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Senior councillors are being asked to approve a series of related land deals this week that could bring scores of new homes to two key sites in Brighton and Hove.
The Royal Mail offices in North Road in Brighton
The homes would be built on the Royal Mail offices in North Road, Brighton, and Denmark Villas, Hove, while a new distribution centre would be built on disused farmland in Patcham.
If a deal is agreed, Brighton and Hove City Council would grant a long lease on Patcham Court Farm, in Vale Avenue, to Royal Mail.
And the council’s joint housing venture with Hyde Homes – known as Home for Brighton and Hove – would be given four months to agree terms to buy the two existing Royal Mail premises.
If a deal cannot be agreed, the Royal Mail is expected to sell the two sites to the highest bidder.
The council hopes that almost 180 homes could go on the two sites, with at least 40 per cent of them classed as affordable.
Past indications suggest that at least 110 homes could be built on the North Road site, along with some ground floor commercial premises.
With recent planning decisions permitting a number of taller buildings, some expect the possibility of even more homes to be pencilled in for the two sites, along with some offices.
A report to councillors said: “The council has explored the acquisition of the two existing Royal Mail sorting office sites which will be vacated by Royal Mail following the development of the Patcham Court Farm site but was unable to deliver viable schemes.”
An initial decision is due to be made at a special meeting of the council’s Policy and Resources Committee at Hove Town Hall on Friday (29 July).
The Royal Mail delivery office in Denmark Villas in Hove
A report to the committee said: “Patcham Court Farm is a 3.6-acre strategic site. It originally formed part of a wider agricultural holding and was severed from the main farm in 1989-90 by the construction of the A27 Brighton relief road
“It comprises a number of large buildings in disrepair and is heavily screened by existing trees and vegetation.
“The site has remained undeveloped for over 30 years and is currently occupied as open storage.
“There have been eight attempts since the early 1990s to redevelop the site with various feasibility studies and marketing campaigns undertaken to consider a number of uses including park and ride, supermarket, offices and hotel.
How the proposed Royal Mail premises in Patcham could look
“During that time a number of unsolicited approaches have been received from interested parties including the proposal from Royal Mail in 2018.
“Since then, the council has been working in collaboration with Royal Mail to assist them in developing a scheme which consolidates their existing sorting office services from their two sites in North Road, Brighton, and Denmark Villas, Hove, to the Patcham Court Farm site, facilitating the closure of the two existing sorting office sites and their disposal for redevelopment.
“The consolidation of the existing sorting office services from the two sorting office sites will deliver employment use on the Patcham Court Farm site and will retain 100 per cent of the 362 Royal Mail jobs in the city.
“The relocation of the existing Royal Mail sorting offices services will remove vehicular movements from the city centre as the Patcham Court Farm site has immediate access to the main road network.
“Principle vehicular movements into the city centre will be outside of peak times.
Patcham Court Farm from the south
“Royal Mail have undertaken a communication and engagement strategy to consult with stakeholders and local residents in advance of submitting a full planning application.
“Local stakeholder groups and over 2,500 residents were invited to attend two webinars in January.
“The overall feedback suggested positive support for regeneration of the site, the building design, along with its green credentials and also the employment benefits.
“Concern was expressed regarding the lack of information at the time around traffic movements and the potential noise and parking issues the development may generate.
“As a consequence, Royal Mail has met with Brighton and Hove City Council’s highways team and National Highways and has revised the location of the site access point to mitigate the impact on the local road network and on surrounding properties.
“On-site parking has been slightly increased and landscaping / screening areas also enhanced.”
Patcham Court Farm from the north
Earlier this year, Conservative councillors in Patcham started a petition against the proposals.
And a fortnight ago, Royal Mail submitted a planning application to the council. It went live on the council’s website last week, since when it has attracted 118 objections and two comments in support.
The special Policy and Resources Committee meeting is due to start at 2pm on Friday (29 July) at Hove Town Hall. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.
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