further interference in the fabric of the listed and much loved church, and would be visible from upper storeys of many properties in the area. Approved on 7 December 2011.

i) BH2011/01384 The Swan 8-9 Rock Street – Application to erect a pergola to garden entrance and decking to rear garden (retrospective). Refused on grounds of its uncharacteristic building form and materials; unsympathetic alteration incongruous within the street scene and detrimental to character and appearance of East Cliff Conservation Area.

j) BH2011/02016 42-43 George Street, Brighton. Demolition of no. 43 and erection of new building to replace existing and second floor extension at no. 42; retail/financial & professional services/offices on part ground floor and 34 student rooms on part ground and upper floors. A Minded to Grant decision is awaiting completion of 106 Agreement for full approval. This agreed 106 contribution from the developers is for the sum of £15,645.97 and payment would become due before occupation of the development. Suggested use of the money is for improvements to Dorset Gardens Peace Park.

Seafront Wheel – Since approval of the original major application (BH2011/00764) others have been submitted and determined, especially in relation to building on the highway and lighting. A success won by opponents relates to lighting: the original request of the applicants was modified to give permission for on-going lighting only to the outer ring. The major lighting in the centre cannot be turned on without permission from the council, which means that the applicants will have to apply on each occasion they wish to do that. It is expected that local councillors will involve affected residents in the response to such requests.

Just before going to press we heard that the Brighton Wheel’s planning consultants, Stiles Harold Williams requested variation of the opening times of the wheel for two dates in December – viz. Wed. 21 December, extension to midnight to coincide with the Burning of the Clocks, which ends on Madeira Drive; and Saturday 31 December (New Year’s Eve) extension to 2 a.m. the following morning. The council considered it unreasonable to refuse the requests and agreed to variation of times on those two dates. No permission to vary the lighting has been given.

A letter (dated 8 December 2011) from the Council, as Local Planning Authority, to the Wheel’s planning consultants (lead Ian Coomber) included a sharp comment – fully justified in our view - expressing disappointment at ‘the clack of engagement to date with local ward councillors and the local community’ They also advised that it would be beneficial to the Council, councillors and local residents if any request for further variations to opening hours during the next year should set out for the whole year.

If you wish to comment about the two dates given above then you can make your views known to the consultants by e-mailing info@murray-media.co.uk

Royal Sussex County Hospital Redevelopment

The planning application for the redevelopment (BH2011/03886) has been submitted to the local authority, and is expected to go before the planning committee in February.

The general volume, shape and purposes of the redevelopment are not changed in any major respect from those described in our previous newsletters. The upper elevation of the new south-east buildings have been set back somewhat, so that the immediate frontage along Eastern Road is less overbearing, but the bulk and massing are daunting, most especially for the residents opposite in Eastern Road and in Sudeley Place and Upper Sudeley Street, in our conservation area. Beyond to the north, the helicopter landing pad is to be placed on the top of the existing Kemp Tower, on a skeletal structure several metres in height. The listed Bristol Gate posts are to be removed but reconstructed at the reformed junction, composed of their present materials. The interior of the listed chapel will be transferred to the south-east corner of the new buildings.

The Barry Building, locally but not nationally listed, along with neighbouring buildings, is to be demolished, the facade as viewed from Paston Place replaced in the latest designs by a bow-curved and balconied white front. In the extensive supporting documentation of the application, the explanation provided for impracticability of retention of anything of the Barry is that the ceiling heights and other structural aspects are incompatible with health service requirements.

The Kingscliffe Society, while recognising the need for acute regional medical services and improved local health care provision, has objected to the redevelopment proposals contained in the present application, on grounds of overdevelopment, loss of the historic Barry architecture, impact on the conservation area, and disturbance and disruption to the neighbourhood and surrounding community during the ten-year period of construction. Many local residents have objected, as have some other organisations, including Save Britain’s Heritage; at the same time many expressions of support have also been submitted.

