A developer has lost its appeal to build 94 flats in a seven-storey block in Hove.
Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee refused RKO Developments Limited’s £32 million scheme on the corner of Cromwell Road and Palmeira Avenue, in Hove, in September 2020.
The refusal followed a lengthy campaign by neighbours belonging to the campaign group Hove Gold.
In the past three years, the group has opposed several high-rise schemes in the Cromwell Road and Davigdor Roar area.
Planning inspector David Prentis dismissed RKO’s appeal after an online hearing last month.
In his report, Mr Prentis said that the main issues were the scheme’s effect on the character and appearance of the area, the effect on neighbours’ living conditions and whether there was adequate affordable housing.
Mr Prentis said that the site was not within any of the areas set aside for taller buildings in the council’s planning policies.
And he said that Cromwell Court, on the opposite corner of Palmeira Avenue, was an “outlier” in terms of its height.
Despite the developer stating the top floors were set back from the street frontage, Mr Prentis said that the scheme was intensive and “not well related to the surroundings”.
He said: “The design incorporates some features that would mitigate the height, scale and mass of the buildings to a degree, but this would not be enough to integrate it into the site context in a satisfactory way.
“The appeal scheme would result in harm to the character and appearance of the area. It would not raise the standard of architecture and design in the city, nor would it contribute to establishing a strong sense of place by respecting the character of the neighbourhood.”
The Edwardian homes on the site were not in the Willett Estate Conservation area, Mr Prentis said, but the scheme would be “harmful to the character of the area”.
He also said that the it would adversely affect the living conditions of neighbours in terms of overlooking and loss of privacy.
And although the council’s policy is for schemes with more than 15 homes to make 40 per cent of them “affordable”, RKO said that this would render its plans financially unviable.
Mr Prentis said that he gave “little weight” to the lack of affordable housing because a “review mechanism” could address this were the scheme to go ahead.
The three councillors for Goldsmid ward, which includes the RKO site, were delighted with the decision after supporting the neighbourhood campaign from the start.
Green councillor Marianna Ebel said: “I am absolutely delighted that the appeal for the RKO Developments planning application was dismissed by the government’s planning inspector.
“This was a true community effort where local residents and ward councillors worked closely together to fight off a development that would have been completely unsuitable and inappropriate for the local area and would have harmed the neighbourhood and anyone living in it.
“I am pleased that the government’s inspector listened to the concerns of neighbours and ward councillors. Our local community will greatly benefit from this decision.”
Labour councillor Jackie O’Quinn said: “What a victory for the local community who made a tremendous effort to oppose the application in the first place and then oppose the planning appeal from RKO.
“The level of organisation from the local community was impressive and the fact that many attended the hearing and spoke about their concerns was very powerful.”
Fellow Labour councillor John Allcock said: “I’m delighted with this community victory against the odds.
“The plans for this proposed development were incompatible with our neighbourhood, opportunistic in nature and had no affordable housing, which is so desperately needed in our city.
“I have been both perplexed and astounded that the developer did not offer to consult with the community at any time over the past three years.
“Maybe it’s because they knew that their plans were clearly out of character with the neighbourhood and would have a detrimental impact.
“I was heartened by and appreciative of the inspector’s serious consideration of all the concerns raised by our community, including the fundamental importance of creating high-quality, beautiful and sustainable buildings and places as part of what the planning and development process should achieve. Good design is a key aspect of sustainable development.”
Councillor Allcock praised the community for coming together to fight for what they believed was right.
Bravo! I just hope the Appeal has deterred and not encouraged a new scheme, tailored to meet specified concerns in the Report, to be brought forward. The loss of the existing houses would be heart breaking, especially the corner one which houses one person who should sell it instead to a those who would do it up, live there and love it. And not demolish it.
It’s not every day that I find myself agreeing with Green or Labour councillors, but in this case I think they are absolutely right. One of the great pleasures of walking around Hove, unlike Brighton, is the feeling of space due to the lack of high density in an area of very pleasant architecture. Developments like these would totally destroy that character, and, in any case, they are usually of very poor design. Well done all those who opposed the hideous project. Let this be a lesson to other developers bent on making a fortune while ignoring the rights and feelings of local residents.
I beg to differ. The nonsense about affordable housing is a red herring.
The ONLY way to address the housing crisis is to increase the supply of homes. This development was replacing 5 older homes with 94. Nearly 20 times as many.
The reality is the neighbours in million pound homes didn’t want it and had the means to stymie it. The message is yes, we need more homes, but not here; this is Hove, actually.
The developer should consider investing in the poorer areas where the locals have better things to worry about, like paying the fuel bills.
All very well but I guess we will have to dig up the green belt instead to make way for all the “incomers”
Not very green of the Greens, more conservative. Lets rip the countryside up instead then.
disappointing decision by the unelected Planning inspector but it to be expected given the guidance created by the local plan. the proposed building is hardly much higher that the existing 8 floor block of flats nearby by.
All those for this disgustingly greedy, inappropriate and grotesque development can rot in planning hell. I hope it cost the speculators millions in fees. People like RKO’s directors and others that have architecturally ruined Brighton and Hove over the years, hiding behind some pretext that it is betterment should be ashamed of themselves and their self-serving greed…. Crap ideas, crap architecture, shameless people..