preston and old patcham society : helping to maintain a sense of continuity...

NEWS

Planning Application Land at the rear of 45 & 47 Surrenden Road
London Road Regeneration scheme
Walks
Tree Planting

VICTORY! Planning Application BH2007/02291 a permanent giant zinc portacabin was proposed for Vanrdean High School

The Preston and Old Patcham Society joined with the Brighton Society and distributed 1,200 leaflets in the neighbourhood of the school to alert residents of the proposal. As a result there were more that 80 objections and, inspite of the fact that the Council officers recommended that permission should be given for the building, the Planning Applications Sub-Comitte refused permission.

The Anston House site

Mature trees have been felled without permission on this site, including a magnificent copper beach. We will press the Council to fine the owners of the site and require them to replace the trees with mature specimens.

Anston House is now being renovated as offices.

Planning Application Land at the rear of 45 & 47 Surrenden Road. Application no: BH2007/01890

The Society is objecting to the scheme to build a terrace of 4 houses and conversion of an outbuilding to a house, on the grounds that the terrace of houses is out of character with this Conservation Area, and that the access track (nicknamed Blackberry Lane by the Society) is too narrow to provide reasonable access to these houses.

The plan was refused, the developer appealed, but his appeal was dismissed by the Inspector.

London Road Regeneration scheme

The Society has been represented at meetings organized by consultants, Urban Initiatives, to regenerate London Road.

We have been concerned that the consultants had so little knowledge of the area, of its recent planning history and of currant proposals. We considered that the Council were wasting Council tax payers money on this so-called ‘blue sky thinking’.

We thought that the Council should have started the consultation process by asking local people for their ideas.

The Open Market traders had taken the initiative to commission architects to draw up plans to rejuvinate the market, and we thought that this was a good example of a more satisfactory way forward.

Tree Planting

The Society is sponsoring a bay tree to be planted outside the west wall of the Preston Manor walled garden.

We want to hide - as far as is possible - the yellow fascia of the Shell garage, which spoils the view to the west from the walled garden, particularly from the steps from the garden to the croquet.

We hope  that the Arboricultural Dept of the City Council will plant our treein spring 2008.

If members have any ideas about where you would like to see new trees planted please let us know.

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