Major Brighton Marina scheme to be discussed by planners

A hybrid application for the second and third phases of the Brighton Marina Outer Harbour redevelopment – which feature residential towers rising up to 28 storeys – is set to go before the city council’s planning committee later today (30 September 2020) with a recommendation for refusal, although a decision now lies with the Planning Inspectorate after an appeal against the non-determination of the proposals was filed earlier this month.The plans seek full permission for the second phase of work at the site, which proposes 480 residential units across three buildings rising up to 28 storeys.It would also include flexible commercial floorspace, undercroft car and cycle parking, public realm works, and works to the harbour wall and existing cofferdam.The outline element of the scheme comprises the third phase of the project, with 520 residential units proposed over six buildings of up to 19 storeys.This too would feature commercial floorspace, as well as an engineered basement structure to create a raised podium deck over Spending Beach.A document filed ahead of the planning committee meeting revealed an appeal has been filed relating to Brighton & Hove City Council’s non-determination of the plans.This leaves the decision in the hands of the Planning Inspectorate, although the authority’s officers said it would have recommended the scheme for refusal.A report said the development “would result in a cramped, impermeable, illegible and homogeneous form of development that would represent an unacceptable quality of building design, layout and public realm”.It added that the “cumulative views of both phases would not protect or positively enhance the marina environment, would harm the surrounding townscape, heritage features and the setting of the South Downs National Park, and would thereby be contrary” to a number of policies.