Mapping out the future

Councillors will debate some of its key points on Thursday. Here we examine ten points from the plan.

WALKING The local plan aims to coax people out of their cars and on to other forms of transport.

It emphasises buses, trains and bikes but in the town centre the easiest way to get around is often on foot.

The plan aims to make walking safe and adds: "Precedence will be given to pedestrians in the design of development proposals."

It says thousands of people do not have access to a car including pensioners, the poor and students.

Traffic levels could be reduced, especially at rush hours, if there were attractive pedestrian routes.

The plan says pedestrians should have priority in George Street and Boundary Road in Hove and the Ship Street area of Brighton.

COACHES These are still the preferred means of transport for thousands of people, many of them elderly.

The plan says: "Brighton and Hove is an attractive tourist resort which is popular with excursion and tour buses.

"At present, tour buses park along the seafront but there are no facilities for drivers, for cleaning between trips or for sewage discharge."

It says proper coach sites, including driver rest rooms, are urgently needed, especially in summer.

These could be situated at Brighton racecourse or at the college and university campuses. In the meantime, short-term parking will continue to be provided at Madeira Drive.

DESIGN Few of Brighton and Hove's large post-war buildings, such as the Brighton Centre or Thistle Hotel, are exciting works of architecture.

The local plan says: "All new buildings will be expected to demonstrate a high standard of design and to make a positive contribution to the visual quality of the environment."

It adds: "It is possible to integrate modern development while respecting the character of areas that are attractive and worthy of preservation."

High-density development will be welcome at sites with good public transport and local services. But the plan says attention must be given to the need for open space.

The council will expect all large developments to include public works of art.

LIGHTING Lighting can discourage crime, dramatise architecture and demonstrate the beauty of buildings such as the Royal Pavilion.

But the number of lights and their power has increased greatly in recent years.

The plan says: "Any light that fails to illuminate the intended target represents a waste of resources and can be regarded as visual pollution."

In some cases, conditions will be imposed restricting the intensity and hours of illumination.

HOUSING Access to a decent home for everyone is a cornerstone of the plan, yet it is one of the hardest aims to achieve.

The last remaining large greenfield site for housing in Brighton and Hove is at Foredown Hill in Portslade.

Most remaining sites are small and the local plan emphasises making the best use of land within the built-up area.

In some cases, housing will have to be combined with other uses, such as employment.

The number of households in Brighton and Hove is expected to rise from 103,900 in 1991 to 118,400 by 2011.

Wherever possible, affordable housing will be provided for those in the greatest need. The plan proposes that in any scheme for ten or more homes, at least 40 per cent of housing will have to be low-cost.

UNFIT HOMES One in eight private sector houses in Brighton and Hove is unfit for human habitation.

More than half of all houses were built before 1919 and a fifth of these older houses are unfit.

Three-quarters of flatlet houses do not meet current fire safety standards.

These are stark statistics and the council is determined to do something about them.

The plan says poor housing is linked to poor health.

The council is committed to working with other agencies to make improvements. It will also continue to inspect private sector housing.

JOBS Much of Brighton and Hove is booming but unemployment remains stubbornly above the regional and national averages.

The plan emphasises job creation and keeping expanding firms in town.

As with housing, one of the main problems is to ensure a good selection of attractive sites.

Dozens are identified for industry, including Shoreham Harbour. A smaller number are identified for high-tech and office use, of which the biggest is the proposed new business park at Falmer.

WEST STREET Many vacant sites are identified for development, including land at Brighton station and in Jubilee Street.

There has been much public debate over these but less over a site between West Street, Boyces Street and Middle Street.

Efforts to redevelop this site, mainly for leisure, have so far failed. The council says it could take 2,000 sq metres of offices and up to 40 homes plus cafes, bars or late-night venues on the West Street frontage.

LOCAL SHOPS Brighton is one of the biggest shopping centres in the South East and inevitably most of the shops are concentrated in the town centre.

But the plan aims to ensure local shopping centres are maintained and enhanced, especially in the suburbs.

Among those to be protected are Mill Lane in Portslade, the Grenadier in Hangleton, Portland Road and Richardson Road in Hove, Eldred Avenue in Withdean, Old London Road and Ladies Mile Road in Patcham, Seven Dials and Fiveways.

The plan aims to keep about two-thirds of the buildings as shops rather than agencies or cafes.

NATURE CONSERVATION Brighton and Hove is a tightly-packed urban area but at the back of it are several thousand acres of downland, mostly owned by the council.

Other sites within the urban area, such as the Withdean Woods, are considered worthy of protection.

The plan lists scores of valuable nature conservation sites, from the beach at Black Rock to the golf course at Benfield Valley, Portslade.

Planning permission will not normally be granted where development would harm conservation.

The local plan proposes more nature reserves including Wild Park, Stanmer Park, Beacon Hill and Whitehawk Hill.