Housing campaigners are calling for more “truly affordable” council homes to be built as part of the redevelopment of the King Alfred Leisure Centre on Hove seafront.
Former Green councillor David Gibson, a leading member of the Living Rents campaign group, is one of six people urging Labour-led Brighton and Hove City Council to act.
The six housing campaigners are sending a deputation to a meeting of the full council at Hove Town Hall on Thursday (19 December).
They cited one of the council’s own policy documents and said: “In the Brighton and Hove City Council Plan 2023-27 Homes for All, you say: ‘Our goal is to deliver accessible, affordable, high-quality homes for everyone in Brighton and Hove.’
“There are high levels of private renting in the city which you admit is unaffordable for most people.
“There are high levels of temporary emergency households, more than 1,700 in February 2024, the cost of which to the council is £16.9 million – the council’s own figures.”
They said that luxury housing schemes had “swamped” Brighton and Hove without having had any effect on reducing the “crippling housing crisis”.
And they asked for a serious commitment to use public-owned land for housebuilding schemes that would benefit residents.
They said: “The council needs to use its assets to ensure truly affordable housing is delivered if it is to honour its commitments.
“We feel that the remainder of the King Alfred public-owned site should not be privatised and instead be used to build council housing to meet the huge need in the city.”
The deputation is due to be heard at the full council meeting which is scheduled to start at 4.30pm on Thursday (19 December).
I find it bizarre that these campaigners want council housing properties in prime locations like this on the beach and next to the pavilion. One flat here would be worth two or three in a cheaper city centre location. Housing the flats in Moulsecoombe or brown field sites elsewhere would house triple the number of households. There are very high maintenance costs associated with housing right on the seafront. Who does the council expect to pay for this? Council tax payers?
Affordable housing on the seafront at Hove ??? talk about dreaming, how about including their own parking spaces while these thoughts are on the go ??