Plans for the phased replacement of temporary buildings at BHASVIC are due to go before councillors next week.
The current temporary modular classrooms on the Dyke Road side of the sixth form college site would make way for a three-storey student building in a four-phase process.
Officials have recommended that Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee approves the application, subject to terms, when it meets next Wednesday (5 March).
In the planning application, the new building is described as creating a hub for student-based services, a modern library and a study area.
More classrooms will also be included in the building. Once completed, the existing library and learning support areas will be refurbished.
Neighbours have sent 33 objections to the plans, citing concerns about the expansion of the college, overshadowing a path known as Crocodile Walk and overdevelopment of the site.
Goldsmid ward councillors Jackie O’Quinn, Birgit Miller and Trevor Muten have also objected to the application on behalf of residents.
The three Labour councillors raised concerns about potential future developments on the college site which have not been submitted including all-weather sports pitches and a further teaching block.
Their objection said: “The proposed three-storey building is considerably higher than the present two-storey modular buildings and will be seen quite clearly from Dyke Road and also from Old Shoreham Road.
“The two-storey temporary buildings, although unattractive, do not have such a dramatic effect on the skyline and less of a ‘blocky’ impact.
“The new building proposed also has a much larger footprint than the previous modular buildings.
“Crocodile Walk, which is heavily used by locals, will also be overshadowed by such a tall and very substantial building, creating a very closed-in feeling for those using it, especially as the proposed building will be closer to the fence by Crocodile Walk.”
Members of a community group, Friends of the Field, were concerned that the new building would be on the playing field shared by BHASVIC and Cardinal Newman Catholic School known as Hove community field.
The application was amended after Sport England raised concerns about temporary buildings being moved on to the playing field, leaving a rugby pitch and cricket outfield unusable during the works.
BHASVIC principal Will Baldwin was concerned that some of the objections were aimed at artificial pitches which do not form part of the application.
Mr Baldwin said: “The current planning application we have open is for a permanent building to replace the huts. This building will not encroach further on to the field than the sports hall.
“This building is not for growth/additional students (mirroring demographics, we are at our peak) – it is purely to replace ugly temporary buildings with a fit-for-purpose permanent one, in keeping with the rest of the campus.
“This application has had to go out to re-consultation on technical grounds, mainly around where we would relocate the modulars during the build itself which would not be on the field.
“Once we have secured planning (permission) for this, we will submit (a planning application) for our artificial pitch and netball court which we plan to locate in front of the pavilion.”
The Planning Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 2pm next Wednesday (5 March). The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
The existing ‘temporary’ classrooms that have been there for years are an absolute eye-sore and should be replaced as quickly as possible. It is staggering that anyone, least of all elected councillors, could possibly object to this palpable improvement in the local built environment. Sometimes it seems that people object these things just for the sake of it and not for any tangible, valid reasons.