Plans for a giant ferris wheel on Brighton seafront have been resurrected with an alternative location for the temporary tourist attraction.
Developers Paramount originally wanted to build the Brighton O next to the West Pier. This plan was withdrawn in February after developers of the 180m i360 viewing tower objected on the grounds it would clash with that.
Now, Paramount is looking at a new site at Dalton’s Bastion, just east of Brighton Pier and opposite the Terraces development.
A report to cabinet councillor for culture David Smith being discussed on December 7 recommends granting temporary landlord’s permission for no more than five years.
Officials are still keen that the attraction would not compete with the i360. The ‘O’ would therefore be required to close when the tower opened.
If the council agrees as landlord for the site to be used, a formal planning application would still be required.
Exact dimensions of the wheel are yet to be agreed – and may not necessarily be the same as those previously planned.
Cabinet councillor for culture David Smith said: “I’ll be thinking about it carefully. Such an attraction could help sustain visitors which is crucial in a recession. People coming to the wheel could be expected to spend their money in neighbouring businesses as well.
“It has potential to put to good use an otherwise vacant part of the seafront.”
The approval should consider that the i360 may not be built. If so the wheel owners may apply for it to be permanent. The site should be selected with this in mind and the development should also take this into account. The London Eye is an example of a temporary attraction that became permanent.
Over and above the compromising competition issues, the “red line” area wanted by the Brighton O developers overlapped part of the i360 consent area which was legally unacceptable.
The Brighton O application was also up for refusal because of the Brighton Sailing Club and shenanigans around alternative boat storage and oversailing of the sailing club’s frontage by the wheel amongst other things. Simply, the sailing club and kayak clubs would have been ruined and inoperable if the Brighton O had gone ahead, sited by the West Pier.
This time last year two or three of us were holding the line on this and only after I and John Davys from the Brighton Sailing Club asked a pair of embarrassing public questions at Full Council did the seeds of doubt take root with councillors, leading to planning officers having a rethink. The case file remarks from the Brighton O planning agent were revealing of this! He claimed that the report was written and recommending approval when it hit the Development Control Manager’s desk for sign off! Our public questions came exactly then. Whew!!!!!
A couple of us worked hard with sailing and kayak club members by ramping up the pressure and waking people up to what was going down. Pennies dropped and a deluge of informed objections piled in belatedly. Most objections were to the West Pier siting, not the Brighton O wheel idea itself. Indeed the wheel is more acceptable than the i360 I would venture to suggest.
I believed that siting the Brighton O to the east of the Palace Pier would be a way of opening up a regeneration opportunity in an underused area of far greater value than the 4 metres wide i360 pole and giant pod around it could ever provide.
There was once a ferris wheel east of the Palace Pier which provides the viability precedent for siting the Brighton O in that area. In principle this new application is to be welcomed. I look forward to looking at exactly where this is planned to go to (hopefully) even get a bit excited about it.
So what is going on with The Brighton O then? I see no work starting on The I360 tower either. Once again I see the Council with its out of date policies stuffing it up for all the people in Brighton. The seafront needs some kind of regeneration, it’s begining to look shabby with the lack of money that the council invest in maintaining it. From the palace Pier to black Rock is an absaloute disgrace and the council should be ashamed of itself for how run down they have allowed it to become. I for one would like to see the Brighton O there for at least five years and even if the I360 tower ever does gets built why can’t we have both? The only think that brighton and Hove council seem to be good at doing these days is granting Sainsburys & Tescos licenses to open up in abundance in our city killing off all the other independant bussnisess, the very thing that makes Brighton great. It’s begining to look like anywhere else these days with its Stabucks, PIzza Express”s and all odf those vile chains.
I am really glad that this new site is being proposed for the “O” abd really hope it is built soon. Please, Council, don’t waste any more time. Also, the i360 could be magnificent but needs hurrying along. These landmarks can become icons and will benefit Brighton greatly.
This structure will degrade Brighton’s seafront, being totally out of keeping with other buildings on the local seafront many of which are Grade II listed. Ongoing ommercialisation of Brighton continues to downgrade its charm. Residents and visitors wish predominantly to see the sea, not an expansive mass of metal.
How can you say that when we have the disgusting Brighton Centre, The Kingswest complex, the holiday inn just to name a few disgusting buildings which would have replace once grand buildings. Nothing is going to be demolished in order for the Wheel to be erected, it’s called progress and Brighton needs regeneration before it turns into Hastings, the council aren’t going to do anything, if anything they’re the ones that allow Grade 11 listed to be demolished in the first place. I’m sure that the Astoria will be the next to go. I’m happy that it looks like the Brighton Wheel will be up and running by the summer.
The brighton O web site is now on line, (and it doesnt belong to the council or developers)
Wish I was a fly on the wall when they try to secure the domain name