Plans to knock down a row of 48 garages in Hove and replace them with 12 flats have been given official backing.
The new homes – in three two-storey blocks – would have some of the cheapest rents for the area after the garages, in Buckley Close, Hangleton, fell into disuse and disrepair.
There will be eight two-bedroom flats and four one-bedroom flats. One of them is expected to be wheelchair-accessible and all 12 flats would be classed as affordable for people earning the local £9 an hour living wage.
If the £3 million scheme is granted planning permission on Wednesday (3 April), Brighton and Hove City Council will build the flats as part of its New Homes for Neighbourhoods strategy.
If the plans are approved, the council would have to pay a developer’s contribution of almost £25,000.
Some of the money – £10,800 – would go towards bus stop and pavement improvements and about £10,000 would be spent on schools, probably at Hove Park or Blatchington Mill.
Brighton and Hove City Council Housing Committee approved the £2.930million budget for the project in November 2018.
Eight neighbours have written to object to the project, raising concerns about parking, overlooking and lack of space for children.
One person said anonymously on the council’s website said: “Please don’t do this! We are mainly all overcrowded council tenants who don’t have gardens and likely won’t get a move.
“Our children play out together in this quiet close as we don’t have outside space for the them to play.”
Another parent supports knocking down the garages but also had concern about children in the area.
The parent said: “I recommend that you calculate the percentage of kids and young families to consider their needs and demolish these garages and design a space for kids to play football and basketball.
“Get some equipment for young children to invest in them and build a proper closed bike shed along with a proper rubbish bins space as they are scattered.”
Another neighbour, in Chichester Close, was concerned about children’s outdoor play and overcrowding.
Please say its not stucco finish; looks dowdy after only 6 months
Agree about stucco, but this looks like those mottled facebricks that are quite popular at the moment, I guess because they’re low maintenance and don’t require painting.
The bricks are here in the council chamber and they’re quite sandy coloured.
£2.93 million budget. What are the chances BHCC will keep to it? Remember BHCC spent £250,000 per caravan pitch for the Horsdean travellers site.. Watch this space.