The old Royal Alex has been saved thanks to people power.
Taylor Wimpey has withdrawn a planning application to demolish all the buildings on the site in Dyke Road, Brighton.
The news was confirmed by Brighton and Hove City Council planning officers yesterday (Tuesday 22 February) just one day before the application was due to be decided by councillors.
For four years the developer has been trying to win permission to raze the entire site in the face of protests from neighbours, community groups and councillors.
Now the developer is asking the council’s planning committee for permission to turn the much-loved main building into 20 flats.
It wants to demolish all the other buildings on the site and put up 99 homes, including 14 “affordable units”, in their place.
Planning officers have recommended the modified scheme, which is also scheduled to be decided today (Wednesday 23 February).
The former Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children closed in 2007, reopening as the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Eastern Road, Kemp Town, on the Royal Sussex campus.
Taylor Wimpey bought the site but, since then, the rising property market has run out of steam.
Councillor Jason Kitcat represents Regency which is the ward that includes the site.
He described Taylor Wimpey’s decision to bow to public pressure as “a victory for the many residents and their associations who have worked so tirelessly over the years, as well as planning officers, to secure a better outcome for the site”
The Green Party councillor said: “The conversion option isn’t perfect but we’ve come a long way from what was on the table four years ago.”
He said that he and Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, had separately written to Taylor Wimpey’s chief executive asking him to “drop the divisive and unwelcome complete demolition plans”.
The application being considered at Hove Town Hall at 2pm today asks permission to
- convert the main hospital building to provide 20 residential units
- demolish all other buildings
- put up new buildings consisting of 99 residential units, including 14 affordable units
- create associated access, amenity space and parking spaces
I notice their plan doesn’t include the doctor’s surgery any more.