A children’s playground near Brighton Station is expected to be open within six months after a battle between a property developer and the council.
The developer was given permission to build a hotel and offices on a site known as Block K in the New England Quarter on condition that it created a children’s play area.
But the developer and landowners were accused by Brighton and Hove City Council of reneging on the agreement.
The council tried to negotiate with the developer McAleer and Rushe Group and the landowners Albion Inns and Cookstown Developments.
The three companies refused to budge so the council issued a planning enforcement notice.
The developer and landowners appealed but have now backed down.
If work on the site by Brighton Station is not completed within six months, the council could prosecute or carry out the work itself and recover the costs.
The condition was set when the developer was given permission to build a five to six-storey 3 star hotel with 234 bedrooms and a four-storey office development.
The council’s head of planning Martin Randall said: “We are pleased that the developers have decided to withdraw their appeal, and we can now move forward and provide this much-needed facility for families living in the area.
“The creation of a playground will not only be welcomed by local people but will enhance the area in Block K which has become an eyesore.”
He added that the play area was part of the original development brief for the Brighton Station site.
A whole redeveloped area – “an eyesore”. It truly is and the squandered opportunity alongside Brighton Station’s trackside area was incredibly badly handled by absolutely everyone who had any part to play whatsoever in how it got to where it is. It is a massive scandal.
Developers always con the public with sweeteners they put into planning applications which they fully intend to dump after they get planning consent, usually be “Removal of Condition….”. The latest fashion is for GP surgeries or mini-police stations. A few years back it was creches (Tesco; dumped). I’m glad that this one: a playground, has not been allowed to be dumped.