Planning Committee to decide Royal Mail application

An application to build a 4,145sqm delivery office for Royal Mail at Patcham Court Farm will be decided by councillors at a Planning Committee on 4 September 2024.

The application was received in July 2022, with the first public consultation taking place that month. A revised application was consulted on in July 2023, with further amendments consulted on from 18 April 2024.

Patcham Court Farm

The 1.57-hectare site is located at the northern edge of Patcham on Vale Avenue.

To the north a border of trees separates the site from the A27 close to the junction with the A23. Immediately south-east of the site are the gardens of 3 houses in Vale Avenue, with a short terrace of new residential properties further east. A public bridleway on the western side of the site runs northwards beyond the A27 to the South Downs National Park.

The property was part of a wider agricultural holding that was separated from the main farm by the construction of the A27. Currently one building is used by a fencing company while the others been vacant for a number of years.

To the south of the site is Patcham Conservation Area, which includes listed buildings.

The site lies within flood zone 1 (low probability of flooding) but there is an aquifer below the site which falls within Groundwater Source Protection Zone 1.

The site is allocated as employment land in the City Plan Part 1.

The application

The application is for the demolition of the existing agricultural buildings and the clearance of scrub land to build a 4,145sqm storage and distribution facility to be used as a delivery office for Royal Mail.

Due to the slope of the land, at its highest point the building would be around 10.6m high when measured from ground level but would decrease significantly in height relative to the ground level as it extends further north.

The main building will be approximately 82m long and 52m wide at its widest part. Planned ancillary buildings include a wash bay and a vehicle light maintenance facility.

Road access would be to the south west of the site from Vale Avenue. An access road would lead to two main car parks providing 85 spaces for staff vehicles and 132 for Royal Mail fleet vehicles.

The building is planned to be in use 24 hours a day with the vast majority of staff arriving for a 7.15am start. The busiest hour for fleet vehicles leaving the site would be between 10am and 11am, and the busiest hour for their return would be between 3pm and 4pm. It is expected that the delivery centre would provide 360 jobs, with 246 staff on site on an average day.

Consultation

Over the course of the application objections were received from 1,163 individuals, including representatives of Brighton & Hove Wildlife Forum, the Brighton Society, Patcham and Hollingbury Conservation Association, and Patcham Local History Group.

Representations in support were received from 13 individuals.

Among external bodies consulted, an objection was made by the Conservation Advisory Group and, subject to conditions, no objections were made by National Highways, the Environment Agency, South Downs National Park or Southern Water.

You can view the application and accompanying papers through our online Planning Register by searching for application reference number BH2022/02232.

How the application will be decided

Councillors will vote on the application at the September Planning Committee.

Having studied the application documents and comments received, the committee members will hear a report from council planning officers, a submission by the developers and ask questions before voting to grant or refuse. 

The report recommends that councillors are minded to grant planning permission, subject to conditions and a S106 agreement. 

You can watch the Planning Committee webcast live on our website from 2pm on 4 September 2024.