You're in: Home » Society » Newsletters

 

Newsletter 247 - December 2009

In this issue:

• Parking Petition - what's happening?
• It's a start!
• World Class
• Getting together!
• Disabled Parking - who needs it?
• Off yer bike!
• Russell Railings
• Peregrines farewell?
• Why cook on Christmas Day?
• Ten Bollards
• New Year Breakfast

Parking Petition - what's happening?

Remember our petition asking for changes to the parking arrangements in Regency Square? The idea was to prevent car park queues from blocking the road.

The Council has referred it to Councillor Geoffrey Theobald who is the cabinet member for environmental issues. Here's his latest response:

"Thank you for your petition requesting the removal of on-street parking spaces, the creation of additional resident spaces, and improvement of the Regency Square car park. I have asked officers to investigate and report back to me on the feasibility of removing on-street parking spaces either side of the square, taking into account the high demand for parking needs in the local area. Proposals for improvement works are currently being drawn up to improve the security and appearance of the Regency Square car park as part of a wider strategy to improve council owned car parks in the city."

So, we're waiting and hoping.

It's a start!

Yes, it's official: work has started on the i360 observation tower on the site of the old West Pier.

That's the view of Council Planning officers. They believe that a hole that has been dug in the ground near the pier means that "the development has been lawfully commenced."

This in turn means that the planning permission, granted three years ago, is still valid.

In fact, of course, nothing is happening: the developers have still not raised all the finance they need. However, they are said to be very keen for the observation tower to be operational before the start of the 2012 Olympic Games.

In the meantime the part of the seafront facing Regency Square is a mess. Temporary metal fencing has been thrown up around the site. The former Rock Shop is boarded up.

There are popular leisure facilities to the east and a splendidly restored bandstand to the west. Meanwhile our bit of the seafront is blighted. Maybe one day something will happen here.

The Society believes that a time limit should be set. If the West Pier Trust cannot make real progress with its grandiose plans within a specified time, then an alternative low cost plan for the West Pier site should be put in place. We need a plan B!

World Class

The fine Georgian buildings that grace Brighton and Hove seafront are a heritage site of world class. That is the view of a group of conservationists who are planning to apply for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

The City Council is supporting the bid, as are the various amenity societies which campaign to protect the area.

The designation, if achieved, would put Brighton & Hove alongside places such as Edinburgh, Bath, Stonehenge and over 800 other sites throughout the world.

What does World Heritage Site status mean in practical terms? Unlike a conservation area, it does not create any specific planning restrictions. However, World Heritage status can be removed and planners will need to keep this in mind when considering major development proposals.

There may also be an economic benefit: the award would raise Brighton and Hove's profile throughout the world.

Don't expect a quick result! The process is a long one. The first step will be to win a place on the list of sites being considered.

Regency Square sits right in the heart of the proposed heritage site, so we have decided that we should add our support to that of the other local societies which are backing the bid.

Getting together!

Members of the Society's committee are meeting up for a pre-Christmas drink in the Regency Tavern at 7:30pm on Monday 21st December. Please join us if you're free. If you can't see us when you come in, ask the bar staff where we are sitting.

10am on New Year's Day is the date for the Society's annual breakfast at the Regency Restaurant. It's very informal -just take a seat at the long table. Everyone orders and pays for themselves.

Disabled Parking - who needs it?

That seems to be the attitude of the Council as displayed in Clarence Square. The square's two communal bins are parked in the middle of a disabled parking bay.

Former local councillor, