Councillors have been briefed about a hugely ambitious blueprint to transform the seafront from the Brighton Centre to Black Rock.
The confidential proposals are expected to cost at least £450 million and generate up to 2,000 jobs, according to the Brighton and Hove Independent newspaper tomorrow (Friday 28 November).
Plans envisage the demolition of the Brighton Centre and the Kingswest complex – widely regarded as two of the ugliest buildings in the city – to allow the expansion of Churchill Square Shopping Centre down to King’s Road.
Crucial to the viability of the plans – drawn up by council officers in consultation with Standard Life Investments which owns Churchill Square – could be a 20-storey apartment block at the bottom of West Street.
A new conference and entertainment centre, with seating for up to 10,000 people – twice the capacity of the Brighton Centre – is being proposed for the long-derelict, council-owned Black Rock site near Brighton Marina.
It would be a great shame to demolish the Brighton Centre, it is an integral part of Brightons history. Abba won the Eurovision there which is a significant event Brighton should be proud of, what are they going knock down next the Pavilion?
Abba won Eurovision at the Brighton Dome, a few years before the Brighton centre had been built.
abba did not…it was the Brighton Dome
Abba won Eurovision in the Brighton Dome not the Conference Centre.
James abba did not play and win at the Brighton center it was infact the dome!!!
I think you’ll find it was The Dome where ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 – that’s where I was anyway.
Abba won Eurovision at the Dome!
Didn’t they win at the Brighton Dome?
Abba won at The Dome, Buck’s Fizz won at the Brighton Centre 🙂
Blot and blight on the seafront as the Brighton Centre is, would an extension of the Churchill Centre look any better? It is just as pug ugly a piece of modernism. I for one never go in there if I can avoid it and I am sure that would’t change.
If the developers are proposing a regency frontage, that would be more like it. 20 storey block sounds ghastly though. Another Holiday Inn debacle…?
Tell you what, why don’t Brighton and Hove council spend the money on support services instead of servicing the needs of tourists and shoppers. Traffic is creating on the worst pollution rates in Europe with North Street coming up as more polluted than parts of Rome thanks to pavement widening which prevents buses passing each other without having to stop. We still have far too many homeless people without the right services to engage with, our primary schools are over-subscribed, refuse collectors are still paid a pittance to clean up one of the dirtiest and most used cities in the country and small businesses are closing down daily due to extortionate rents and business rates! Who is the city for exactly? Locals or tourists? Locals rarely see any of the tourist pound so why are we always side-lined in favour of development aimed at shoppers and tourists?
Abba won Eurovision at the Dome not the Brighton Centre.
Black Rock is a bit remote – will need better transport links.
Why do people focus on the appearance of the Brighton Centre? As can be seen from recent reports, the Kingswest is the image used, not the Brighton Centre. It’s naive to think that a functional building will look like the Globe Theatre or the Pavilion. The focus should be on the economic impact of the venue to the city through the hosting of national and international conferences which impacts on retail, transport and hotels. The council no doubt needs the money due to budget cuts from central government, but this plan will fundamentally change the face of Brighton & Hove. Where are the consultations with Conference and Association organisers. The USP of the venue is it’s central city location and the issue of transporting delegates out to Black Rock is just the kind of thing that can impact on an organisers decision. A new facility will inevitable be managed by a commerical operator and their focus will be on concerts. These are viable for the operator but not for the city. The issue of 10k concert goers hitting KempTown in an effort to park is unsustainable and indeed Green Party councillors should be asking to see a detailed Sustainbiity Impact report with some urgency.
You sir, have my vote!
Well said Penny – not sure if the Council are that bothered about anything more than making a bit of money. Be under no illusion, the new venue and operators will not be interested in hosting business events that bring millions of pounds to the city. Probably good news to some of the cities residents who always consider them an inconvenience – not realising that the city’s economy and businesses rely on these events in the quieter months……
The JAm played their final gig at the Brighton Centre…
Great idea. Regardless of where Abba sung the Brighton centre is old, run down and ugly. And it’ll mean more road works and traffic so that’ll keep the green party happy!!
Seeing is believing bloody council can’t even help get the West Pier sorted !!! It’s a joke 4 votes !!!
i’d just like my rubbish and recycling collected when it’s meant to be and this beautiful city not end up looking like a dumping ground every few weeks. Who’d want to come to a conference or gig in a city that looks like that, 10,000 capacity venue or not?!
AAAAh, so is this part of the reason why Brighton and Hove Council are so keen to demolish the Hippodrome
Nice to see that the support for the St James street and kemp town community and business have been abandoned ,left to clean thier own street entrances, endure the droves of alcoholics and addicts expelled from their previous endeavour to regenerate London road ,be isolated by the most rediculous roadworks ever to be in thought through ,a bike and bus lane on the route that ambulances use for response and arterial traffic serving that area have no choice to use .
And parking prices on the seafront now costing 1/2 of the minimum wage per hour ,that will improve tourism and secure bookings for the hotels on the seafront rose tinted goggles are in order I think :/
from the council planning site …
the development should provide an all-year-round attraction for all residents (particularly families) as well as being a tourist attraction;
b. it should complement and not duplicate facilities already available at the adjacent Marina;
c. passive leisure uses such as casinos, cinemas and nightclubs will not be permitted;
d. provision of a significant area for children’s recreation;
As part of the development get rid of the Metropole’s hideous exhibition centre in Cannon Place/St. Margarets Place. On it build houses and return it to what it was. The Topland Group who own the Metropole would make a killiing. Tidy up Cannon Place, remove the car parks and with it the terrible congestion which they bring. Humanise the area for people, not cars. It is possible.