An outdoor swimming pool operator in Brighton has submitted a planning application for four lockers and a lifeguard station at its premises on the beach in Kemp Town.
Sea Lanes submitted the retrospective application to Brighton and Hove City Council after putting the lockers on an existing hardstanding on the beach by the former Peter Pan’s Playground, in Madeira Drive.
Three objections have been sent to the council and 28 supporting comments since details were uploaded to the council’s website.
Sea Lanes said that the company only became aware that the lockers required planning permission after they were sited on the concrete slabs.
The company included images from 2004 with its application showing lockers constructed on the site.
The new lockers were built for the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club (BSLSC) after it had to leave its former home at the Brighton Sailing Club last year.
The lifesaving club sent a letter in support of the planning application. It said: “The Sea Lanes team recognised that both organisations have shared values in promoting the use of the sea as a free health and fitness destination.
“(Sea Lanes) applauded the considerable voluntary investment BSLSC make in directly teaching beach and sea safety and further creating awareness of these skills in the general community.
“To that end, in consultancy with the council seafront team, a lifeline in terms of much-needed beach-front storage (the beach lockers) was offered and gratefully received.
“The offer of the beach lockers saved the club from imminent closure. It has now also permitted the club to continue to teach lifesaving skills to many hundreds of children, young people and adults.”
Sea Lanes said in its application: “The beach lockers were rebuilt on the existing foundations in order to facilitate the deadline for the relocation of the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club from Brighton Sailing Club by (Saturday) 25 March 2023.
“The design, while in keeping with the existing beach lockers, also involved considerable input from the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club to ensure all of their lifesaving and training equipment could be sensibly stored, maintained and deployed from this new facility.”
An anonymous supporting comment on the council’s website, with details redacted, said: “It’s an innovative use of already existing structures that are on the site by Sea Lanes.
“If anything, restoring them was the correct thing to do as opposed to leaving concrete slabs on the beach.
“Allowing them to be used by local clubs and businesses will increase the accessibility to enjoy the open water in a safe and productive manner which, from what I gather, is the whole point of having ‘the national open water swimming centre’ in the first place.”
An anonymous objector, whose details were also redacted by the council, said: “While very supportive overall of the application for the four beach lockers, we would like to object strongly to the external decoration painted on the hut nearest the pool – ie, the words Explore, Swim, Respect painted on top of each other in clashing red, blue and orange.
“This faux-graffiti style is completely out of keeping with the natural neutral colours used so beautifully throughout the rest of the Sea Lanes development.”
Another objector, whose details were also redacted, said: “My understanding is that this is a fun activity club that may result in some of those who join eventually becoming lifeguards.
“Allowing this already built storage on a public beach increases the privatisation of the beach and doubtless the beach will be taken over with the stored equipment during the day, ruling it out for the rest of the public.”
To see or comment on the application, visit the planning portal on the council’s website and search for BH2023/01955.
Time moves on everyone
Sealanes is engaged with local people
To everyone s credit
To see the results of inertia and neglect
Just look behind us
Positive people for a positive beach area
Why just complain about the one hut?
Was the word respect a trigger?
If the objector would look to their left, as they stared out to sea, they would see plenty of “faux-graffiti style” all the way along the bypass leading down to the Marina. Really…people object for the most bizarre reasons.
Sadly having ‘faux graffiti’ on stuff is the most efficient way to stop people doing scrawly ‘tags’ over stuff. My understanding is that the scribbling morons are less inclined to get up to their nonsense on surfaces that are already covered in something else.
Do like the idea of lockers on the beaches though. Having your own combination lock and somewhere to secure your stuff while having a swim is a great idea.
Yeah, it’s pretty well accepted that you don’t tag over someone else’s work, especially if it’s decent.
I love it when comments on planning applications say something should be built elsewhere instead.
I can’t wait until this mysterious, mythical land called “Elsewhere” is one day found; all the city’s problems will be solved.
Standard Consultation Expiry Date Mon 21 Aug 2023 for comments = there is something fishy about this retro application which is more than about concrete slabs on which the fishing lockers and winches used to be housed = none of the several planning applications related to the new pool or the old Peter Payground have a location plan that mentions the lockers and there is no mention of the landlords consent to build anything there in the first place = Sea Lanes said that the company only became aware that the lockers required planning permission after they were sited on the concrete slabs yet they went ahead on land they had no permission to do so with no location plan to prove they had the right to do so or this any Council Planning or Building control officer , it seems.
It’s great to see Sea Lanes taking steps to enhance its beachfront facility by submitting a planning application for lockers and a lifeguard station. The collaborative effort with Brighton Surf Life Saving Club demonstrates a commitment to community safety and health. The unique design maintains harmony with existing structures while offering much-needed storage space. The anonymous supporting comment rightly recognizes the innovation and benefits of repurposing the site. However, the concerns of the objector about the external decoration’s aesthetic compatibility are valid and warrant consideration. Overall, this initiative seems to strike a balance between practicality, preservation, and community engagement.