The mayor of Brighton and Hove took part in a topping out ceremony at a block of flats being built on the site where thousands of Brightonians were born.
Mayor Theresa Fowler joined the team led by Martin Homes at 80 Buckingham Road where 22 flats will replace what was once the Sussex Maternity Hospital.
She officially marked the occasion by placing an English yew branch at the highest point of the six-storey building which enjoys stunning views across Brighton.
Martin Homes founder David Martin, who was born in Brighton and grew up a few hundred yards from the site, said: “This place and site have historic and close ties to me.”
Mr Martin reflected on the challenges of building the £15 million scheme, saying: “The construction industry is a lot more complex than people give it credit for.
“One massive positive is that the industry itself has become a lot more professional and we have a strong team here.”
As well as the 22 flats currently under construction, Martis Homes turned another part of the old hospital site into 14 flats while retaining the Victorian townhouse frontages that are characteristic of the area.
The maternity hospital opened in Buckingham Road in 1922 and closed in 1970. The site had been home to the school that became BHASVIC (Brighton, Hove And Sussex VI Form College).
The new scheme is known as Number Eighty – for its address at 80 Buckingham Road by the corner of Upper Gloucester Road.
Mr Martin said: “It has been designed with a strong sense of place, combining contemporary apartments with the established character of Brighton.
“The homes feature generous living spaces, natural light and considered interior, with many benefiting from outdoor space and views towards the sea. It is contributing in excess of £8 million to the local economy.”
The mayor, Councillor Theresa Fowler, congratulated everyone involved in reaching the milestone, highlighting the months and years of planning, design, preparation and construction behind the scheme.
She also welcomed the focus on creating homes that connect residents with the surrounding area.
The mayor added: “I hope that the finished development will become a valued part of Buckingham Road and the wider Brighton and Hove community for many years to come.”
With construction progressing towards completion, Martin Homes said that the next event would be the penthouse sales launch, offering guests a chance to view the development as it neared completion.
To register an interest in buying one of the new flats with Oakley’s, the local sales agent for Number Eighty, click here.
Would love to see a picture of it in its heydey. I bet it was stunning.
There are a number of images of the old maternity hospital on Buckingham Road, in The Regency Society’s James Gray Collection. Here are links:
https://regencysociety-jamesgray.com/volume31/source/jg_31_022.html
and
https://regencysociety-jamesgray.com/volume31/source/jg_31_023.html
and
https://regencysociety-jamesgray.com/volume31/source/jg_31_024.html
There are plenty oi images on-line – quite an impressive building.
Smashed the slabs opposite and concrete wash out has blocked the drains, all in the name of profit
The gentrification of Brighton continues with tbe destruction of historical buildings giving way to glass and concrete overpriced pokey dwellings. Brighton is changing rapidly. Youngsters who are born in Brighton are priced completely out of the city now. You either have to be a student and prepared to rough it in houses of multiple occupancy or overpriced ‘modern’’ dwellings such as 80. Where is the housing for essential workers, police, nurses, paramedics???
So you don’t want any flats built but you wonder why the housing market it a mess here…
Not sure what your proposing
I lived round the corner from it for 15 years and it was far from a building of any architectural merit. It was a crappy looking office block which has actually sat empty for years now. So no loss of some amazing and/or historic building that was a link to Brightons past.
There was zero accomodation, of any type, for anyone before this construction so that’s a moot point. However many units are built the overall housing stock figure will go up by that amount. Let’s say 20 for argument’s sake. That means that even if all 20 are snapped by a bunch of horray-henrys there will still be 20 other properties that were taken by them so will be available to someone else.
FYI. Rented a flat privately in Guildford road for 15 years straight. Not shared. Entire building floor to me and then other half right in the middle of the city. No family money to buy. 25 year’s in the city. Permanently disabled last 4 and still found a new central Brighton property within 5 days of looking back then.
About time. It’s been an abandoned building site for about a decade!