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Residents fear noise from rock star neighbour
Posted On 31 Jul 2019 at 3:51 pm
Neighbours are worried about the noise that they say will come from a rock star’s new seafront home in Hove.
But the sound from the air conditioning units planned for Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour’s five-bedroom house will be nothing like the decibel levels at one of the band’s gigs.
Mr Gilmour and his wife, novelist Polly Samson, want to fit the air con units to the family home that they are building on the site of Medina House.
The three-storey home is under construction but the couple need planning permission for the air con units and some minor design changes.
These include repositioning some windows, putting up a satellite dish and replacing tiles planned for the dormer windows with a metal finish.
Neighbours have sent 11 objections to Brighton and Hove City Council but officials have recommended that planning permission is granted for the changes.
The council’s Planning Committee is due to meet next Wednesday (7 August) when councillors will make a decision.
A report to the committee said: “The units on the roof will be located towards the southern end of the roof and will include an acoustic wall lining to prevent sound reflecting and travelling across to neighbouring properties.
“These units will be in operation all the time. The noise report on the proposed condenser units has been fully assessed by the council’s environmental health team.
“The scheme of sound mitigation measures … is considered acceptable and compliant with policy when the condensers are in operation.”
One objector, whose details have been redacted on the council website, said: “I strongly object to the late application for numerous air conditioning units to be installed in various outside locations on the new build at 9 King’s Esplanade as they will create considerable noise detrimental to the current peaceful nature of the location.
“Any units shouldn’t be positioned on the outside of the building as they will adversely affect nearby neighbours with constant noise which does not currently exist.”
Another anonymous neighbour said: “The change of material to metal will change the look of the building which is within a conservation area, as well as causing potential light reflection and noise issues for neighbouring properties.
“The proposed installation of condensers and a satellite aerial on the roof are also unacceptable to neighbouring properties.”
Mr Gilmour and Ms Samson bought the locally listed crumbling former bath house in November 2015 from architect Sirus Taghan.
He gave up trying to get planning permission after years of attempts to knock down the decrepit building and replace it with a block of flats.
David Gilmour and Polly Samson
The couple had hoped to renovate the historic property but an arson attack in 2014 left the original building beyond repair.
Plans to renovate the building were abandoned in favour of rebuilding an “echo” of the striking 1894 premises.
The Planning Committee is due to meet at 2pm next Wednesday at Hove Town Hall. The meeting should be open to the public.
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Gilmour can live next door to me when ever he likes a LEGEND !
How a new build with aircon unts will meet sustainable home requirements is a mystery… Eco UNFRIENDLY
He will find out all the complaining neighbors on appeal, just don’t allow them to the opening party.
Seems to me this is a matter for the planning department. The drama here is about the house owners, and that’s not relevant.
It’s the architects who submit any revised plans.
I live next door and do not know anyone who has complained.What an improvement .
What’s missing here is how someone can demolish a grade listed original bath house, one of only two in existence on the south coast, to build a modern replacement? Council has completely failed in its duty to preserve an original building which was clearly still very saveable. The current owners should have at the very least built something that at uses modern eco tech with heat recovery, high insulation and other techniques to reduce the need for any form of energy consuming air con systems. Sad to see such buildings in prime locations knocked down to be replaced with little respect for what could be setting the standard for future generations in this city…
The building had been extensively surveyed and was beyond repair, certainly not ‘very saveable’. It has been in private ownerhip. Not sure why you think it’s the council’s job to use public funds to restore privately owned property, not they could any way. The new building is symapthetic to the original.
It was a derelict slum occupied by squatters.The building was also fire damaged after two fires broke out.The previous owner wanted to build a block of flats,the design of which was horrendous.The building was a rat infested,fire damaged eyesore.The new building will be an architecturally iconic building.Well done to Mr.Gilmour and his team of architects.