Hundreds attend meeting about plans to house recovering addicts in old brewery

Hundreds of people turned out for a heated public meeting about plans to house recovering drug addicts and alcoholics in the old brewery in Portslade.

About 300 people crammed into the Portslade Village Centre, still known to many as the Courthope, for the meeting which was chaired by Councillor Alan Robins, who represents South Portslade.

Others were outside the building but unable to get in as the plans were discussed for almost 90 minutes.

The furore erupted after it emerged that Brighton and Hove City Council and NHS Sussex, the new integrated care board, planned to house mental health patients in Portslade Old Village.

They signed a 10-year lease for the old brewery building, also known as Le Carbone, without consulting neighbours and awarded a contract to care for up to 60 people with complex needs.

The “subterfuge” was contrasted with the way in which the nearby charity Emmaus had spelt out its plans before setting up its premises for almost 40 homeless people.

Many residents regard Emmaus as a good neighbour and hold the project in high regard, helped by its open approach to communication.

Councillor Peter Atkinson told the meeting: “I need to make it clear that the residents of Portslade are not bigoted. Neither are they against improved services for people with mental health problems.

“But they will not be taken for granted or taken for a ride. The manner in which the Old Brewery plans were just lumped on us with such short notice was completely unacceptable.

“It also came across as shambolic with numbers changing and the type of client group also changing as the days passed.

“This was first formally raised in early August at a private meeting between the commissioners and the Green administration. The first we heard of the proposals was in late September.

“There had been no engagement with local residents, no consultation and no opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns.

“This is no way to treat our local community.”

After the meeting Councillor Alan Robins said: “I kept saying to people thank you for remaining as calm and measured as you have done.

“In a crowd of that size, I was impressed that people remained calm while getting across their real strength and depth of feeling.

“The council and the NHS haven’t covered themselves in glory. They say everything is a mistake or a misunderstanding. It’s astounding. It’s not acceptable.”

At the meeting, a senior council official, Rob Persey, was joined by two NHS officials and two managers from the organisation that has won the contract to run the service.

Councillor Anne Pissaridou urged the audience to listen to the speakers while Councillor Les Hamilton touched on the planning issues which have delayed the plans to open the site.

Last week, the council said that it had “received clarification from the NHS commissioning team (about) how the site would operate and be managed”.

And a decision had been reached under planning law that “given the level of care” a planning application would be necessary because the proposal would amount to a change of use.

The old brewery, in High Street, in the Old Village, had been turned into “upmarket” flats, with a gym due to open on the ground floor.

Among neighbours’ concerns is the proximity of recovering addicts to two pubs in an area with few other places to spend their spare time.

The old brewery project would be the responsibility of a newly appointed national charity called Saint John of God (SJOG) Hospitaller Services.

SJOG is taking over contracts currently held by BHT Sussex, formerly known as Brighton Housing Trust, and the housing association Sanctuary.

A further public meeting is planned for tomorrow evening (Thursday 13 October) at the Parish Centre, next to St Nicolas Church, at 7pm.

NHS Sussex said: “NHS Sussex is committed to working with the local community, listening to their views and where possible acting upon concerns members of the local community and partners may have.

“We are currently going through due diligence and as part of that a full programme of engagement with the local community, partners, the service users and staff.

“We have listened to the concerns raised by local people and we will be extending this period of engagement to make sure we can hear from all those concerned and work with the local community.”

The NHS added: “A new supported accommodation for those who have a mental illness and are already living in the local community is being proposed for the Old Brewery in Portslade.

“Our aim is to provide high-quality accommodation and support for individuals with mental illness who already live in this community.

“The proposed new accommodation includes two support services – a housing service that provides flats to people for which a rent is charged, the second is focused upon supporting the mental health of people from Brighton and Hove. The proposal is not for a hostel or registered care home.

“The proposed mental health supported accommodation service, Carbone House, in the Old Brewery, in Portslade, will be a national charity SJOG, that has extensive experience working to support people across the UK including existing services in Brighton and Hove, and whose safe houses accommodate people affected by trauma and have subsequent mental health support needs.

“The accommodation will have a significant staff team and there will be staff on site 24 hours a day, with further support from the provider’s national team.”