Big Yellow plans to convert car dealership into storage depot

The Big Yellow Self Storage Company plans to convert a car dealership in Hove into a new depot and offices.

The self-store business wants to demolish the existing buildings and create new premises on the one-acre site occupied by Harwoods Jaguar dealership in Old Shoreham Road.

The firm’s plans for a new three-storey building are due to be decided by Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee next week.

Harwoods is due to move to the site of the former Argus building in Crowhurst Road, Hollingbury.

Big Yellow has included 11 parking spaces for those working in the offices with 10 more out the back as well as 10 parking spaces for bicycles.

The plans attracted 18 objections from neighbours who had concern about traffic and the building’s design.

One objector, whose details were redacted on the council’s website, said: “The location of the site with a small access road on to a major road into the city is poorly planned.

“If access was opposite Holmes Avenue and traffic lights were installed it would be slightly better.”

The objector said that there was already heavy traffic on the busy Old Shoreham Road and the accident risk would be greater during construction.

The objector added: “The road is also busy as it is a route for children crossing for access to four schools.”

Another anonymous objector wrote: “Completely unnecessary overdevelopment and of no use to the local community.

“Will only bring more traffic, noise and pollution to what has become an extremely dangerous area for the numerous school children already to have to navigate to school.”

Hove Park ward councillor Vanessa Brown also wrote to the council to object to the scheme.

An atrtist’s impression of how the proposed Big Yellow Self Storage building in Hove could look

Councillor Brown said: “The application with its massing and bulk will have a very detrimental effect on the street scene and particularly cause problems for the residents in Amherst Crescent living close to the application site.

“The tallest part of the roof line will be 5.4 metres above the existing Harwoods garage.

“The setting back of the second floor and the reduced length of the third floor is an improvement but residents will still be looking at a high wall from their back windows and will lose the late afternoon sun due to the height.”

Councillor Vanessa Brown

The architects Mountford Pigott said: “The proposed redevelopment of 270 Old Shoreham Road has been designed to achieve a positive contribution to the local area, not only from a built environment point of view but also from an economic and environmental perspective, ensuring that this is a sustainable development.

“The new Big Yellow Self Storage facility will contribute to the local and regional economy.”

If the application is approved, the company would be required to spend £5,200 towards bus stop improvements in Old Shoreham Road.

The Planning Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall on Wednesday 9 October. The meeting is scheduled to start at 11am and should be open to the public.