Planning Comment July 09
PLANNING MONITORING GROUP
Report of activities 4th June 09 to 15th July 09
CAG – 2 meetings, on 9th and 30th June. The 9th June meeting considered several Hove applications as follows:
00938 Garages and coachhouse Norton Close–demolition of garages and alterations to existing coachhouse to form 1 dwelling and 3 single storey dwellings. HCS considered that though the proposed development is quite close to the houses in Norton Road and Hova Villas, and there is very little amenity space available, the refurbishment of the coachhouse and the tidying up of the area and the approach road is welcome, so raised no objection. CAG echoed this.
00838 40 Tongdean Avenue – erection of 3 storey house on land between 36 and 40 – HCS thought that the size of the proposed new house would make the site look cramped and would therefore harm the character and appearance of the Conservation Area . CAG agreed and recommended refusal on the grounds that the proposed development would encroach on open garden space which is very much a characteristic of the area.
01158/1161 – 9 Tongdean Road – demolition of existing garage and erection of new detached house with separate garage, new access road – HCS had no objection as the proposed development is laid back from the road and back land development is already taking place in the immediate area. CAG made no comment.
00945 – 64 Woodland Drive – demolition of existing garage and construction of 2 storey side extension and 1 storey rear extension and new front porch – HCS had no objection and CAG echoed this but recommended that the existing windows including leaded lights and steel frames be retained.
00483 –Land to the rear of 18 Princes Crescent– demolition of existing garage and construction of 2 storey 2 bed dwelling – HCS had no objection although we disliked the design, but the house would be sited behind the boundary wall and only a small part of the upper part of it would be seen from the road. There was a previous approval granted in 2001 so CAG asked for its previous comments to be repeated.
There were no Hove applications considered at the 30th June meeting. However an application has been made by Nick Tyson for the Regency Town House to be represented on the Group and this will be considered by the Cabinet member for Environment.
At the Council Planning Committee meeting on 20th May the Committee unanimously refused to extend the temporary planning permission for the use of the St Catherine’s Lodge Hotel as a hostel – thought to be a welcome move as there had been a number of neighbour objections.
The Developer’s appeal against the Council’s refusal to grant planning consent to demolish the Royal Alexandra Hospital and erect 151 residential units has been dismissed. The Montpelier and Clifton Hill Association and the Brighton Society have made a formal complaint against the Council concerning discrepancies between the Planning Committee’s Minutes on the relevant date of the decision and the transcript of the webcast as to the exact reasons for refusal.
English Heritage’s first national survey of Conservation Areas has identified several areas of Brighton and Hove as being at risk and these include Benfield Barn, Old Hove, Portslade Old Village, Sackville Gardens, and the Willett Estate. The top threats are said to be to be:
plastic windows and doors (83% of conservation areas affected) –poorly maintained roads and pavements (60%)
street clutter (45%) –
loss of front garden walls, fences and hedges (43%) –
unsightly satellite dishes (38%) –
the effects of traffic calming or traffic management (36%) – alterations to the fronts, roofs and chimneys of buildings (34%) –
unsympathetic extensions (31%)
impact of advertisements (23%)
neglected green spaces (18%)
English Heritage is therefore launching a Conservation Areas at Risk campaign to get residents, local groups and Councils working together to improve these special places before it is too late. More details attached.