Following Brighton and Hove City Council's somewhat dubious public consultation exercise on future development of the King Alfred site in Hove, a public inquiry into amending the Local Plan to include up to 400 housing units is to be held later in the year.
We have had public inquiries regarding this site on previous occasions. May I remind readers of a few verifiable facts?
In October 1971, the then council submitted a planning application for a ten-storey block of flats on the former RNVR part of the site. As this was a departure from the existing development plan, it was called in for public inquiry and later refused. In his decision, the Secretary of State referred to two particular planning criteria which would have influence on the future redevelopment of the King Alfred complex.
Firstly, he said any development on the RNVR site should not exceed the height of the King Alfred (approximately 35ft) and should have the least possible frontage to the Kingsway.
Secondly, he placed great emphasis on the retention of views to the sea, not because of the immediate local view from Kingsway but longer views down the adjoining streets to the north. He felt these long views of the sea were characteristic of the older development of Hove and ought to be protected.
This ruling has been respected since then by subsequent councils up to the present time.
In 1983, following another public inquiry, a new swimming pool was built covering part of Kings Esplanade roadway. We were told at the time that we now had a state-of-the-art pool that would last for the next half century.
This 19-year-old building and the main 60-year-old King Alfred building have both been certified structurally sound by consultant structural engineers.
I can only conclude the council, in its desperation to follow a politically-driven agenda, is prepared to see a village of up to 1,000 people plonked on Hove seafront.
That would result in the degeneration of our seafront and surrounding area plus further strain on local services.
-Peter Savage, Kings Esplanade, Hove
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