Plans to demolish a house and replace it with a block of nine flats are due to go before councillors next week.
Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee is advised to be “minded to grant” the application for 95 Marine Drive, Rottingdean, subject to legal agreements, at a meeting on Wednesday 4 March.
A detached house is currently on the site, beside the A259 coast road, with one storey at the front and two at the back.
The applicant, Fortitudo Property, of Poole, in Dorset, owned by Richard Carr, 67, wants to demolish the existing house and out-building and construct a four-storey block comprising nine two-bedroom flats.
In the application, the company said: “The proposed development of nine, two-bedroom apartments in this location is in accordance with the development plan providing the two-bedroom dwellings that are most needed both in Rottingdean and the wider borough.”
The application also said that it would not be viable to provide any “affordable” housing as part of the scheme. Planning policy seeks 20 per cent of the homes to be classed as “affordable”.
Brighton and Hove Independent councillor Bridget Fishleigh, who represents Rottingdean and West Saltdean ward, has objected to the plans – as have Rottingdean Parish Council and six neighbours.
Councillor Fishleigh said: “I find it quite peculiar that the viability assessment posted online to accompany this application has the word draft on many of the pages.
“I hope that the planning department will save the developer from a costly mistake by refusing this application.”
She quoted from the application that having all private housing would result in a deficit of almost £300,000, with two affordable homes resulting in a £437,000 deficit.
She said: “The plans show that the new building would have a hugely increased footprint compared to the existing property and effectively removes the possibility of wildlife being able to utilise the garden as a corridor so contravening this element of the neighbourhood plan.
“A site visit to 2 and 2A Lenham Road West also revealed that the proposed new building would have a significant impact on these two properties.”
The Planning Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 2pm on Wednesday 4 March. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast.
