A crucial deal on the King Alfred Leisure Centre site on Hove seafront is expected to be signed next month.
The deal – known as a development agreement – will mean that Crest Nicholson can move forward with plans to build a new swimming pool, leisure centre and hundreds of new homes.
The terms of the agreement are expected to be put before senior members of Brighton and Hove City Council in a fortnight’s time.
The council’s Policy, Resources and Growth Committee is due to discuss the proposals at Hove Town Hall on Thursday 6 December.
The proposed deal was flagged up this afternoon (Thursday 22 November) by Nick Hibberd, the council’s executive director for economy, environment and culture, when the council’s Tourism, Development and Culture Committee met.
He was responding to a question from Green councillor Tom Druitt about how long the council would give Crest Nicholson to move ahead with its plans to build more than 500 flats on the seafront site.
Councillor Druitt asked what the impact of Brexit was on the redevelopment which will also include a new leisure centre, swimming pools and a car park.
He also asked whether there would have been greater scrutiny if the King Alfred Project Board still existed.
Labour councillor Alan Robins, who chairs the Tourism, Development and Culture Committee, said: “Uncertainty has impacted on the scheme’s viability since Crest Nicholson’s appointment.
“There is a pressing need to conclude matters.”
Councillor Robins said that there was regular scrutiny of the proposed £400 million development through the council’s Strategic Delivery Board.
It was given an update at every meeting, he said, and received details and presentations at every key stage.
If only it didn’t look like Slough trading estate in the mid 90s. Absolutely soulless design.
Yes, and completely out of scale with the surroundings.
Also note how the developer gets all the seafront side of the site to cram with huge tower blocks while we get a tiny leisure centre on the undesirable road. It’s incredible that the council is pushing for this deal, is the leisure centre larger than the old one? It doesn’t look like it.
Hi Robin
Check out the digital fly through of the completed leisure centre here https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/planning/major-developments/king-alfred-redevelopment
It will give you a better idea of the size of the leisure centre and the facilities that will be on offer. It is bigger than the current leisure centre with state of the art amenities, including a new cafe on the prom. I’m sure you’ll be pleased by what is being proposed.
The development design is from the 1960’s .Its really an eyesore.I cannot see these boxes being purchased by anyone and will probably be discounted to developers of buy to let’s.
yeah cos no-one would want to live in a flat overlooking the sea with no traffic between you and it…