ePetition - Planning Brief for Medina House

skip navigation and tools

ePetition details

Planning Brief for Medina House

We the undersigned petition Brighton & Hove Council to Urgently produce a Planning Brief for Medina House. Planning Brief ground rules, over and above existing council policy documents and the Local Plan, are needed for any further Medina House planning applications as a matter of some urgency and in order to help bring the present stalemate situation with its owners to an end. We ask that BHCC considers (a) Giving first preference to restoration/redevelopment that brings the existing, historically important, building back into use, and if for housing, that it be confined to the present envelope, and car-free. (b) Considers non-housing use-class designation for the site in order to provide public facilities and/or employment opportunities for this section of Hove’s seafront area, and (c) Restricts redevelopment at Medina House to the existing height level in order to protect tiny, historic, Sussex Road and Victoria Cottages dwellings (which abut the back wall of Medina House) from unacceptable overshadowing and light loss.

Medina House was built as a saltwater bathhouse in 1893. The Royal Doulton tiling of the main pool area was distinctive and remains of importance historically and socially. At the time of Hove Borough Council’s sale of the building in the late 1990’s, it was tenanted by a firm of diamond cutters.

The very small cottages of Sussex Road and Victoria Cottages shelter behind and abut the rear wall of Medina House with about a metre clearance only. These, with Medina House are all that is left of the original seafront development along the King’s Esplanade apart from Marrocco and St. Aubyns Mansions. Together they are a significant, single, unified historic remnant area within the Hove back-story.

Low-rise planning consent for demolition and redevelopment was obtained by the new owners soon after purchase but never used. The the pool area was, however, infilled with concrete and some of the Royal Doulton tiling removed. Several proposals, failed planning applications and Appeals later, only use by squatters and two s215 Enforcement orders to restore external appearance and clean up the pool area have been ‘achieved’ by the owners of this important site.

The future remains a problem as the owners continue to aim for demolition of a highly valued historic building that is still in good structural condition and to believe planning consent for a tall building on the site is achievable. We believe a Planning Brief is now an urgent imperative.

The e-petition and accompanying paper version will be presented to the Planning Committee on the 8th August, 2012.

This ePetition ran from 02/07/2012 to 25/07/2012 and has now finished.

183 people signed this ePetition.

 


Brighton & Hove City Council | Hove Town Hall | Hove | BN3 3BQ | Tel: (01273) 290000 | Mail: info@brighton-hove.gov.uk | how to find us | comments & complaints