A community centre could be demolished to make way for a dozens of new council homes in Portslade, residents have been told.
Brighton and Hove City Council is planning to knock down the Portslade Village Centre, also known at the Courthope, and build two blocks of flats for people on the housing register, one housing a smaller community centre.
This in addition to plans to knock down nearby Windlesham House in Windlesham Close and build 13-15 new homes.
Neighbours are being consulted, and the council held two drop-in public workshops at Brackenbury Primary School this week and last
The council says it is working with the centre’s current leaseholders, SEND children’s charity Extratime, which also wants to use the new centre when it’s built.
The charity’s chief executive Sam Price said: “BHCC are working closely with us. This means we are involved in the design so the new development meets Extratime’s requirements and the needs of the local community.
“The current community centre provides a vibrant and accessible venue for Extratime, our young people and families and for the local community.
“Portslade Village Centre is an important hub for the SEND community and for local residents and our expectation is the new centre will also have this role.
“We will miss Portslade Village Centre which has served Extratime and generations of local young people for decades, but we recognise the need for new homes to help address the housing crisis in city.”
The initial plans included nine one-bed flats, including two wheelchair accessible flats; 14 two-bed flats including one wheelchair accessible flat; and five three-bed flats.
Parking for the community centre, plus 20 parking spaces for residents of the new homes, including three accessible parking bays, are included in plans.
At least 28 secure bicycle parking spaces will also be provided for residents of the new homes.
A council spokesman said: “We are undertaking both projects as part of the council’s New Homes for Neighbourhoods Programme which is building much-needed new rented council homes on council-owned land across the city.
“Both projects would be delivered by the council through its Strategic Construction Partnership – the City Build Partnership.”
The council says that, following consultation, the plans are to be submitted to the Policy and Resources Committee for approval to proceed to a planning application in June 2023, with an aim to submit a planning application in autumn 2023.
Local residents and businesses were informed of the council’s plans for redevelopment of the Portslade Village Centre site by letter, to 341 addresses, on 17 November 2022.
The consultation runs until Friday, 3 March and is running in tandem with a consultation on the Windlesham House project.
The opportunity to give feedback on both council housing projects can be found in the links below:
Portslade Village Centre: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Portslade-Village-Centre
Windlesham House: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Windlesham_House
