Residents may be aware that a local family-run company called Matsim is trying to restore and renovate the Hippodrome in Middle Street, Brighton.
The planning application for this work was submitted in July 2022.
Since then, the only work that the company has been allowed to carry out is the repair and restoration of the roof and ceiling of the building.
This alone cost near to £6 million of private investment but is wonderful to see, not least because it saved the roof from total collapse.
The overall planning application remains stalled, however, in the council’s planning department.
Various outside agencies such as the Theatres Trust and Historic England are being repeatedly asked for their views when they neither own the building nor have any practical involvement in its restoration.
While I accept that these organisations have a right to submit their views on the planning application, they should not be allowed to dominate the process in the way they apparently have.
This is a local iconic building and local people should have the final say on the application via the councillors who sit on the Planning Committee – and this application should now be heard as a matter of public urgency.
This delay is having a potentially catastrophic impact on the condition of the building due to dampness and dry rot.
And there is a real danger that the procrastination within the planning department risks the very fabric of the Hippodrome becoming beyond repair.
This would be a disaster, both for a much loved and fondly remembered local landmark and also for the many residents who could have enjoyed the many events that the Hippodrome would have offered – at a time when music venues are closing at an alarming rate.
There is currently an online petition headed Save Brighton Hippodrome on Change.org if people want to add their voices to the many thousands who have already been part of the campaign to save this magnificent building.
Councillor Peter Atkinson is an Independent member of Brighton and Hove City Council.
Thank goodness on councillor is taking on the utter philistinism of the Labour Group none of whom have any minds of their own
Councillors aren’t involved in the detailed planning applcation process.
The first time they will be involved is at planning committee where their decisions will be led by planning policy and the law not politics.
Even then Councillors from the same party don’t vote as a bloc
You should educate yourself on the back ground here Chris.
BHCC previously granted permission for it to become a cinema/restaurant in 7 months, well under half the time that this application has taken. That prior cinema application was to butcher the heritage asset with the same consultees that you mention. They have statutory time frames for consultations to respond in but is on the planning officer to decide whether they need reconsultation again and again. This application is for the venue to return as a whole performance venue. It has become clear that the Cinema/Restaurant as approved wouldn’t be seen as a threat to the cultural thiefdom BHCC/The Dome sits over. This is seen as a threat and god forbid someone comes up with a market offering with shows people want to visit instead of the drivel out of the Dome etc. how did they spend almost £40m on creating nothing new other than a claustrophobic cafe that seats about 30? Guess who wasn’t consulted on that one? Theatres Trust!
I’m well aware of the background thanks very much.
Being a ‘threat’ to other venues isn’t a valid ground to deny the application.
This is just a very complex one so will take time to resolve.
Ironically, I find ChrisC to have quite informed comments on this website, even when we disagree.
The council should support the restoration of the Hippodrome, we should preserve these great buildings or we will end up with it looking like the west pier ,which if restoration had been done in the 70,s maybe it would have been saved
The council IS supportting the restoration.
It previously granted planning ermission for the works already completed on the roof and ceiling.
Unfortunatly this is a complicated application that includes dealing with a historic listing status as well
Delays aren’t always down to the planners themselved but outside organisations that do have the right to be consulted yet can’t be made to respond to the application within a certain time frame.
It’s in the councils interest TO delay this process. They own all the competition in the city. Suddenly a well run music venture run for profit will put their crap venues down the pan..
Too right.
Clown Show. Most of em need to go!
That’s rubbish Chris.
It previously granted permission for it to become a cinema/restaurant in 7 months, well under half the time that this application has taken. That prior cinema application was to butcher the heritage asset with the same consultees that you mention. They have statutory time frames for consultations to respond in but is on the planning officer to decide whether they need reconsultation again and again. This application is for the venue to return as a whole performance venue. It has become clear that the Cinema/Restaurant as approved wouldn’t be seen as a threat to the cultural thiefdom BHCC/The Dome sits over. This is seen as a threat and god forbid someone comes up with a market offering with shows people want to visit instead of the woke drivel out of the Dome etc. how did they spend almost £40m on creating nothing new other than a claustrophobic cafe that seats about 30? Guess who wasn’t consulted on that one? Theatres Trust!
You would think an experienced councilor like Pete Atkinson would understand this, or at least educate himself by speaking to the planning department before writing this drivel for the local paper.
You should educate yourself on the back ground here.
BHCC previously granted permission for it to become a cinema/restaurant in 7 months, well under half the time that this application has taken. That prior cinema application was to butcher the heritage asset with the same consultees that you mention. They have statutory time frames for consultations to respond in but is on the planning officer to decide whether they need reconsultation again and again. This application is for the venue to return as a whole performance venue. It has become clear that the Cinema/Restaurant as approved wouldn’t be seen as a threat to the cultural thiefdom BHCC/The Dome sits over. This is seen as a threat and god forbid someone comes up with a market offering with shows people want to visit instead of the drivel out of the Dome etc. how did they spend almost £40m on creating nothing new other than a claustrophobic cafe that seats about 30? Guess who wasn’t consulted on that one? Theatres Trust!
Repeating the same thing over and over again dosen’t make it any more valid.
But just think how many houses you could squeeze in there? That kind of application would get the council moving.
It will probably end up an empty , crumbling testament to stupidity. It was a bingo hall but now suddenly it’s got very “complicated” to make it a live music/ theatre space. Too many agendas going on.