Plans for a £10 million scheme to build two blocks of council flats on a former wildlife site and children’s playground have been approved.
The plot, in Swanborough Drive, Brighton, was a children’s playground until 2015 when it was allocated for up to 39 flats in Brighton and Hove City Council’s strategic blueprint, known as the “City Plan”.
Councillors voted unanimously to approve the application for 36 flats in two six-storey blocks at the top or northern end of Whitehawk when the council’s Planning Committee met this afternoon (Wednesday 4 February).
All the homes will be available for “affordable” rent and the scheme also includes a community space.
Neighbours submitted 13 objections and a petition with 37 signatures, raising concerns about the impact on the orchard and wildlife meadow and the wider infrastructure.
Lauren O’Connor spoke on behalf of the “close-knit” community in Swanborough Drive who were concerned that there was nothing to support more people moving into the area.
She said: “Swanborough Drive is a main cut-through to Whitehawk, carrying far more traffic than a typical residential street.
“When parking is full, which is most days, cars and the No 21 bus frequently become gridlocked, forcing drivers to reverse long distances just to clear the road.”
She invited the committee to see for themselves the congestion along Swanborough Drive.
Labour councillor Gill Williams, the council’s cabinet member for housing, said that the project was the latest phase of the council’s “new homes for neighbourhoods” programme.
Councillor Williams, who represents Whitehawk and Marina ward, acknowledged that parking was an issue for neighbours – as she heard during the consultation process.
Councillor Williams said: “This is a council-owned site and this will be built by the council for the benefit of local people. This is precisely what councils ought to be doing.
“I am very proud to be in support of this particular project.
“It’s all the more important because we know now it’s in the public domain that the five high-rise blocks very near this project will be going through some serious stages of redevelopment.”
The flats are known as the “bird blocks” and are large-panel systems (LPS) buildings from the 1960s which are due to be demolished and rebuilt. As a result, those living there would need rehousing.
Stephen Dryburgh, lead architect from Mackellar Schwerdt, said that there were more than 6,000 people on the housing waiting list and the council was only able to let 600 “social homes” last year.
Never heard of Swanborough and Albourne flats referred to as “bird blocks!”
This is a much needed development and one I am pleased to see go through – living nearby I do worry about the length of time this area will have building work happening given the tower blocks will be demolished and then more redevelopment.
I hope that the blocks are in line with what we can hope to see from the potential development of the wider neighbourhood as they look a lot nicer than very tall high rise and give a boost of nice looking accommodation that the area can be proud of.
Please put more 3/4 beds though – we need more family homes not more families cramped into 2 beds!
Agreed on the 3/4 beds; it’s one of the longest queues in the social housing list, and an important one. There are lots of neat modern ways of having high-rises that don’t look like high-rises!
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