A set of lockers were put up on the beach in Brighton without planning permission and now councillors are being asked to decide whether they should stay or be removed.
The four lockers were put in place by Sea Lanes, the outdoor swimming pool operator, which submitted a retrospective application to Brighton and Hove City Council seeking formal permission.
Council officials have given their backing to the application for the lockers on an existing hardstanding on the beach by the former Peter Pan’s Playground, in Madeira Drive.
A report to the council’s Planning Committee said that the site included single-storey storage in the past but this was removed by October 2018.
There are three more storage structures to the west of the site, the report said.
The new lockers were built for the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club (BSLSC) after it had to leave its former home at the Brighton Sailing Club last year.
If approved, the lockers may have to be removed by April 2032 or when the 10-year temporary planning permission for the Sea Lanes modular buildings comes to an end.
The council’s heritage team initially asked for “muted” colours although the lockers are currently decorated with “vibrant street art”. The heritage team has since relaxed its position.
The report to the council’s Planning Committee said: “It remains that the vibrant paint finishes are considered inappropriate in this setting.
“However, the identified harm is somewhat mitigated by being partly concealed from wider views.”
“The structures should be required to be removed at the end of the (Sea Lanes) temporary approval period.”
There are 46 supporting comments, including one from the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, and 10 comments objecting to the plans.
An anonymous supporter, whose details were redacted by the council, said: “These huts enable the outdoor activity clubs such as the Sea Swimmers and Surf Life Saving Club and the Paddle Board / canoe hire business to store their essential equipment for their activities / business.
“Without the storage huts there would be a great deal more vehicular access along Madeira Drive every day with vans and cars having to drop the equipment off / collect after.”
An objector, whose details were also redacted, said: “I find it inconceivable that they (Sea Lanes) or their lawyers would not know they required permission for their construction.
“The design and faux graffiti is ugly and does not make any attempt to blend in with any of the rest of the complex.”
The Planning Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall from 2pm on Wednesday (4 October). The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
These lockers are so badly positioned as they interrupt your sea view when you’re sitting at the bar. If the council allow them then they have to allow Soho House their gate as the lockers are a complete blockage of a sea view!
At least if the lockers are removed so is the graffiti that makes them more intrusive.
I do wish that you could report accurately these illegally constructed view blocking concrete storage rental units were not built for Brighton Surf Life Saving Club or for Lifeguards as has inaccurately been claimed in an effort to win popular support they were built for commercial rental income generation without permission and without any reference to their construction on any of the planning applications that were approved . Sealanes are now taking advantage of their political connections to push through these concrete rental units using dubious retrospective planning applications and lobbying with our lifeguards need them nonsense ! On the the official council page there are far more than 10 objections and many of the orchestrated lobbied statements in favor are riddled with lies . These rental units have been used during the summer for commercial hire purposes. The main point if the Planning Committee is to retain any credibility is that these rental units were built on the beach without any permission express or implied , there was no I repeat NOreference , to these substantial view blocking rental units in the planning application none whatsoever yet Sealanes thought they had found some loophole and without seeking permission just went ahead with this illegal construction . If retrospective permission is granted on Wednesday then it will make a mockery of the planning application process and clearly indicate that there is one rule for ordinary Brightonians and a completely different one for well connected buisnesses. I sincerely hope I will be able to raise my objections based on facts and truth at or before the planning meeting on Wednesday as I believe the committee not to be in possession of all the facts and I fear that vested interest backed by political support have tainted and glossed over the reality of this cavalier total disregard of the planning application process .
Following the example of these structures, what is to stop you or I from placing our own structure on the beach and storing our own equipment so as to reduce our vehicular access or any other mitigating reason given to support the right to build these structures. There are rules around planning. These rules – for whatever reason – have been flouted. In the spirit of fairness – and to avoid you and I rocking up with any number of additional structures – they should be ordered to remove them at cost
There’s a million stolid, stodgy, grey little towns on the south Coast for those whose sensibilities are for the 1920s aesthetic. Let young people have a place to go that’s vibrant, full of things to do and receptive to novelty.
Welcome to Pseuds’ Corner!
I think the boxes should be cladded in wood to blend in with the other structures , the units are important for health and fitness, we should be encouraging out door sporting activities in Brighton , there is to much drug use in Brighton and this needs to be countered by having healthy people as role models to encourage a better life ,
They are illegal uguly and will attract crime has like everything here it’s broken into
The Sealanes are making off the lockers charging for storage
They certainly are not part of the original Sealanes plans and should be removed ASAP
They look tacky & will be covered in taggs soon
I walk past these every day to the beach. They are fine put to good use and the whole sea lanes development and associated buildings have vastly improved this part of Brighton.
They also support a number of very good local business initiatives. In addition weren’t they simply built on the concrete bases of where previous lockers were.
As for obstructing the view one only has to walk a few yards past them.