Another fire has broken out at a derelict site on Lewes Road where an arson attack happened last summer.
Luis Abbou Planisi took this picture of smoke billowing from the land by Gladstone Terrace shortly before 5pm today.
He said fire crews were on the scene moments later.
A previous fire in an outbuilding next to the site on 5 June last year was treated as arson by Sussex Police, who issued a witness appeal days after the blaze broke out.
At 5.30pm, a spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue said: “At 4.45pm we were called to a fire at a derelict building on Lewes Road, Brighton.
“Three appliances attended and dealt very quickly with a small fire. All persons were accounted for.
“We will be leaving the scene shortly and handing over to police for securing.”
More as we get it.
The derelict piece of land was previously a car showroom, until it was demolished in 2019.
In 2020, developer John Blankson was granted permission to build a four-storey building including flats and a retail unit.
In 2021, Southdown Housing Association applied for planning permission for a similar scheme, intending to use the flats for supported housing.
The planning application said it was intending on buying the site if planning permission was given.
This was granted permission in February 2022, subject to negotiations over a financial contribution in lieu of affordable housing provision.
However the application was subsequently withdrawn in August that year.
Has anyone got a planning permission application on the land that has recently been refused?
You can search the planning register on the councils website to find out.
It was a rhetorical question🤦♂️