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A final agreement has been reached between Brighton and Hove City Council and Royal Mail regarding plans for a highly controversial new distribution centre.
The council granted planning permission for a new storage and distribution hub at Patcham Court Farm in September 2024, but formally ratified the decision on January 13 this year.
A Section 106 (S106) agreement between the council and Royal Mail was also published on January 13.
An S106 agreement is a legally binding contract between a local planning authority and the property owner, which aims to mitigate the impact of the development on the local community and infrastructure.
In this case, Royal Mail is required to make several financial contributions, including: £33,626 for air quality; £19,505 for biodiversity net gain monitoring; £20,725 for a local employment scheme; £64,790 for transport (Patcham Interchange); and £7,249 for a travel plan monitoring fee.
Other key provisions of the S106 agreement include highway works, the implementation of an Ecological Design, Management, and Monitoring Strategy, a comprehensive travel plan, and an employment and training strategy focused on using local labour and providing training opportunities.
People protested the decision outside Hove town hall in September 2024 (Image: The Argus) The Argus reported in September 2024 that the plans for the distribution centre were approved amid public outcry.
The decision was made by a vote of seven to two after councillors heard from residents and a Royal Mail property director during a three-hour session at Hove Town Hall.
Residents of Patcham protested outside the town hall before the Brighton and Hove City Council Planning Committee meeting and filled the public gallery to express their opposition to the plans.
The application received 1,179 individual objections, as well as representations from the Brighton and Hove Wildlife Forum, the Brighton Society, Patcham and Hollingbury Conservation Association, and the Patcham Local History Group.
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