Conservationists oppose plans to demolish Brighton arts and crafts house
An historic house should not be demolished, say conservationists.
Plans to replace a seven-bedroom arts and crafts revival-style house in the Tongdean Conservation Area of Brighton with a five-bedroom home are recommended for refusal by councillors next week.
Members of Brighton and Hove’s Conservation Advisory Group (CAG) said that demolishing the existing seven-bedroom house – by renowned architect Charles Voysey – would be “a great loss to the conservation area”.
The conservationists said that the house could be restored and extended if more room was required.
The CAG’s statement said: “The proposed replacement house is a particularly unattractive pastiche containing elements of mock Georgian style with little apparent common architectural vocabulary with its immediate or more distant neighbours.
“It would not only fail to preserve the character of conservation area it would significantly harm it.”
A report to Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee said that the building made a “positive contribution” to the area.
It said: “The existing house makes a very positive contribution to the historic and architectural qualities of this part of Dyke Road Avenue and the wider Tongdean Conservation Area and exhibits many of the common features of the area while at the same time being architecturally distinctive and reflective of the period in which this part of the conservation area was developed.
“No information or supporting evidence has been submitted with the application to justify its demolition and no benefits are evident from the application proposal that would outweigh the building’s loss.”
In the new build plans, all five bedrooms would be have en-suite bathrooms. The basement would include a cinema and there would be an indoor swimming pool and gym.
Eleven letters supporting the application were sent to the council and two against.
One neighbour, whose details were redaced on the council’s website, wrote: “This is a lovely design for a family home. We fully support this for planning. It will be lovely to have a house next door to us with this design.
“At present the property is rundown and really needs to be pulled down and built again with a new design. We would love to see this house get planning (permission).”
Another neighbour wrote: “We live four houses away from this property and are delighted to learn it is to be developed.
“The application shows a house of excellent quality and it would be a welcome addition to our road as it is replacing a very neglected house.”
“No information or supporting evidence has been submitted with the application to justify its demolition and no benefits are evident from the application proposal that would outweigh the building’s loss.”
The property was bought for £1.5 million in September 2018 by Isso Investments, owned by Robert Hogley, 36, and Juan Hogley, 34, both from Brighton.
The application is due to go before the council’s Planning Committee at Hove Town Hall next Wednesday (8 January).
The meeting is scheduled to start at 2pm and should be open to the public.
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This would make a great council house or affordable housing.
1.5 million for 7 bedrooms is not good value for a council house. But it would be entertaining to read the neighbours’ objections if they did buy it!
How sad to be lucky enough to be the owner of a Charles Voysey house – considered to be one of the fathers of modern architecture, and want to knock it down.
Another case of a property company buying up a house and neglecting it until they can argue the case for knocking it down. It would be a tragic loss to knock down this beautiful arts and crafts house, which could easily be done up, and replace it with a hideous-looking mock-Georgian mansion. The council should turn down the application.
Can we name one time where you’ve recommended this house as an iconic part of Brighton & Hove? A must visit for anyone to the city or a must visit for anyone in the city? ‘A great loss for the conversation area’ is one of the most hilarious comments on 2020
Should be affordable housing. No one should own a house this big. Cap salaries at 30k and make all houses 100k. Get corbyn back.
You should be a comedian
Is the house lived in or abandoned?