Planners have earmarked at least 30 homes for a site in Patcham which neighbours say is prone to flooding.
It is one of three potential sites for new housing in the area which have prompted residents to raise their concerns at a public meeting.
Alistair Elliott, of Protect Patcham, said that Brighton and Hove City Council planning officials would be at the meeting next week.
Mr Elliott said: “Members of the council’s Planning Policy Team who wrote the draft City Plan will be attending the next Patcham Local Action Team (LAT) meeting.
“They will talk about the City Plan and answer any questions about the plans for 30 new homes on the site in Old London Road.
“They will also talk about the two other sites in Patcham which have been allocated for development
• Land at Ladies Mile / Carden Avenue (the old Patcham Fawcett school playing fields) (35 homes are proposed)
• Land beside Horsdean recreation ground in Vale Avenue (25 homes are proposed)
The meeting is at the Patcham Community Centre, in Ladies Mile Road, Patcham, at 7pm on Tuesday 28 August.
“Last year over 350 people objected to McCarthy and Stone’s planning application to build a block of 44 retirement flats at 46 to 54 Old London Road (opposite Patcham House School) and the application was rejected by both Brighton and Hove Council and a planning inspector.
“On 5 July 2018 the council started consultation on their draft development plan for the city, called the City Plan Part Two.
“This includes a list of locations that the council is happy to see developed to meet its target of 13,200 new homes by 2030.
“One of the sites is 46 to 54 Old London Road, where the council would expect to see 30 residential units (flats or houses) built to replace the five family homes currently on the site.
“By allocating 46 to 54 Old London Road for a development of 30 units, the council is indicating that they are happy in principle to see this land intensively developed.
“They also say: ‘The indicated numbers of residential units may be exceeded if this can be justified through detailed examination of site specific considerations.’
“Any planning application put forward by a developer would need to comply with the council’s normal planning policies and will be open to public consultation.
“We believe that the site, which currently accommodates five family homes, is too small for 30 houses or flats.
“It is too many homes on too small a piece of land. In particular this density of housing will spoil the village look and feel and materially detract from the character and appearance of the area.
“This was the reason that the planning inspector rejected last year’s planning application on the site.
“If this site is included in the plan, it is a green light to developers.
“It is vital that we let the council know why 46 to 54 Old London Road should be removed from the list of sites allocated for development in the City Plan.
“Our ward councillors who have said that everyone should let the council know their views. If we do nothing, the site will stay in the plan, inviting planning applications from developers.
“You can object to the council by emailing : planningpolicy@brighton-hove.gov.uk. Head your email City Plan Part Two Consultation and include your name, postal address and why 46 to 54 Old London Road should be removed from the list of sites allocated for development in the City Plan.
“More information is available on www.protectpatcham.co.uk.”
Need to wake up folks & stop being unnecessary Militants with nothing better to do Fawsett school is an ideal location for new affordable homes for young 1st time buyers or council housing as Long as the entrance is off Carden Ave same as old boat corner it will be ideal just let’s get on with building as everyone is crying out for
Unfortunately once the council and indeed the local councillors have made up their mind this all becomes a processs, the outcome is probably decided but they have to follow protocol.
If our councillors had an ounce of accountability for their decisions it might be a different story however the recent debacle over the granting of planning for a sports pitch over an important soak way in Warmdene Rd demonstrate this is not the case, it’s not helped by all three choosing to live outside the ward they claim to represent.
Unfortunately it’s all about quotas, commercials and personal interest, no amount of self promotion on social media can hide from this fact.
Good luck to Protect Patcham, I hope you do not the feel the same level as injustice as the 100 or so residents who had legitimate concerns about the High School development around the ‘process’
Quite unbelievable that the councillors for the ward are opposing this based on flooding & the fact it is not in keeping with the area, yet recently backed the High Schools application for a new sports complex, despite residents concerns regarding exactly the same things!!! The Theobalds & Lee Wares are a joke. They have taken away one of the biggest natural soakaways in the area & now state they are concerned about flooding in the area, unreal 😡
Coming from the fens I know how important it is to leave flood plains alone. Seriously if they build on there what is to say that mortgage companies won’t lend on it and insurers won’t give cover for flooding. Absolutely ridiculous and just another example of a money making scheme for brighton and Hove council
Permission has been turned down more than once for this site and nothing has been done to change any of the factors leading to rejection in the meantime. I might have hoped that the Planning Policy group would have checked with the Planning Inspector’s group on past history but it looks as if the potential for 30 sets of council tax is more attractive.
Is this article for real. Patcham has just granted planning permission for a sports complex & flood lit Astro turf pitches on one of the biggest natural soakaways in the area, with the full backing of the Theobalds & Lee Wares. Flooding & not being in keeping with the area we’re one of the key objections the residents had & now the councillors are trying to use flooding as a reason not to build these houses, despite backing the sports complex. What a joke!😡
The people who grant the planning permission and have a say in the design etc should give some serious thought as to what it would be like to actually live in the ‘homes’ they help create.
They might make some better decisions if they did.