A £10 million plan to build two blocks containing 36 council flats in total could be approved next week.
A report to Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee is in favour of the scheme in Swanborough Drive, Whitehawk. The committee is due to meet next Wednesday (4 February).
The site of the proposed “affordable” flats is on a former playground which was relocated about 10 years ago, with the place since being treated as a wildlife area which includes a butterfly bank.
Residents campaigned against housing on the site, which was regarded as part of Brighton and Hove’s “urban fringe”, but a shortage of new homes locally persuaded councillors to allocated it for flats.
The proposed blocks would six storeys high but should appear less tall because of the design and with the site being on a slope.
The council said that all the flats would be available for affordable council rent.
Twelve of the flats would have one bedroom and would be designed for two people. Fifteen of them would be two-bed flats designed for three people.
One would be a three-bedroom flat for four people and eight flats would have three bedrooms and be designed for five people.
The design includes a proposed community space and the scheme as a whole is intended to be car-free.
An undercroft would include six car parking spaces, five for motorbikes, one for a car club vehicle and 44 cycle spaces and a bike share hub.
Neighbours have sent 13 objections and a petition with 36 signatures. Their concerns include the loss of the 1A bus route which has cut links with parts of Brighton and Hove. The new 1X does not serve Whitehawk.
People were also concerned about the loss of biodiversity and the impact on the Racehill Community Orchard.
Ecological surveys recorded 244 species of invertebrates at the site – 13 with conservation status, and three which are rare and among the most protected
Concerned residents include Irfana Bharveen who feared that that people would just be “dumped in new tall buildings”. Her neighbours pick berries and enjoy walking around the neighbouring orchard and wild areas.
She said: “I love this community and, even when the council feel they need to give to people who really need houses, don’t they deserve proper housing.
“I don’t know what’s the point of dumping everybody into tall buildings and overcrowding.”
Lauren O’Connor said that she felt as though Swanborough Drive and Whitehawk in general were treated like a dumping ground.
She said: “There’s a lot of houses and people living in this small space and there’s not really any thought for local amenities or small businesses.
“I have no objection to the flats being built. It’s just the lack of thought around the community and what this will bring with it.
“It’s going to stretch GP services – and where is the healthy food coming from?”
The Planning Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 2pm next Wednesday (4 February). The meeting is scheduled to be webcast.
Just another 8,000 on the waiting list to go. Unless this government takes radical action on housing this development is a drop in the ocean.
and when the council wanted to build more homes in Whitehawk there was uproar from the residents
I’m really in favour of this scheme; it provides a much-needed community space for the North Whitehawk Tenants Association. These community groups are crucial in giving a voice to local areas, especially considering the Pride in Place funding that is in the pipeline, and with the strategic redesign of Whitehawk, including local amenities and small business, with the decommissioning of the highrises over the next several years, they will be an important element to ensure a strong voice and advocacy within the community.
What’s the re-design of Whitehawk, when’s that coming along.
Not heard about that to be honest.
I believe there was a report due to cabinet soon to detail more about it. I know there’s been a lot of work by the interim director that was appointed specifically to look at Whitehawk development strategically.
I’d imagine that will be presented to Area Panel East when it’s ready?
I’m all up for More Housing in the Area-East Brighton is getting Popular
We’ve got a Butterfly Garden, Community Garden down by Drs Surgery.
I wish the Bushes would be well cut back on the Football Pitches by Crew Club-can walk down the Embankment towards Haybourne Rd/Close Area-a lot of people walk there and watch Kids play footie.
Within the City I doubt many more Houses will be Built it will all be Flats-more can get into Flats and there more spaces about for flats.
Let’s see what the Commitee decide
Good news then, just another £2,240,000,000 to find to get the 8000 on the housing list homed. Of course any progress in reducing the list will just attract more people to it.
More people moving to a place they can’t afford and expecting hand outs.
Nevermind I am sure they can all find jobs in coffee shops and get top up benefits too.
Yay.
Well done B&H council, only council in the south who actually builds council housing, yes many are waiting for a council house/flat. Central government needs to encourage all councils to build more and to prov8de funding for this
It seems like a lot of money for not a lot of homes to me and you have to build infastructure to support basic quality of life. A shop, a doctors. The few big things people need to live are always the first to go because they don’t earn a profit. Spending money now to make people happy later isnt profitabl, doesn’t pay bonuses or shareholders dividends.
One could argue social housing isn’t there to make a profit, it is to be cost neutral. Infrastructure is important, and I think the answer to that lies in what is done in conjunction with the high rises as part of a strategic reimagining.
Drip feeding the homeless and charities costs never stop and grow year on year, getting people off the streets and into homes does work out better once in place, the home will always be a council asset, not vanishing into a charity pot.