A potential five-year lease is on the cards for a company to run cultural events as part of a temporary plan for Black Rock.
Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet is due to discuss its “Black Rock Future Vision” when it meets on Thursday (15 October) but the identities of two “preferred bidders” has been kept secret.
The two were shortlisted from four organisations that applied to take on the long-vacant site – once an outdoor swimming pool – for up to five years.
One bidder has proposed a temporary active leisure and sports facility with padel, fitness, a mental health programme and food and drink. The proposal does not require any further investment from the council.
A report to cabinet said that the preferred bidder offered good social value by combining physical activity with mental health programming.
The report said: “Officers concluded that the proposal offered the strongest overall combination of deliverability, financial return and community benefit while meeting the objectives established for the meanwhile-use opportunity.
“The proposal achieved the highest overall assessment outcome and is supported by an experienced delivery partner.
“In social value terms, it offers an opportunity to use sport as a route into improved physical and mental wellbeing, stronger social connections and wider participation.
“It also provides a platform for partnership working with local communities and services and for creating employment, skills and volunteering pathways linked to the operation of the site.”
The second bidder proposes a public beach hub and events space, with food and drink.
In the future, the council wants to create a “landmark coastal destination” at the former swimming pool site, with a focus on culture, leisure and recreation.
Earlier this year, the council published a “seafront prospectus” signalling the scale of its ambition for the site, featuring an art gallery, with the report to the council’s cabinet suggesting that longer-term use could include a recreation-led development.
The report said: “Central to that vision is an ambition to create a nationally and internationally recognised cultural destination, including a major visual arts offer, with work already under way to explore potential gallery partnerships, investment opportunities and future funding streams.
“Any meanwhile use must therefore remain flexible and capable of adapting to, and supporting, this longer-term transformation of the site.”
Potential funding is being sought for future use including Arts Council England programmes, the National Lottery and other philanthropic sponsorship.
So far, the council has spent £18 million on enabling works which have included realigning and extending the sea wall and coastal defences as well as creating a boardwalk and refurbishing the Volk’s Railway station and toilets.
The council’s cabinet is due to meet at 10.30am at Hove Town Hall on Thursday 15 October. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast.
Why have they not extended the volks into the marnia… Such a missed opportunity
VRA say its not viable
One keeps encountering this artist’s impression of the proposed Black Rock development and is beginning to wonder whether its architect or super intelligence powered designer has ever actually visited Brighton.
The council leaders are, quite rightly, fond of telling us that Brighton deserves a world-class seafront. Quite so. Though that rather presupposes the existence of world-class council leaders, commissioning world-class designers and architects.
On the evidence of this rather lamentable exercise in architectural presentation contained within the prospectus, one is not yet persuaded that we have reached that happy standard.
Why, pray, would one orient such a building towards the architectural delights of the Marina flyover, multiple storey car park, and brutalist concrete defensive sea wall when the alternative offers views towards the Palace Pier, the open seafront and the afternoon sun?
The designers of Sea Lanes appear to have grasped this rather elementary principle, having sensibly positioned their building and rooftop terraces to make the most of its outlook.
One had rather assumed that understanding which way to face a building was among the more fundamental qualifications for an architect. Apparently, one must no longer take such things for granted.
Lady Bracknell
It’s an artist’s impression rather than an architect’s plan. If it was facing south west in the picture you’d either see the back of the building against the pier or the front of the building against the marina and gas holder. Neither would look especially nice.
One is most grateful for the clarification, although you have rather splendidly made my point for me If the artist has deliberately chosen an angle to avoid showing the rather unfortunate outlook towards the marina car park and flyover.
More troubling still is that those responsible for promoting the scheme appear perfectly content with an impression that flatters the prospectus rather more than the reality.
One imagines prospective investors may be somewhat surprised when they visit and discover that the view so carefully excluded from the illustration is precisely the one they are being invited to enjoy.
A rather unfortunate case of artistic licence meeting geographical reality.
One had rather assumed this comments section would be much improved if wound your neck in Lady A, but here we are again.
Its not an artist impression of what will be built there
Much as I applaud the 1st submission for clearly ticking all the boxes currently expected of new developments, many of the features proposed are provided elsewhere – the need for a new cultural venue deserves serious consideration.
Brighton is lacking an international class art gallery like Margate’s Turner Contemporary, Tate St Ives or our nearest, The Towner in Eastbourne.
Brighton has a well established community in the visual arts, but the only opportunity for the display of contemporary art are the limited facilities of the Museum & Art Gallery.
This is perhaps the only potential site and a perfect opportunity for such a significant cultural venue – and it’s time we had one!
This is for meanwhile use not for a permanent development
A pale imitation of the De Warr Pavillion art gallery facing Brighton Marina prison blocks, not the sea. Isn’t this tired old AI graphic getting a little out of date now?
Its not what willl be built
You’ve got to laugh. They’ve been debating the “future” of Black Rock for over 50 years! “Black Rock Future Vision” sounds like yet another vanity exercise. They are moreover counting on pie in the sky funding to bankroll it, when they are £420m in debt. Also, to quote Lady Bracknell’s insightful comment above; “The council leaders are, quite rightly, fond of telling us that Brighton deserves a world-class seafront. Quite so. Though that rather presupposes the existence of world-class council leaders, commissioning world-class designers and architects.”
There is a big difference between visionaries and fantasists indeed.
Why don’t they build a sea pool ? It would be popular as it once was. It might even reduce the death by drowning count along the seafront
see Sealanes