The Hospital Liaison Group, to which local residents and the general public are welcome, and at which we have been regularly represented by Robert Edwards for the past two years, continues to receive updates on all matters related to the redevelopment, though less frequently than the monthly routine prior to the application. Details of these presentations and discussions, and of numerous links, plans and procedures related to the application, can be found on the website of Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust:
www.bsuh.nhs.uk/about-us/hospital-redevelopment www.bsuh.nhs.uk/EasysiteWeb


Licensing

Policy

Since consultation last year under the heading of ‘Rebalancing the Licensing Act’ (in which your Society participated) the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill has become an Act of Parliament (it received Royal Assent on 15 September 2011. Implementation date awaited). Part 2 of that new Act amends and supplements the Licensing Act 2033 with the intention of ‘rebalancing’ it in favour of local authorities, the police and local communities. (Other parts of the Act replace police authorities with directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners, with the aim of improving police accountability. It also sets out a new framework for regulating protests around parliament Square, with the police being given new powers to prevent encampments and the use of amplified noise equipment).

Our Council’s Head of Licensing has reported eleven licensing changes in the Act which include:

• Licensing Authorities, such as Brighton & Hove Council, Primary Care Trusts and Local Health Boards becoming responsible authorities, able to make representations on applications.
• The police being enabled to request a Late Night Levy for an area. Levy would be set according to rateable value of the premises, in the same way as licensing fees are. Police/Council would decide on when levy would apply between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. There may be certain exemptions. There would be full consultation on any such proposal and any levy would need to be a balancing act between protecting residents from nuisance and crime and protecting the local economy in serious times.
• Temporary Event Notices (TENs). Environmental Health section of Council will be able to object in addition to just the police, as at present. Objections can relate to any of the four licensing objectives and there is no longer an objection period.
• There will be greater penalties for persistent sale of alcohol to children; the fine for such is increased from £10,000 to £20,000 and premises can be shut for 2-14 days.
• Licensing Policy will now have a shelf life of 5 years instead of 3 years. (Brighton & Hove’s current Statement of Licensing Policy became operative in January 2011).

Local Licensing Applications:

a) Sussex Grill – 3 St. James’s Street
Application 1445/3/2011/02508/LAPREV – Extension of trading hours until 5am

The Society has written to the Council as Licensing Authority, objecting to the application for the following reasons;

1. The premises is located within a ‘Cumulative Impact Zone’ (Brighton & Hove City Council – Statement of Licensing Policy 2011)
2. The premises are situated in a location designated as a ‘Residential Neighbourhood’. (Section 4 – 4.8 Brighton & Hove City Council – Statement of Licensing Policy 2011)
3. Licensed premises in residential neighbourhoods will normally have a terminal hour no later than 23;30 (Section 4 – 4.7 Brighton & Hove City Council – Statement of Licensing Policy 2011)

In addition, we are concerned about the movement of people between this venue and other licensed premises, ‘clubbers’ and ‘late nighters’, and we believe that even more such numbers of people would be attracted to this area of St. James’s Street. We are concerned about people congregating and smoking outside the premise. The combination of all this will most likely result in dispersal issues and give rise to noise and other nuisance, which will have a detrimental effect on the residential area.

The Licensing Hearing is scheduled for 9 January 2012, 10 a.m. at Brighton Town Hall. However, it may be that the refusal of planning permission for the hours sought (see item above) might influence the follow through of this request on the part of the applicants. Time will tell! Your Society will be represented in the event of a hearing taking place.


Talks

a) Regency Society. The Regency Society is kindly offering concessionary rates to members of other amenity and conservation societies to attend their lectures – for us it is £3 on production of Kingscliffe membership card (a saving of £2). Lectures take place on Wednesdays, 7 p.m. at City College, Pelham Street, Brighton. Two lectures in the New Year are:

11 January on Port-Z: zero energy design for Portslade from its architect Bill Dunster

l February Lost and Neglected Sculptures in Sussex from Antony McIntosh, research officer for the Sussex Sculpture Recording Project.


b) Hove Civic Society Non-members are welcomed to their 2012 lectures: £3 payable at the door. Venue for all lectures is Courtland’s Hotel, The Drive, Hove. (Second Avenue is the stop from buses serving Church Road; free car parking at rear of hotel).

Thursday 19 January @ 2.30 p.m. - The Development of Cinema in Brighton & Hove, by Sarah Tobias. (From Hove & Shoreham in Victorian times to ‘flea pits; and picture palaces of the 1930’s and 1940’s)

Thursday 16 February @ 2.30 p.m. The Development of Aldrington by Valerie Mainstone. (From late 19^th century through to the industrial and residential area it has become.).

Information on lectures to be held in the evenings (7.30 p.m,) on 15 March and 12 April will be given in our next circulation.

---