Explore Living remains determined to build in Brighton Marina one of Britain's densest, tallest, most ill-conceived, inaccessible and environmentally damaging housing developments.
If it and the already approved Brunswick scheme ever see the light of day, the Marina would be transformed into a monstrous estate of over 3,000 homes (today there are 863) in towers of up to 42 storeys. After years of construction noise, dirt and congestion, the new buildings would tower way above the cliff top, destroying priceless views in all directions, overwhelming essential services and recreational facilities and leading to traffic chaos.
Explore Living, with spectacular chutzpah, refers to its proposed development as the 'Brighton Marina Regeneration Project'. In fact it would do as much to regenerate Brighton Marina as BP's oil-spill is doing to regenerate the Gulf of Mexico. Reasonably priced, decent homes are needed in our city but these would be expensive and substandard. Built on reclaimed land above soft, sea-soaked chalk, they would require exceptionally deep foundations and the strength to resist rising sea levels and the battering of salt-laden Channel gales. Both the cost of building tower-blocks here and the subsequent maintenance costs would be unusually high.
Although the developers' plans were enthusiastically supported by the council’s planning officers, a massive campaign conducted by savebrighton and residents’ associations from across the city in 2008 led to councillors rejecting the proposals.
Explore Living then lodged an appeal which was considered at a public inquiry held in November/December 2009. The appeal was dismissed on 13 July 2010, but only on technical grounds regarding the unenforceability of a Section 106 agreement.
celsae graviore casu decidunt turres Horace Odes 2.10 the taller the tower the more heavily it falls
Brighton & Hove City Council's reasons for refusing the Explore Living planning application:
1 The proposed development, by reason of siting, layout and height, would be overly dominant and would not relate satisfactorily to existing development within the Marina and would fail to preserve the setting of views of strategic importance, in particular views into and out of the Kemp Town Conservation Area, the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Cliff which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest . The proposal would therefore fail to comply with policies QD1, QD2, QD3, QD4, HE3, HE6, HE11 and NC8 of the Brighton and Hove Local Plan and policies S1, S6, EN1, EN2, EN3, and EN26 of the East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Structure Plan.
2 The proposed development would cause material nuisance and loss of amenity to residents living opposite and within the Marina. In addition, by reason of north facing views and overshadowing the proposed development would cause loss of amenity to occupiers of the residential units in the Cliff Building. The proposal would therefore be contrary to the requirements of policy QD27 of the Brighton and Hove Local Plan.
3 The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the proposed scheme reflects and responds to the current housing need in the City. In particular, through the provision of the appropriate housing unit mix and size. The proposal is therefore contrary to policy HO3 of the Brighton and Hove Local Plan.
4 The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the proposed development would result in a scheme with an adequate provision of outdoor amenity and recreational space. The proposal is therefore contrary to the requirements of policy HO6 of the Brighton and Hove Local Plan.
5 The applicant has failed to demonstrate that educational facilities would be provided to meet the needs of the residents of the proposed development. The proposal would therefore be contrary to the objectives of policy HO21 of the Brighton and Hove Local Plan.