The developer behind a new 1000-home housing estate in Hove have resubmitted their plans to give them more time to start the project.
A new outline planning application has been submitted for Toads Hole Valley combines the original outline schemes for 880 homes approved in June 2022, and an additional 182 homes and sports pitches approved in April 2023.
The 2022 application included a secondary school, but this is no longer needed in the city due to declining pupil numbers, with the area it was earmarked for now set to include the additional homes and sports facilities.
Enplan has submitted the application on behalf of Toads Hole Valley Limited, Pecla Investments Limited and Robert Mark Simon stating the new application will extend the time available to submit detailed designs and start the build
The development off King George VI Avenue in Hove, known locally as Snakey Hill, is due to include 1,062 homes, of which 40 per cent would be “affordable”.
Sports pitches, 25,000 square metres of industrial floor space, a neighbourhood centre with a doctors’ surgery and shops, public open space and improved wildlife sites are all included in the application.
Half of the development will be for family housing with three bedrooms or more.
Of the “affordable” homes the proposals put forward are for 234 at social rent, 85 “first homes” and 106 shared ownerships, a mix already agreed with the council through previous negotiations.
Based on 425 affordable homes, 126 would be one-bedroom flats, 193 two-bedroom flats, seven three-bedroom flats, 90 three-bedroom houses and nine four-bedroom houses.
Of the 637 homes available on the open market, 109 would be one-bedroom flats, 103 two-bedroom flats, 19 three-bedroom flats, 245 three-bedroom houses, 141 four-bedroom houses and 20 five-bedroom houses.
As the application is outline only, the appearance and siting of the development would be considered as a “reserved matter”.
Toads Hole Valley is recognised as a local wildlife site with a mix of semi-natural woodland, mature scrub and a small but dried up dew pond.
Badgers use the site for foraging only as there are no setts present. Bats are also commuters rather than roosting in the area.
A good population of common lizard, an exceptional number of slow worms and a low population of grass snake are found in the valley.
Red-listed bird species, linnet and greenfinch were found breeding at the site.
Hazel dormice are also breeding in the area and found to be a species of “district importance”.
The design and access statement submitted with the application said: “At a strategic level, the development would create new homes, helping satisfy Brighton and Hove’s objectively assessed housing need and providing open space to help facilitate interaction between people and to
promoting a healthy lifestyle.
“The amenity value of the site and surrounding area would be enhanced through the provision of the neighbourhood centre and community centre.
“Economically, the development would contribute substantially throughout both the construction and operation.
“The development of employment space as part of the development proposals would also create the potential for new jobs in the locality.”
The application is available to view and for comment by searching for BH2025/02755 on the council’s planning website planningapps.brighton-hove.gov.uk.
More proposed vandalism which provides very little for the local community. Why so many one-bedroom units? They are unaffordable and in the wrong area, far away from the city centre. They will be bought to fleece younger people who would prefer to be more central. The traffic situation will become even more chaotic. I cannot believe that these plans enhance the area but just contribute to urban sprawl whilst lining the developers pockets to the detriment of the locale.
Am I looking at this diagram right?
On each side of King George VI Avenue is these blocks of flats?
There’s the estate and King George VI Drive, grassy bit about 4ft, a hedge stretching the length of King George VI Drive and Close, and then a small grassy bit.
That must measure around 20ft in total. Will there be yards or garden area for drying clothes!
How are they going to put blocks and these communal areas there?
And I think that the residents of King George VI would have something to say about this as well.
The other side of the King George VI Avenue maybe?
But not the other side?
It’s a sketch to support an outline planning application. Not a detailed plan.
I don’t understand why it’s not been built yet. Why does it take so long to build housing. Equally why is such a massive piece of land only holding 1000 houses, should be double that.
What is a realistic definition of “affordable”?
It’s a really good question. And we have such a broad definition of affordable currently, from social rents, Living Rent, Shared Ownership, LHA-aligned rents. Combine that with what’s affordable to achieve as well, and it’s a complicated problem. A developer typically can’t build a social-rent only space without some sort of subsidiary from Grants England.
I try to be more holistic of it these days, and I realise we don’t really hear much from what a developer struggles are in delivering projects. I’d make for an interesting article to hear it from the other side, as it were?
Labour seem to be playing “how low can we push living standards?”, sticking high-density, low-quality housing right next to the A27 so residents get hammered by noise and air pollution, while the last scrap of green space gets bulldozed. Whether in opposition or in government, Labour can’t be trusted
As the school is not required why not a school for special educational needs?