Cabinet to discuss future use of land at Patcham Court Farm

At a Cabinet meeting on 14 November 2024, members will consider options and a recommendation for the future use of the land at Patcham Court Farm.

Following consideration of options, which include the use of the site for Park & Ride or housing development, the recommendation being presented is for the sale of the leasehold to Royal Mail for the development of a new delivery office.

The report recommendation also proposes that the sale is contingent on the council having first refusal on the current Hove Delivery Office site for new affordable homes.

The North Road site could not deliver a viable Homes for Brighton & Hove scheme but would provide an exciting regeneration opportunity in the city centre.

Councillor Jacob Taylor, deputy leader of the council and Cabinet member for Finance and City Regeneration, said: “The proposed deal with Royal Mail offers huge benefits to our city. A new state-of-the-art postal delivery office that will retain around 380 jobs in Brighton and Hove as well as making a huge contribution to our Net Zero ambitions.

“The deal would also allow us to free up space that will allow us to deliver hundreds of new affordable and council homes. It will allow us to realise the full market value for the land which is already identified for industrial or business use in the City Plan.

“I will be making the case to my Cabinet colleagues that the development would enable Royal Mail to modernise operations locally, improving the service for our residents and businesses, and reducing the number of HGV vehicles and emissions in the city centre.

“Freeing up the existing delivery office site would also create an unmissable opportunity for the development of hundreds of affordable new homes in Hove, as well as providing much-needed space in Brighton city centre for regeneration.”

The Patcham Court Farm site

The 1.57-hectare, council-owned site is located at the northern edge of Patcham on Vale Avenue, close to the A27 junction with the A23.

The now-derelict farm buildings previously formed part of a wider agricultural holding that was separated from the main farm in 1989/1990 as a result of the construction of the A27.

The site has remained undeveloped for more than 30 years. Various proposals were progressed for the site between 1993 and 2009 but did not complete, most often as a result of economic factors.

Proposed option for sale of the lease to Royal Mail

In 2017 the council was approached by Royal Mail, which had been looking for a new site in the city – its existing delivery offices have been struggling with the demands of the modern mail service due to building design and road links, which will only grow.

In September 2024, an application to build the new delivery office at Patcham Court Farm was approved by councillors on the Planning Committee – the first major redevelopment scheme of the site that has been agreed. Public opinion was considered as part of the consultation process and in making a decision.

The proposal from Royal Mail would provide a capital receipt of £2.7 million for the council, in addition to other benefits for the city. A Royal Mail delivery office is a key piece of city infrastructure, serving the needs of residents and businesses alike.

As part of the application, Royal Mail has committed to the removal of HGV movements into the city, thereby easing congestion and reducing emissions.

Alternative options considered for the site

In addition to the Royal Mail proposal, the report also outlines two alternative options for the use of the site.

Park & Ride

Patcham Court Farm was presented as a potential site to deliver the council’s ambition for a Park & Ride offer due to its location on the edge of the city, close to the A27 and A23.

The 450 spaces the site could have provided would be insufficient to meet total demand and would not have been sufficient to fund a bespoke bus service.

Other key considerations for use of Park & Ride are the need for detailed assessment of the impact on the A23 and A27 road network, as well as likely planning application objections from the South Downs National Park Authority.

Housing development

Housing is another alternative option for the site. Due to the need to clean up land contamination from the previous farm use, and to protect the aquifer on site, there would be considerable development costs which mean a low-density housing scheme is not viable.

A higher density scheme, with more units to spread the development costs, would have a significant visual impact on the nearby conservation area and the South Downs National Park, and would therefore be unlikely to receive planning consent.

Additionally, neither of these alternative options has planning consent and the use is not in line with the allocation for the land in the local plan for an employment use.

Recommendation

Following an assessment of the options, the Cabinet report recommends the sale of a 250-year leasehold interest in Patcham Court Farm to Royal Mail for the development of the new delivery office.

The development would also free up the two current delivery offices at North Road (Brighton) and Denmark Villas (Hove).

The report also proposes that the sale of the lease to Royal Mail should be contingent on the council’s Homes for Brighton & Hove joint venture having first refusal at an agreed price on the Hove Delivery Office site for new affordable homes.

The aquifer

The report also addresses an area of concern raised during the planning application process by local residents – the potential impact of the development on the aquifer, which stores the city’s drinking water. The recommendation proposes that an impermeable membrane is installed to protect the aquifer, with all water draining from the site into the sewerage network. This includes a drainage strategy to reduce the rate of surface water run-off from the new delivery office site to decrease the discharge rate to below Southern Water’s permitted rate.

Cabinet meeting

The agenda and papers for the Cabinet meeting can be found on our council meetings web page.

Additionally, a pre-decision Overview & Scrutiny meeting is being held at Hove Town Hall on Wednesday 13 November at 5pm. Read the agenda on the council meetings web page.

More information about Patcham Court Farm can be found on our Major Developments in Brighton & Hove web pages.