Appeal decision made on huge Brighton Marina development with 28-storey tower block

The Outer Harbour Development Company’s scheme for Brighton Marina included nine blocks containing a thousand flats in total. The tallest of the tower blocks would be 28 storeys high.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee refused the plans in September 2020, criticising the design, lack of balconies, limited public space, low-quality gardens, lack of play areas, limited “affordable” housing and insufficient parking.

Labour councillor Nick Childs coined the “Poundland Dubai” term when he said the plans could not be further away from what the city needed.

Following the public inquiry, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove backed planning inspector Paul Griffith’s report published on Thursday, 11 November, that said the scheme was a “homogenous mass” without “events or signposts”.

The Secretary of State’s decision said the design “lacks the exuberance and ambition that the best of Brighton’s seaside buildings exhibit”.

The views from the South Downs National Park closer to the development would show up the “design shortcomings” and have a “harmful impact”.

When it came to living conditions, the Secretary of State agreed with the inspector that some of the residential units would not receive sufficient daylight and/or sunlight.

The report said: “In my view, the negative aspects of the scheme in terms of its design, its impact on designated heritage assets, and the National Park, and its failure to provide acceptable living conditions for its residents outweigh the positive elements in terms of housing and affordable housing delivery, the pointers for adjacent sites, economic factors, and the facilitation of a connection with Madeira Terrace which would make Brighton Marina more of a destination. ”

During the public inquiry held in March, the developers’ QC Rupert Warren said the original plans were still an option if the appeal failed.

In 2006, a previous scheme for 853 flats in 11 buildings ranging from six to 40 storeys was approved, part of which has already been built.

Leo Littman, chair of Brighton & Hove’s planning committee, said: “I am delighted that the case presented by the Council’s planning team was persuasive. A lot of officers worked long and hard on this, and it’s great to see that the Inspector recognised that the need for housing in the city does not mean developers can simply build whatever they want, wherever they want.

“This case illustrates the just how vitally importance our local planning policies are.

“They ensure new buildings are well-designed and provide a quality environment for people to live, work, and relax in, now and into the future.

“Our planning team will continue to work constructively with developers to bring forward plans that make a positive contribution to the city and meet the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors alike.”