A disability campaigner asked planners about enforcing access to buildings six months after complaining about inaccessible premises.
Pippa Hodge, from Brighton Access for Disabled Groups Everywhere (BADGE), wanted to know if Brighton and Hove City Council would use the “full weight of the law” on any business if it failed to comply with planning conditions, “regardless of stature”, within stated time limits.
Ms Hodge’s question was a follow up to one that she asked the council’s Planning Committee in October about Rockwater in Hove because it had no lift to its new roof terrace.
When the committee granted permission for the new roof terrace last August, it required Rockwater to include a lift on the west side of the building.
In October, Green councillor Leo Littman, who chairs the committee, said that council officials had added a condition requiring that the lift be installed by Saturday 5 February or cease operations.
Today (Wednesday 2 February), Green councillor Sue Shanks said that the council took its public sector equalities duty very seriously and had a legal duty to consider enforcement action.
Councillor Shanks said: “Should the facts confirm a breach has taken place, then various enforcement options will be considered, ranging from no action when it is expedient not to do so, negotiating a solution or the service of an enforcement of breach of condition notice.
“Whatever decision is taken with regard to enforcement action, you can be assured the identity or stature of the person or body against the whom the action is taken is immaterial in coming to a decision as to whether or not such action should be taken.”
Outside the meeting Ms Hodge said that she was concerned that Rockwater was still operating without the lift with just days left until the company was in breach of its conditions.
Rockwater said: “We currently have an application for works submitted to building control, with contractors appointed, and have completed some preliminary work, along with purchasing the lift. This has been communicated to the building control and planning authorities.
“We, like other businesses, went through an extremely precarious period, with questions hanging over whether we would even be allowed to trade at all during December.
“Left with great uncertainty and facing an economic and societal outlook in which a further lockdown at the end of last year and into this was not out of the question, frustratingly our progress was delayed.
“Now that the impacts of the omicron variant are waning, we endeavour to fulfil our commitment to ensure that we have the lift installed as soon as possible.”
How many excuses can they come up with? Firstly the cost – yet they have money to buy businesses up the coast. Secondly covid – well more time was given and unless the lift is going up in a day then enforcement is necessary, planning permission was given with the lift as part of it to comply with disability access. For a venue that promised community inclusion I feel we have all been conned.
Further to the “community” aspect, one must ask for whom this is a pub. There is no pump beer, just an array of tasteless keg, at six quid a pint.
Happy to read that the usual BTL moaners will likely be avoiding this venue!
It’s not a community venue. No affordable drinks or food. Lots of fancy hove people from London who reckon they are brightonians because they sea swim. Have dogs and sup board. They just want people there who look good on their Instagram.
Ok king of Brighton, who is allowed to live here. Do you think people of ethnic origins should also go home, why is it people who happen to have been born somewhere somehow own the right to be here. I guarantee your ancestry is not based in Brighton regardless no one owns or have the right to decide who lives in a place. It’s not your right to moan that people move here. You benefit from being in a place fill of hundreds of different cultures and places don’t bemoan something that has only improved yiu access to all things on your doorstep. You are talking like a racist just because it’s not directed at people for their race it’s just as prejudice. Be thankful you got to spend your whole life here and other have only managed the privelege of a few
The usual contempt for the disabled, as promoted by BHCC
“Rockwater Business struggling to find the cash to install lift access for disabled people to Roof Terrace” (and comply with the Law) .
Also Rockwater Business “finds £8.7m investment for more Rockwater Villages in Bournemouth (well “Poole, actually”).”https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/19854338.amp/
The Council needs to step up to their duties as do local Councillors Appich & Henry who continue to support a business that is blatantly breaking Laws around Building Regs Part M (access to and use of Buildings) The Equalities Act, and Common Decency. All this from a business who encouraged investors to put up cash for a destination venue, high on ‘community values’. The council already gave them a further 6 months to comply, so all this says is that Rockwater prioritise expansion of the empire over disabled people’s needs. Maybe wheelchairs don’t fit with the roof top lifestyle…….