Community campaigners have been praised for a David v Goliath triumph in their battle against plans to build an overbearing block of flats in a busy street in Hove.
A government-appointed planning inspector backed the fight by neighbours to stave off the prospect of a seven-storey block of 94 flats on the corner of Cromwell Road and Palmeira Avenue in Hove.
The planning inspector, David Prentis, dismissed an appeal by RKO Developments Ltd after Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee turned down the £32 scheme.
He said that the government’s National Planning Policy Framework “seeks to boost the supply of homes”.
But Mr Prentis said: “It also states that the creation of high-quality, beautiful and sustainable buildings and places is fundamental to what the planning and development process should achieve.
“Good design is a key aspect of sustainable development. The framework goes on to say that developments should add to the overall quality of the area, be sympathetic to local character and history and create places with a high standard of amenity.
“I consider that the proposal would conflict with these requirements of the framework. To my mind, the adverse effects of granting permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of housing delivery, when assessed against the policies in the framework taken as a whole.”
Labour councillor Jackie O’Quinn, who represents Goldsmid ward, said: “I’m thrilled. It’s been a long battle. This has been going on for nearly three years.”
RKO initially wanted to build an 80-bed hotel and 80 flats. Councillor O’Quinn said: “There has been no community engagement at all (by RKO) and I think that made an impression on the inspector.”
Conversely, she said, there had been “an extraordinary community effort”, with public meetings before the coronavirus restrictions started – and online meetings since then.
She praised the Hove Gold community group for its campaign – and a number of people praised one of the group’s members Annette Boehmer for her sterling work.
And Councillor O’Quinn said that the community raised about £4,000 to pay for specialist advice and an expert to speak on the group’s behalf at the appeal hearing.
Fellow Labour councillor John Allcock, who also represents Goldsmid ward, told the planning inspector at an online appeal hearing last month: “The proposed development is excessively large, ugly, poorly designed and completely out of character. It would negatively affect the locality.
“(It) The development would result in the demolition of five attractive existing dwellings that make a positive contribution to the appeal of the area and the loss of these buildings would be harmful to the character and heritage of the area.
“The excessive height and scale of the proposed development will result in a significant harmful impact on neighbouring properties, with unacceptable levels of overlooking, loss of private amenity and overshadowing.
“RKO Developments is biased and selective in its presentation of impact of the proposed development.
“There is no mention of seven storeys towering over properties to the south with upper floors looking directly into adjacent homes and gardens.
“In addition, the proportions in the mock-up photos which are included in the appellant’s submission are misleading in scale and proportion.
“The developer and their consultants are not local and appear to have ignored the community in developing their plans. The plans
- do nothing to ‘raise the standard of architecture and design in the city’
- do not achieve ‘excellence in sustainable building design and construction’
- destroy and certainly do not ‘enhance the city’s built and archaeological heritage and its settings’ and
- ignore the requirement to ‘protect or enhance strategic views into, out of and within the city’
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“The appellant has not consulted at any time with residents, forgoing opportunities to build understanding and bring improvements.
“And I have been both perplexed and astounded that the appellant has not offered to consult in any way with the community about the proposed development – at any time over the past three years. The first proposal was submitted in January 2019.
“Maybe it’s because they know that their plans are clearly out of character with the neighbourhood and will have a detrimental impact on immediate neighbours and the neighbourhood.
“This proposed development’s height and intrusive design is highly inappropriate for the area. It is in my view an obtuse, opportunistic and view clumsy attempt to exploit a community.
“I believe the plans bring no palpable benefit for the population in terms of affordable, accessible homes at a time of great need.
“We do seriously need accessible and truly affordable family homes for our residents and our families – but this proposed development provides neither.
“The plans have no clear benefit for anyone other than a quick profit for the appellant at the expense of the community.”
Independent councillor Bridget Fishleigh spoke at the online appeal hearing, despite suffering from covid-19.
She said: “You may know that Michael Gove and his inspector recently supported the Planning Committee’s decision to refuse an application for residential tower blocks at Brighton Marina for very similar reasons to those which we gave for this development.
“That hearing lasted for weeks and of course we were delighted that our decision was supported at the highest level of government.
“On the Planning Committee, of course, we take our responsibilities very seriously as you can tell by the fact that I am here today, with a croaky voice from covid.
“When we refuse tower blocks or go against the recommendations of planning officers, we don’t do it lightly.
“This proposed development has a triple whammy of negatives which are reflected in our reasons for refusal.
“A few questions …
- Will this development do anything to solve the housing crisis in our city? No
- Will it be beautiful or innovative or of any architectural merit? No
- Will it inconvenience people living nearby? Yes
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“Developers who come to our city know what our affordable housing requirements are. And I think to put forward a development of this scale which offers no affordable units on-site is insulting and arrogant.
“Not only that, the proposed blocks are your standard generic blocks with no nod to Brighton and Hove’s heritage.
“I accept that there are similar blocks near by, of little architectural merit, which provide even more reasons to get some of a higher architectural value for this site, especially as these blocks would replace existing handsome buildings.”
Conservative councillor Carol Theobald also opposed the scheme in the Planning Committee meeting where it was voted down and during the appeal.
After the result was published, Green councillor Marianna Ebel, who represents Goldsmid ward, 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.”
Councillor 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.”
And Councillor Allcock added: “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 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.
