Plans to convert two Portslade bungalows into 12 flats may be at risk because the developer is taking too long to conclude an agreement with the council.
The delay appears to revolve around a “developer contribution” – also known as a section 106 agreement – with four flats earmarked for affordable housing by planners.
Now Brighton and Hove City Council is preparing to set a four-month deadline to finalise terms or withdraw the conditional planning permission granted in February.
The council’s Planning Committee is being asked to decide whether to set the deadline – for Friday 4 January – at a meeting next week.
The committee approved outline plans for the site in Trafalgar Road, Portslade, nearly seven months ago.
The plans involve knocking down 113 and 115 Trafalgar Road, at Southern Cross, and building eight one-bedroom flats and four studio flats.
In 2016 a similar application was refused on appeal after the developer failed to submit a section 106 agreement.
The council is seeking to provide four “affordable” homes for rent – two one-bedroom flats and two studio flats – as well as money for schools, transport and employment.
The developer would be asked to pay
- £19,600 towards open spaces and indoor sport provision
- £10,800 towards sustainable transport infrastructure improvements in the surrounding area
- £2,200 towards the council’s “local employment scheme”
The council also wants a commitment from the developer, Mr H Cooper, of Trafalgar Road, Portslade, to the local construction training and employment strategy.
This would entail 20 per cent of the staff employed for demolition and building work coming from the local area.
According to a report to the council’s Planning Committee, an official contacted the developer’s solicitor last month but was told that the site was for sale.
The plans attracted opposition from neighbours before councilors granted outline planning permission with conditions.
One of them, Joan Chapman, said that there would be no parking for anyone moving into the flats, which were expected to become home to about 20 people.
She said: “The look of the building is not in keeping with the street in any way. The road is already very busy with heavy traffic to and from the port.”
She said that lorries delivering building materials would make the road more dangerous and mentioned existing problems when cars were delivered to the dealership opposite.
The report to the Planning Committee said: “In the absence of a legal agreement to secure necessary measures in regard to affordable housing, open space and indoor sport provision, sustainable transport infrastructure, and the local employment scheme, the proposed development does not comply with local planning policies and will not mitigate the impact resulting from the development.”
In June, the committee took similar steps to try to spur progress with plans to build homes on two sites – the Preston Park Hotel, in Preston Road, Brighton, and Portslade Panelworks, in Nevill Road, Hove.
The council threatened to withdraw planning permission to try to tackle “land-banking”, the name given to the practice of gaining planning permission for a project, which increases the value of a site, but then not building the approved scheme.
A decision on the Trafalgar Road scheme is expected when the Planning Committee meets at Hove Town Hall next Wednesday (12 September). The meeting is due to start at 2pm and will be open to the public.
