A developer wants to knock down a disused synagogue and build seven houses in its place.
The Hove Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, which was originally built as a gym, has been empty since September 2023.
Now Kitmarr Limited has submitted plans to demolish it and build seven three-bedroom houses on the site.
The congregation has moved to the new Brighton New Jewish Community in New Church Road.
The application says: “The former synagogue building at 79 Holland Road has become increasingly difficult and costly to maintain due to its deteriorating condition and associated health and safety concerns.
“As discussed with officers at the site meeting, there is no desire or realistic prospect for the congregation to return to or retain the building, and it is also not desired by other congregations in the city due to concerns raised in terms of security.
“In particular, there is no secure line for members to enter the building as the front door is accessed immediately from the street.
“In addition, the building currently contains no off-street parking making it difficult for members to access the site.
“The sale and redevelopment of the site is required to help fund the relocation and long-term sustainability of the congregation at its new premises.”
The building, which was built in 1883 and converted into a synagogue in 1929, is locally listed but currently has a certificate of immunity from national statutory listing which lasts until 2029.
Historic England granted this in 2024 because of the loss of original gym features and other alterations.
The largest of the new buildings would echo the shape and size of the existing synagogue.
Five of the houses would be in a terrace along Holland Road and Lansdowne Road, with two semi-detached houses to the south.
None of the houses would be classed as affordable housing. Kitmarr argues that the constraints of the site, which also sits within a conservation area, mean that following the council’s usual requirement of 20 per cent affordable housing would make the development economically unviable.
The synagogue was identified by teenage neo-Nazi terrorist Mason Reynolds as a target for a suicide bomb attack before his arrest in the summer of 2023.
Reynolds, from Moulsecoomb Way, Brighton, was jailed in 2024 for eight years for planning the attack. The court heard he had annotated a map and satellite image of the synagogue with entry points and places to attack.
Looks good.
It’s a beautiful and distinctive building so it would need be replaced with something equivalent. So much valuable architecture in Brighton has been demolished and replaced with ugly boxes.
Top picture = proposed redevelopment
Later picture = current building
Looks pretty similar to me especially the frontage with the curved portico.
I like those new windows; they will add a lot of extra natural light internally. It does feel like they’ve flattened a lot of the detailing out, though, looking at the side and top of the front of the building.
Looks in keeping with what’s there already.
Sad to be reminded of the threats against a community are so extreme that they have to have security considerations at a place of worship.
Agreed. And it is a shame because the hateful minority is just a minority. Remind ourselves that overwhelmingly, people are good, kind individuals.
Ugly building. The developer should knock it down and start again. It would be much better if it reflected the architecture of the surrounding Victorian buildings in the area.
Not a very desirable location to live next to a busy junction. More overpriced unaffordable housing to sit empty in Hove, great.
I stand with Brighton and Hove’s Jewish community.