The owner of a distinctive small yellow Brighton shop has been ordered to stop renting it as “cramped” flats.
Swift Sports in Grand Parade closed down in 2015 when founder Ken George retired. The owners of The building successfully applied to turn it into a three-bedroom house and then sold it for about £295,500 in 2017.
However, by the time the new owners started converting it, this permission had expired – and they went much further than the approved plans allowed for, extending it and squeezing four flats inside.
Brighton and Hove City Council served Joseph Farchy and his company Jonston Management an enforcement notice requiring him to rip down the extensions and other alterations and stop renting it out.
Mr Farchy, who lives in Islington, appealed the notice but planning inspector Paul Hocking upheld it, and said the tenants must move out by the end of September.
The building works must either be reversed in 18 months, unless Mr Farchy can agree alternative alterations with the council.
Mr Hocking’s report said: “I could see during my site visit that the flats were cramped and provided inadequate space for the furniture and circulation space that would be reasonably required in a flat, even a very small flat.
“The kitchens also provided insufficient facilities and worktop spaces. The flats therefore do not provide an acceptable standard of accommodation.”
He added: “The development as constructed, which includes works to the façade of the building including raising the parapet wall, the arrangement, proportion and design of fenestration, and changes to the roof of the building, result in a conspicuous building within the terrace of buildings, which is thus at odds with the otherwise prevailing character and architectural interest of adjoining buildings.
“The size and style of fenestration is particularly discordant.
“This accordingly fails to preserve or enhance the pattern of vernacular built development in the immediate area. Moreover, the development arising from its resultant appearance fails to be well designed, let alone raise the standard of architectural design in the city.”
The notice requires him to take down French doors and a balcony installed to the front of the first floor, casements windows on the second floor, various roof lights, French doors on the first and second floors to the rear, and second and third-floor extensions, including a mezzanine floor in the roof.
Another story of greed. This, among others, is a prime example of why regulation of the private rental sector should be welcomed, in my opinion.
Finally a bit of enforcement on slum landlords taking the absolute Mick. When it comes to this level of disregard for the planning system, it should be a criminal offence with the director of whatever sham company liable to prosecution with jail time in the mix
Sad that all the tenants must leave. More homeless people. Well done Brighton Council
Are you thick? If they can afford to rent a flat, they can afford to rent a flat elsewhere.
So they should continue to live in crappy conditions according to you ?? typical noddy, no matter what comes up never good enough for your type, and with a 100% guarantee that you have NO SOLUTIONS of your own, never have done and never will, just sit back and point the finger at anyone and everything, WNKR
This is 100% the right thing to enforce. If landlords are allowed to squeeze a fortune out of tenants for a tiny space, more and more will do this and the quality of rental properties will continue to go down whilst the cost of rent goes up.
The builders knew that this build was not in line with regulations as it was been done.
Was better as a sports shop.
Before you sell a property in central Brighton you need to do research on a new owner. It definitely had to be Brighton resident and want to make city beautiful. NOT to make 4 flats and be greedy bastard who does not care about Brighton. I wanted to buy this house, I would have made it beautiful and nice living space, one apartment as it is even small for one😱