A business owner has criticised the council for failing to share details of loading bay plans when work starts on a big road revamp known as Valley Gardens Phase 3.
Gary Farmer said that he had been asking for years for the loading bay plans for Old Steine, with work due to start imminently.
Mr Farmer, director of Brighton Language College, wrote to councillors and transport officials after seeing three fire engines and a delivery lorry parked outside his business on Monday (11 November) during the Armistice commemorations.
He said that he and neighbouring businesses concerned about the impact of the Valley Gardens scheme had spent six years having conversations and responding to consultations but had yet to find a resolution that would allow businesses to trade effectively.
Promises of a detailed design for the size of a single loading bay have not been shared, he wrote.
Mr Farmer said: “Today, we have three fire engines and a delivery truck here. Once the loading bays are removed, I would like to know how you expect the blue light services to attend such an important event?
“Deliveries are ongoing for businesses. The school depends on coaches and home-stay providers to have access.
“This matter has been raised countless times yet there is no progress or transparency on this issue.
“We remain hostage to potentially catastrophic damages to our businesses here in St James’s Street / Old Steine.
“With the new NI (national insurance) rules taking hold in April 2025, businesses here feel helpless and ignored by the council.
“I have been told not to be concerned. I have been told that there are no plans. I have been promised meetings and consultation to ensure the scheme works for us here in Old Steine.”
Mr Farmer is concerned that a new loading bay will not have enough space for at least two coaches.
Council cabinet member Trevor Muten said that Valley Gardens Phase 3 was one of the most consulted on projects that the council had ever been responsible for.
Councillor Muten, who is responsible for transport, parking and the public realm, said that the council had listened to feedback and that changes to the design had been made as a result.
He said: “For example, the 38-metre-long loading bay to the east of the war memorial was added following requests we received.
“This is wider than usual so it will be able to be used by European coaches, which have doors opening on to the road, as well as other vehicles.
“The final designs are reflective of the wide breadth of feedback we have received and will help residents and visitors move more easily through this space, improving accessibility.
“I can also reassure residents the plans will not impact future Remembrance Day services as access will be made possible via temporary road closures, as it is now, while landscaping improvements will make it a far more pleasant area.
“The Valley Gardens 3 scheme will transform an area in the heart of our city. It is fully funded, much needed and I am sure residents and businesses will be delighted with the end result.”
Might be good to remind ourselves that this is the same Mr Falmer who was very soundly beaten at elections in the Queen’s Park Ward, standing for the B&H Independents party.
I feel it is important to ensure this is clearly stated in the article for transparency purposes, and to provide an understanding of Mr Falmers potential biases and motivations here, especially if his critique is looked at through a political lens.
Bias? Thank you “Benjamin” whoever you are (i like to know who is questioning me in the public domain – please use your real name in full it is courtesy). No bias, just the truth on what is happening to us here on Old Steine.
Based upon his comments it seems Benjamin could well be a pseudonym of someone in the council’s “communications team” as he regularly supports actions taken by them.
Only the things that make sense.
Personally, I find it more interesting to challenge points of view that differ from my own, and challenge them to articulate themselves with logic, reasoning, and a good evidence base. People who don’t like me tend to be the ones to speak from the emotive, which is fine, they are passionate about the subject, but I will pick a hole in an argument if there’s a fundamental flaw there. That’s just debate.
I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a question in there, Gary.
Potential is an important word you’ve omitted there. Again to iterate; it’s good to know where your potential motivations or biases lie. If you were elected (In Kemptown, my mistake), it would not be a far stretch to think you potentially would not have written this, for example. And you are going to have a bias, of course, you are, as a business owner that is directly affected. So it’s an important piece of information to include within this article, right?
Why in heavens would I ever doxx myself?
I find this article a bit weird.
The answer is right there. 38m long loading bay, wider than normal, located on the east side, following requests (which may have included Mr Falmer’s inquiry.)
Farmer not Falmer. Please get my name right when speaking about me – thank you
Of course, typo. So again, your information was, in fact, given to you. Weird.
VG3 is going to be a disaster – BHCC know this, but are pushing on with it anyway. It will cause much more congestion and pollution.
It will also cost local taxpayers £7m+ .You have to ask ‘why’?
I didn’t stand in Queens Park, you got that wrong – it was Kemp Town. The council has been very unhelpful and resistant to speak to people in the area. Muten has been great at ignoring everyone and failing to turn up for promised meetings, Bella Sankey the same. The area here outside the school has been used by businesses, residents and visitors for hundreds of years. No consultations were made that were valid, the council only listens to the bicycle lobby groups, any other opinion is quickly dismissed. 38 metres is a joke, it’s not enough – and note Muten is only saying this now because of the journalists.
Probably sick to death if your daily bothering. They do have jobs to do other than replying to old wind bags who clearly won’t be happy with the response they get anyway.
VG3 needs to hurry up, I’m sick of wrecking my suspension as for the loading bay blablabla, 38m is more than what’s currently there.
