Planning Comment August 08

Conservation Advisory Group Meeting

19 August 2008

Application BH2008/02107 & 02108

149 - 151 Kingsway, Hove

"Demolition of existing dwellings and erection of 8 apartments with associated parking and gardens".

This is a modified re-submission of a proposal Refused in March 2008. Since that date, the applicant has modified the proposal to satisfy a range of concerns raised by the Planning Officer. The number of apartments has been reduced from 9 to 8, the roofline has been modified, sightlines and sunlight access for neighbouring buildings have been improved, the design of the front and rear elevations has been improved and a number of minor changes made to the overall original design. HCS recommended Approval of the current proposal, though with concern about the proposed means of access to the building by pedestrians. CAG raised no objection to the demolition of the existing semi-detached buildings, but otherwise chose to make No Comment on the current application.

Application BH2008/01654 & 02309

18 St. John`s Road, Hove

"Retrospective approval to demolish fire-damaged live/work unit and reconstruction of new live/work unit".

Demolition of the remains of the original building has been approved in writing by the Council`s Senior Building Control Surveyor on safety grounds. The proposed replacement building is identical in external appearance to the original, and will match the properties on either side. The number of bedrooms has been increased from 4 to 5. There was puzzlement about the fact that the proposal makes provision for 5 bedrooms plus bathrooms - but no provision of living-room or kitchen space (unless these functions would in practice be subsumed by the ground-floor "work-space"). Despite this anomaly, both HCS and CAG recommended Approval.