Councillors are due to debate plans for a huge new housing estate in Hove this morning (Monday 21 March).
They are holding a special meeting of the council’s Planning Committee to discuss a planning application for outline planning permission to build 880 homes in Toads Hole Valley.
They have also been told that a date has been set – in June – for a public hearing after the developer appealed because its planning application had not been decided in good time.
The applicant – a consortium consisting of Toads Hole Valley Limited, Pecla Investments and Robert Mark Simon – submitted its planning application to Brighton and Hove City Council in November 2018.
But the council said that it did not have all the information that it needed to decide whether planning permission could be granted.
The council said: “The government company responsible for motorways and major A roads, National Highways, has not yet been able to issue its opinion on the impact the development would have on local roads.
“This has made it impossible for us to decide to grant or refuse the application.”
Earlier this year, the developer stepped up the pressure on the council – and the site’s neighbours – with two moves.
As well as the legal appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, the developer also submitted a duplicate application for outline planning permission to build 880 homes to Brighton and Hove City Council.
The plans include a school, which is no longer expected to form part of the final scheme, with more homes likely to be added instead to the 12 acres that had been set aside.
Today, the council’s Planning Committee is due to decide whether it would have granted planning permission if the developer had not submitted its appeal.
Officials said that they could not support the scheme without a proper road safety assessment.
But if councillors back the plans as they stand, it could mean that the appeal is withdrawn and more detailed plans can be drawn up for the scheme.
If councillors reject the plans, their reasons would be expected to become part of the council’s formal objections when the appeal hearing takes place.
The site sits on a triangular slope between King George VI Avenue, known locally as Snakey Hill, and the A27 Brighton bypass. Downland Drive, in the west, overlooks the site.
Plans for a new Aldi supermarket by the roundabout at the top of Snakey Hill, on the eastern corner of the land, were withdrawn earlier this year. A revised scheme is expected.
The council said: “Toads Hole Valley Limited has submitted an appeal to the government’s Planning Inspectorate as the council has not been able to decide the planning application for the development in Hove.
“The proposed development, just south of the A27, near King George VI Avenue, includes plans for new homes, a school, community/sports facilities, offices, and retail space.
“The original planning application was made in November 2018 and received more than 450 comments.
“The government company responsible for motorways and major A roads, National Highways, has not yet been able to issue their opinion on the impact the development would have on local roads.
“This has made it impossible for us to decide to grant or refuse the application.
“A planning inspector will now be appointed and a public inquiry held to determine the application.
“This will start on Tuesday 6 June and is expected to run until at least Wednesday 13 June.
“If you made representations on the application previously, we will forward these to the inspector and they will be considered as part of the appeal.
“If you wish to make further comment, or change or withdraw previous comments, you can do so online through the Planning Inspectorate’s website.
“Alternatively, you can write to The Planning Inspectorate – FAO Robert Wordsworth, 3J Kite Wing, Temple Quay House, 2, The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN.
“All representations must quote the reference BH2018/03633 and must be received no later than Tuesday 22 March.
“As part of this process, we must submit our statement of case by Tuesday 22 March.
“This includes details of what decision the council’s Planning Committee would have made on the application, had it still been our decision to make.
“The Planning Committee will therefore be holding a special meeting to advise on whether they would have approved or refused this application at 10.30am on Monday 21 March at Hove Town Hall.
“The meeting will be webcast on our website.
“Toads Hole Valley Limited has also submitted a duplicate planning application. This is identical to the latest version of the original application submitted at the end of 2018.
“Comments made about original application, however, cannot legally be carried forward to the duplicate application.
“This means that anyone wishing to comment must do so again, even if they made a response previously.
“This duplicate application means that councillors would still be given the opportunity to decide on whether to approve or refuse at a local level, taking into account the forecasted traffic impact on the local road network.”
If the planning committee is unable to make a decision due to the absence of the traffic analysis then how can the Government planning inspector make an informed decision if that analysis is still unavailable?
As we face ecological disaster and need to achieve a re-wilding of 50% of our planet, how can you think of building another huge estate on a green site? It’s insane.