Your rude and cowardly comments show you don’t live or work in the area affected or know very much about it. The changes threaten people’s jobs, the jobs which mean we can contribute to the Council’s coffers and the Government’s, rather than drawing benefits and housing support. The businesses there pay rents, rates and the rising National Insurance contributions needed to make good the Government’s financial black hole. It’s easy to make snide and juvenile quips, but some people, like Mr Farmer, bring visitors, revenues and jobs to Brighton. Never met the guy, but he deserves more respect than you seem capable of understanding.
I agree with Dave here. Challenge the concepts, challenge the logic, but be respectful to each other.
NI is going to cause a lot of trouble for businesses and charities. I anticipate redundancies to balance the books on this front.
Very mature, you hide behind false names and write like this. Quite sad and I do feel sorry for you whoever you are
This does all seem like a storm in a tea cup. They have clearly said there is going to be a large loading bay so I don’t really see what all the procrastination is about other than not wanting VG3 to go ahead, which it’s going to regardless.
On phase two we were consulted on one plan and an entirely different plan was completed. All the best.
So, by your own admission, information and opportunities to consult were given to you, and that you’re aware of them – but you don’t believe them to be valid. And your ire is actually that you don’t think it is long enough, which honestly, is a fair point as a local business owner.
Muten only cares about what his chums in Bricyles want !
Ha! I knew you were going to say that one, Mike!
VG3 is a nightmare, it will kill the city centre – you have been warned. Farmer is right, the council are idiots #labourlies #twotierkier #supportthefarmers #winterfuelallowance #NI
Newsflash ***Council fails to share vital information shocker***
This is an every day occurrence for this council – they seem to prefer to bury the vital information and hope nobody notices!
St James Business Alliance is really concerned about the immediate, short term and long term effects that construction work will have on their businesses . We have no information about where when and how the work will start or how long it will go on for or if any mitigation measures, like signage will be in place .
Any businesses in the St James Area (Edward Street South, Bedford Street West, Marine Parade North, Old Steine East ) are welcome to join our AGM on 3rd December where this is on the agenda . At the first instance business owners can contact SJBA on Facebook stating their business name and location
I always respect Derek’s proactive and solution-based approach to tackling concerns.
Anybody remember a time when councils worked for the people who elected them ?
Exactly. Show me where it’s legal for the Council to deliberately harm businesses and peoples’ livelihoods. Plus we are supposed to be a tourist resort, removing any reasons for visitors to visit, not creating them.
The published figures don’t reflect those concerns though, showing quite a recovering trend since the pandemic.
It was a long time ago, before my time. Standing twice for election against the highly organised Westminster parties with countless volunteers and some questionable tactics was an eye opener. Unfortunately most councillors are parachuted in with little care or consideration for the local people. One successful candidate I stood against said to me “I didn’t expect to win, I stood as a paper candidate, for Labour, you know much more about the area because you live and work here”.
Is Valley Gardens 3 even legal when it will penalise local businesses so heavily in lost trade?
Where is the council’s business plan for this?
Where is the council’s economic impact risk assessment?
How will they compensate Brighton Pier and other businesses who are already predicting that trade will be severely affected?
I can see no economic benefit to this ridiculous plan which no one voted for.
In short, the project is legal under the current planning framework – although there may still be grounds to contest aspects of it if there is compelling evidence that measures aren’t proportionate or well-justified in terms of economic impact on the local area.
Business Plan is on their website, including impact assessments. I doubt they will compensate Brighton Pier, since it is unlikely to affect their trade, and supported by quite a bit of academia on the subject of driving and business impact.
I would suggest this is more a development for long-term sustainability, net-zero, and congestion, although I appreciate that last one doesn’t seem to have a strong evidence-base. There’s a fella on here who has articulated that particular point very well historically.
The benefits are mostly to property values that increase once it has been completed . The other less tangible benefits are to public safety, an increase in hard surfaced event space plus opportunities for pop up businesses in a city centre location
BHCC consistently bleat on about reducing pollution , but VG3 will increase pollution.
It just doesn’t make sense !
Try telling Benjamin. Net zero visitors and businesses seems to be his aim. He seems to think that because some of them survived the pandemic they can afford another beating.
Benjamin lives in a parallel universe
Too true. You understand the issues we have been petitioning the council about since 2018. Thank you.
The businesses will just need to try and sell things to the cars stuck in the traffic jams at the new traffic lights on the seafront by the pier, once the roundabout is removed.
At least the people in their properties along Grand Parade can look forward to more fumes to breath in!
What fun they will have!🙄
Thanks Ian, there is a lot of truth in what you say regarding the congestion issues we are all facing.
Garry’s irritable responses to people pointing out his conflicts of interest highlight how lucky Kemptown is that he did not succeed in either of his futile attempts to be elected to the council. Perhaps this newspaper could describe him as a “failed council candidate” rather than a business owner in future.
Slison, you need to calm down. Standing as an independent candidate in Kemp Town was an honor. There are no failures, all candidates from all backgrounds should be welcomed. Especially those (there were 2 independents in Kemp Town) who do not have the Westminster party machine’s support and resources. It us a Shame you have chosen to be quite so bitter about this instead of looking at the positives of having a healthy electoral system. My issues with the area outside my business started in 2018, long before I stood for councillor and infact started me on the road to standing. Please feel free to stand yourself in 2027 and put yourself up for election. It is a great experience.