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Housing Solicitors

Brighton and Hove presses ahead with plans to build new affordable homes (30 October 2015)

Date: 30/10/2015
Duncan Lewis, Housing Solicitors, Brighton and Hove presses ahead with plans to build new affordable homes

Brighton and Hove City Council has approved a scheme under which dozens of affordable homes will be built on the site of a former library in east Brighton.

The development is being undertaken by Brighton and Hove City Council itself as part of the council’s New Homes for Neighbourhoods programme. Under the scheme 500 new, affordable homes will be built on council-owned land.

The development given planning permission will use a site vacated by Whitehawk Library. The library has since relocated to new premises at the Whitehawk Community Hub in Whitehawk Road, which opened in 2011.

The council says that two blocks providing 57 flats will be built at the development, although the exact tenure arrangements are still to be finalised.

All the flats could be available for affordable rent by local families on the waiting list, however.

Alternatively, some of the flats could be sold on the open market, depending on the final financial viability of the scheme.

The council says that at least half of the flats will be rented.

The buildings are due to stand between four and five storeys’ high and have frameless glass balconies and solar panels on the flat roofs.

It is anticipated there would be 10 one-bed flats, 33 two-beds and 14 three-beds, with five of the new homes being wheelchair accessible.

The development will also include 15 car parking spaces, plus five disabled spaces, along with over 100 cycle racks, both indoors and out.

Tenants of the council were invited to give feedback on the architectural plans at a a ‘Planning for Real’ exercise at the new Whitehawk Library.

Around 80 tenants gave feedback on the design – as well as highlighting community issues which are now being taken forward by Due East Neighbourhood Council.

A previous design was amended to protect mature elm trees on the site.

Permission is subject to a planning agreement, in which the council will invest £55,000 locally on transport improvements.

A total of £116,000 would be contributed to local schools, £28,500 on employment initiatives and £181,000 to improve open space recreation.

Each household living in the development would also receive two years’ free membership of the City Car Club.

Chair of the council’s housing and new homes committee, Councillor Anne Meadows, said:

“It’s a very welcome decision by the planning committee. This shows us delivering on our New Homes for Neighbourhoods programme – and the council making much more efficient use of scarce land to benefit local families.

“As well as the homes, the council is investing substantial sums in the area for things like transport, schools and parks.”


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