Two empty units in a new development in Edward Street, Brighton, can be used as a gym after councillors approved a change of use.
Members of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee were told that the lower ground floor and ground floor of the building known as Block F, on the former Amex House site, had been marketed for three years but remained empty.
Last month, the committee approved a similar change of use application for neighbouring Block E to allow a climbing wall company to move in.
Despite marketing, the lower floors have remained empty since the development was completed. Potential occupiers wanted better lighting and higher floors.
At the Planning Committee meeting last Wednesday (1 July), members were told that using the street-level floors for leisure was a “pragmatic” use of the space.
Some neighbours objected, with concerns about noise, vibration, increased traffic and anti-social behaviour.
An anonymous supporter highlighted the health and wellbeing benefits and the extra services for residents provided by a gym.
Green councillor Marina Lademacher, who represents Queen’s Park ward, spoke on behalf of resident Ana Kovalova, whose child had been affected by noise in the building while revising for exams.
Councillor Lademacher said: “It is a fact that these premises were not designed or built for gym use.
“Indeed, the six children in the block are already being affected by the noise such as the child of Ms Kovalova who had revision for her recent mock exams severely impacted by existing noise levels.”
Steve Eccles, director of the Edward Street Quarter developer Socius Development Limited, said that all the homes in the scheme were let or sold, as was the majority of office space.
However, the ground floors had been vacant for three years because of the economic climate.
Mr Eccles said: “We absolutely do understand the concerns by residents in terms of assurances on noise impacts.
“I want to assure the committee that residents’ quiet enjoyment of their homes remains paramount and, having a long-term interest at the moment in this project, I do not want 168 apartments complaining about the noise impact.”
He said that a single 24-hour gym company was interested in both floors, which are linked by a staircase. The company had experience operating under homes
A report to the Planning Committee recommended a number of conditions including measures to manage noise and vibration including soundproofing ceilings, floors and walls between commercial and residential units, with controls on amplified music.
After all the fanfare, what a let down “Edward Street Quarter” turned out to be! What lessons will be learned for other new developments which are all hype and no substance? Can developers be forced to turn over any new units unlet after the first two years into social housing as a condition of planning permission? Better that than left empty, surely?
Commercial premises are not designed for housing. Many conversions are the single-aspect slums of tomorrow.
They’re empty because of economic conditions (e.g. 2008, Brexit, pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Trump II, Iran war, etc).
All are beyond the control of potential tenants and the UK is particularly susceptible to economic shocks due to our dislocation from our closest trading partners.
Hahha 2008!!! What about the Great War, Vietnam and the bubonic plague.
Typical. Brighton clowncil can’t attract well paying office jobs. Gyms and coffee shops for minimum wage workers who need social housing to have any chance of a decent quality of life.
Maybe a bike lane will improve things?
Pathetic.
Reading the article, it appears it’s more of an indication that people have been able to be more selective with properties, and rejected the features in these particular floors. That could be interpreted as a positive sign, that people are not so desperate for housing that they will take anything.