Policy options for the city
Strategic issues facing Brighton and Hove were at the heart of the Regency’s Society’s comments to the city council in response to a consultation on four key areas of policy where significant changes are proposed.
The consultation forms part of the development of a new City Plan, which, says the council, “will provide the framework for future development ... up to the year 2030... It will also provide an imperative for delivering much-needed affordable homes and for encouraging the most sustainable forms of development with the highest quality of design.”
Consultation on the full version of the plan is scheduled to take place early in 2012.
“It is important to stress that the four policy areas covered by this consultation – housing delivery, student housing, park and ride and employment – will all sit within the context of the council’s wider vision for the city, which has not yet been published,” says Society chair Mary McKean.
“At this early stage, we have therefore taken a holistic view. We look forward to commenting further and in greater detail.”
Our main focus was on development principles, such as consideration of the existing townscape, the use of smaller brownfield sites and the appropriate use of increased housing density, inspired by historic high density housing within the city.
We also highlighted aspects of proposed policies where we believe it is unclear that a case has been made, on the grounds that insufficient detail has been provided – for example, building housing in Toads Hole Valley, which has previously been deemed undesirable and unworkable.
Finally, we supported proposed policies that would prevent the further agglomeration of student houses and other houses in multiple occuptation (HMOs) and urged support for universities in providing purpose-built halls of residence, which would help to prevent further family homes becoming student dwellings.
Further information
You can see our full comments here.
Find out more and download the policy documents here.
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