Soho House is facing another planning battle, this time over the planting – and plant equipment – on its new eco roof.
Neighbours are already up in arms over plans for an ornate iron gate spanning the gap between the two buildings above Marine Parade – which they say would breach a planning condition to preserve the sea view there.
One of the other conditions for the exclusive seafront club was the construction of a green roof and plans were subsequently agreed for a shingle covered roof planted with dune grasses.
The application also said no ventilation and extraction equipment would be put on the roof.
But instead of pebbles and grasses, it instead used a plant called sedum which goes a lurid red in summer – and a plethora of vents and chimneys have also sprouted on the roof.
Soho House put in an application for the vents plus windcatchers and sun pipes in September 2021, which has still not been approved.
And today, Brighton and Hove City Council confirmed it was in talks with the club about the planting on the roof.
George Davies, who lives at the back of the Van Alen building opposite, said when planning permission was first granted in 2015, there was a lot of pushback about Soho House building above Marine Parade.
The roof, he said, was part of the compromise reached. He said: “They would make the roof beautiful with single and it would blend in with the beach.
“In the following years, they have cracked on with the build but ignored the agreed design. Now, instead of a beautiful seafront pavilion, it looks like the back end of an industrial estate.
“My flat doesn’t have a sea view. For me it’s about following the rules, for everybody in Brighton.”
He said residents had met with Soho House managing director Tom Collins yesterday, who told them the shingle plans were abandoned because of the structural impact on the aquarium beneath the club.
But Mr Davies said a structural report identifying these issues had been prepared and submitted to the council months before the shingle roof was proposed.
A council spokesman said: “We have not issued any formal enforcement notices relating to the proposed vegetated shingle roof at the Soho House development.
“But we are in discussions with the developer regarding what could practically be installed that would have the greatest ecological benefits.
“We expect to make a decision on their latest planning application in the autumn.
“We are aware that it has taken some time for all the different aspects of the Soho House site redevelopment to come together.
“But it’s been a complex development in planning terms, in a prominent location with a number of different linked applications and issues to consider.”
A spokeswoman for Soho House said: “Our landlord and developer installed a light weight bio-diverse green roof after the original specification couldn’t be built due to weight issues.
“They’re in discussion with the council about an alternative roof design.”
The original application, approved in principle by councillors in December 2015, included a condition stating that plans for a green roof must be submitted and approved by planning officers.
In March 2016, plans for a “shingle covered roof with dune grass” were submitted and the whole planning application was formally signed off the following month.
Another condition stated that a visual gap between the two upper buildings must be maintained to keep a sea view.
Soho House last month submitted plans for an ornate cast iron gate straddling the gap which scores of people have objected to.
This George character lives next door to, b&bs, tacky bars and nightclubs but is obsessed with Soho House. Get a life. Its Brighton not some quaint little village.
Sounds like a bitter individual to me
I went to Soho House – once. I was startled that a “service charge” was added to the glass of wine I bought at the bar. Never again.
Sorry you couldn’t afford Soho house. Perhaps you’re more suited to Harvesters down the road.
I personally don’t agree with ‘private clubs’ myself, but I do think that if we must put up with such things on our seafront, then the least they can do is keep to the planning orders agreed. It seems to me that Soho House are under the impression that having signed the lease, they can ride rough-shod over said planning order. Annoying ones neighbours is not a very sensible idea. Keep to your agreement, chaps.
So no golf clubs, political parties, gyms or unions either then. Sure. Ok.
God these awful bitter people need to get a life! I don’t like the Van Allen building or Legends tacky terrace full of fat guys without their shirts on . Does that mean they should both be demolished!