A pavement outside an exclusive members club has been littered with bins for months because the council said a fence hiding them was not in keeping with the area.
When plans were drawn up for Soho House, a bin store was not included – and when the club installed a fence to contain them on Marine Parade early last year, the planning department was not impressed. It was taken down a few months later.
Now, with no fence, the bins are spilling out onto the pavement again, where they blow over in high winds and create an eyesore.
Soho House says it’s now talking with Brighton and Hove City Council about an alternative fence.
Diane Messias, from the Kemptown Residents Association, said: “It’s been a mess for years. There was no provision on the original plans for a service (bin) area, which, for a commercial business such as this, was a major oversight.
After I complained numerous times, Soho House installed L-shaped fencing to mask the bins, which also stopped the bins from rolling into the road in high winds.
“It disappeared after a few weeks because the council said ‘there were complaints’ it wasn’t in keeping with Regency architecture and that it didn’t have planning permission.
“Soho House then employed a guy to keep the area in order. It was a vast improvement, but he went months ago.
“The bins – which were not planned for in the first place – are apparently considered a more salubrious sight than a tasteful fence without planning permission.”
A spokeswoman for Soho House said: “Since we opened four years ago, cooperating with the local community has been important to us.
“Unfortunately, our initial proposed fencing solution to conceal the bin store couldn’t be implemented due to heritage design requirements. We’re in discussion with the council about an alternative design.”
A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “The fencing at Soho House was found to be in breach of planning control. While we acknowledge the fencing provided screening for the bins, the fencing, though suitable in some residential settings, was considered inappropriate for this prominent and sensitive location.
“We therefore asked for the fencing to be removed, but we have advised that a more appropriate and contextually sympathetic solution can be explored
“Soho House is able to explore an alternative solution through our pre-application process and we will, of course, consider any application if and when received.”
I am concerned that spending so much time taking long-lens photographs of bins will deteact from Diane’s much more important campaign against the disgusting breeze blocks on Marine Parade.