A swanky new seafront venue has promised the council it will install a disabled lift which helped secure it planning permission by the end of May – a year after it first opened.
Rockwater, on Western Esplanade Hove, was granted planning permission despite officers recommendation to refuse in January 2021, having pitched itself as a disabled-friendly grassroots community venue.
But since then, it has launched an exclusive members club and the disabled lift to its roof terrace has not materialised.
After questions being raised by disability advocates, the venue submitted alternative plans for the lift at the end of May last year, and Brighton and Hove City Council gave the venue a deadline of 5 February for it to be installed.
The council now says it has received a commitment from the venue’s owners that work will start this week, and be complete by May.
Councillor Leo Littman, chair of the Planning Committee, said: “A large part of Rockwater’s appeal is its beachside location and the views from its roof terrace.
“I am pleased to see that the owners have now committed to installing the lift we conditioned at Planning Committee, within the next couple of months.
“Officers will continue to monitor the work to help ensure the accessibility of the terrace to all residents and visitors.”
The council also pointed out that access requirements to the terrace are clearly set out in the building regulations.
Pippa Hodge from Brighton Access for Disabled Groups Everywhere (BADGE) has today written an opinion piece for Brighton and Hove News addressing the issue.
She said: “The council tell us they have Rockwater’s assurances that the lift will be installed and in operation by the end of May. We hope that there will be no further procrastination.
“We will continue to work alongside other disability stakeholder groups, and with the council, to improve awareness of our community’s needs within the protective legislations.
“We are pleased to be in ongoing constructive discussions with planning committee councillors and officers, who have committed to explore how to strengthen existing processes to ensure future developments are designed and delivered well for Access, as the law and just plain old common decency says they should.”
A spokeswoman for Possability People said: “The council’s new accessible city strategy sends a strong message about their commitment to making the city accessible for disabled people, and this is to be welcomed.
“Ensuring businesses understand its importance, and are supported to achieve the best possible standards of accessibility so disabled people can enjoy the city, is vital.
“Since January 2021, it has been compulsory for many public buildings and developments to include a Changing Places (CP) accessible toilet, which Rockwater have done.
“All new developments should prioritise accessibility. We hope Brighton and Hove City Council will be true to their own strategy so that venues are welcoming and accessible for disabled residents, visitors, their families and friends.”
How utterly disgraceful that disabled access has been denied for almost an entire year. Do the owners and planning committee members see this as some sort of trivial matter? If an exclusive members club has been launched, why not a disabled lift?
Is this another example of developers treating the disabled community as an afterthought and the council apparently toothless to enforce their own permissions? Pathetic.