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Newsletter 200 - January 2005

In this issue:

• Late News: New Year Breakfast
• Enforcement Goes On
• Does the Society Need a Policy about the West Pier?
• No Bins Please!
• Car Park Colours
• Doing the Dishes
• Moving the Boundaries
• Happy new year to all our members!

Late News: New Year Breakfast

Join your friends and neighbours to welcome in the New Year with Breakfast at the Regency Restaurant in Regency Square. We will meet at 10 am on Sunday 2nd January - apologies for the short notice.

As always it will be an informal affair - everyone sits together but you order and pay for your own breakfast.

Everyone welcome.

Enforcement Goes On

Welcome to Paul Hull who is now the enforcement officer for our area. One of his main tasks is to encourage people not to dump rubbish in the street.

If you see rubbish left in the street on days other than the collection day, please let Paul know:

Office 'phone: 01273 294513; Mobile: 07717 158427 Email paul.hull@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Paul does not work for Cityclean, who collect the refuse. If you want to report a missed collection call their help line on 01273 264674.

Does the Society Need a Policy about the West Pier?

For many years we had a policy of not having a policy about the West Pier. We simply waited to see what proposals came along and responded to them, as with any other developments in our area.

When the St Modwen scheme was announced, involving large new buildings, we set up the Save Our Seafront campaign to oppose it.

That scheme is now dead, mainly because the National Lottery money was withdrawn. So what should happen now? The Council is looking at the possibility of dismantling what is left of the pier, but not while the West Pier Trust still owns it.

Your committee has decided that it is time to adopt a clear policy about the future of the pier. We want to know your views before we do so.

These are some of the questions we need to answer:

• Should the West Pier Trust be wound up?
• Is there any point in continuing to hope for a full restoration/rebuild of the pier?
• If not, should any attempt be made to retain what is left at the seaward end of the pier?
• What should happen to the small restored area of decking at the landward end?
• What should happen on the lower promenade, under the pier and where the old paddling pool and petanque area are at present?
• Should there be some permanent memorial to the West Pier?

If you have views on these questions, or any other ideas about the pier, please let us know.

No Bins Please!

In the November newsletter we asked for your opinions about the Council's plan to put communal bins and re-cycling containers in our squares and streets. All those who responded disliked the idea.

We have therefore written to the Council asking them to change their plans.

Our area is at the centre of Brighton's main tourist and conference industry. It is also a conservation area with some fine old buildings. It seems absurd that the Council should adopt a policy which will make the area more unsightly and untidy than it already is.

For many years we have campaigned for a better refuse service. Now, thanks largely to the enforcement team, things are much improved. The collection arrangements do not need to be changed and we don't want them to be changed.

So our plea to the Council is, please don't impose these bins on us! We don't want our squares to be like Montpelier Crescent.

Car Park Colours

A lot of people were unhappy when NCP repainted the car park in Regency Square, not that it didn't need smartening up.
The problem was the colours chosen: blue for the railings, white for the walls and bright yellow road markings. They were quite out of keeping with the cream houses and black railings around the square.

The Council agreed and asked for our help in choosing new colours. As a result the railings have already been painted black. We are hoping that the walls will be painted cream - slightly darker than the houses but matching them. The yellow lines will have to remain for safety reasons but will be toned down in colour.

Doing the Dishes

Two properties on the west side of Regency Square have erected satellite dishes which can be seen from the street. This contravenes planning guidelines for conservation areas. The Council has issued enforcement notices requiring them to be removed.

Moving the Boundaries

The Council has proposed enlarging the Regency Square conservation area slightly. The boundary will be moved northwards so that it runs along Western Road. This means that Properties on the north side of Clarence Square and Stone Street will now be included. We welcome this change.

By coincidence two planning applications have been submitted recently affecting these areas. One is for yet more air conditioning units on the north side of Clarence Square. These properties, which form the backs of shops in Western Road, already spoil an otherwise attractive square.

We have objected to this application on the grounds that the Council should be encouraging improvements to these properties rather than allowing more commercial clutter.

The second is for two stories to be added to the top of the HMV store on the corner of Western Road and Castle Street. This would allow the top four floors to be developed as flats and maisonettes.

We welcome residential development over shops but not the extra floors: they would set an unacceptable precedent for the south side of Western Road.

Happy new year to all our members!

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