After 11 years trying to replace a house in Brighton with a block of flats, a developer may have cracked it.
Several applications to build flats at 6 Cliff Approach, in East Brighton, have been turned down by planners and failed on appeal.
But officials are advising Brighton and Hove City Council Planning Committee to approve plans for four flats on the site at a meeting next Wednesday (12 September).
The latest scheme would involve building a couple of two-bedroom flats and two three-bedroom flats.
The most recently refused scheme was rejected on appeal due to “lack of amenity” for the two-bedroom flats.
In the latest plans, modest gardens are included for the smaller duplex apartments.
Thirteen letters of objection have been sent to the council, with concerns including the size of the building as well as a possible increase in traffic in the area.
Roedean Residents Association said that it was concerned about overcrowded parking in The Cliff and Cliff Approach.
Its letter of objection said: “There are already numerous cars parked on the verges by non-residents who commute into Brighton.
“Adding two two-bed apartments and two three-bed apartments will add up to 10 new cars to the area with only off-road parking for three. In practice, we think only two cars will be able to park there at a time.”
One neighbor, Catriona Shepherd, said: “Cliff Approach and neighbouring roads are actually a settled residential area and thus surely misdescribed as the potential for ‘limited legacy of vacant or derelict sites’ that the architect and his design statement hope to present.”
A previously vacant plot referred to on the other side of the road is in the process of redevelopment.
Another neighbor, Diane Spencer, said: “This is a lovely little area with tastefully built houses and these proposed flats would be completely out of character.
“When I bought this house almost five years ago the previous owner had tried to build some flats on the corner plot of land next to me which is mine.
“It was turned down three times and I do hope this will be too.”
In the design statement, architects Deacon Richardson said: “In terms of the development density, adjacent properties 2 and 4 Cliff Road have already been converted into flats, which would suggest that the development of 6 Cliff Approach into flats is wholly appropriate to its immediate context.”
The application is due to go before the Planning Committee at Hove Town Hall next Wednesday (12 September). The meeting is due to start at 2pm and will be open to the public.
