Plans for homes instead of school at Toads Hole Valley in Hove

The Toads Hole Valley development in Hove, just south of the A27, had planning permission approved in June.

Brighton and Hove City Council has now received a new planning application seeking to replace a proposed secondary school with 182 homes and sports facilities.

The applicants, Toad’s Hole Valley Limited, Pecla Investments Limited and Robert Simon, have put forward the case that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the proposed secondary school.

Illustration from August 9. In red is the proposed 182 homes where the school was

The argument is that a new school is no longer required by the city given falling pupil numbers and capacity at nearby schools, and that further homes should be given priority considering the city’s housing shortage.

In June, the 103-acre site was granted planning permission for 880 homes, a secondary school, community/sports facilities, offices, retail space, community centre and doctors surgery, as well as wildlife sites.

The new application consists of a 3G pitch and multi-use games area with changing rooms and car parking.

The application has been made only for the 12 acre school site.

Aerial view of the site

One person has accused the new plan of being a case of “overdevelopment”.

They said: “Failing to build a secondary school now will only cause problems when all those families do move into this development and their children need schooling.

“Capacity now cannot be compared to what levels will look like after this housing is built.”

40 per cent of the homes would be meet affordable housing criteria.

An updated transport assessment has been submitted with the application.

Old plans for the school in 2018

It makes the case that the traffic of the additional 182 homes, compared to that of a school, would be “negligible”.

The developers also make a case that no changes to the approved junctions onto King George VI Avenue or other transport measures are required as a result of this application.

The council’s education team and the local highway authority have been consulted for their views.

National Highways have also been consulted regarding impacts on the trunk road network. Their comments will be available to be viewed on the council’s planning register when they have been received.

For more information, visit the council’s planning portal.