An elegant but tall nine-story development in a prominent site on Hove seafront looks set to be given the green light by the city’s planning committee next week despite a wave of objections.
Rocco Homes and the Co-Op have applied to build on the site of the former Texaco garage on Kingsway, next to the King Alfred, which closed in 2015 shortly after being hit by a lorry.
Their plans also include the site of the locally listed ALibi pub, but this is being retained and turned into a cafe with flats above, with a four to nine storey block next to it.
In a report before Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee next Wednesday, officers have recommended it be approved, subject to conditions including a long-term monitoring and maintenance plan for contamination.
The council has received 68 objections due to a range of concerns, many relating to the scale of the building and its impact on the surrounding area. One objector said it would create a wind tunnel effect and another said the openness of the seafront would be badly affected.
One objection said the flats would not be affordable for local people, and would instead by bought by Londoners and overseas investors.
However, both the Hove Civic Society and Regency Society support the application, with the former saying it will rejuvenate the area, and the latter supporting the retention of the Alibi. Both praise the way the building is stepped up to minimise the impact of its height.
The council’s conservation advisory group (CAG) were split in their opinions, with some members saying it was elegant, and others saying it was simply too tall.
This top-heavy blot is not elegant.
This over-tall building will box in the poor residents in Victoria Terrace, and the west side of Sussex Road, including part of Bath Court – reducing sunlight to nil for them in Winter and light levels generally. It is incredibly cynical and cruel.
NO affordable housing was offered on the grounds they could not afford to include it, but the District Valuer said otherwise and so a measly 20% of unaffordable shared ownership is now part of the deal and called affordable. It is a massive scandal that developers are allowed to get away with middle fingering planning policy (40%).
The Esplanade will be turned into a traffic-laden nightmare if this is built (almost no parking and a Co-op supermarket!!)
I totaly seco d all you wrote, my thoughts exactly!!
Perhaps a petition could be started?
Yes! Great development – Nimbees please step aside. I was born and bread here and I’m fed up with this city falling apart.
Happy days!
Fantastic…all you miserable gxxx who have homes can get a life.. People need homes.
Horrible great lump ….. still millionaires need home(s) so fair enough ….
Well said Jim, people really need to get a life when it comes to this kind of stuff, really annoys me when people that have houses and a nice place to live complain and object to other people wanting the same!
Have a place opposite and we’re delighted. Did you not notice what a dump the petrol station was and what a dump King Alfred’s is?? Some of you just live to complain….
Well done Bobby , we live opposite, the king Alfred is decreped needs flattening soon.
Yes well done Bobby, really glad that eyesore of a petrol station is gone and being replaced. It will be great having the co op so close, cant wait the King Alfred to be levelled as well.
Resident of Bath Court.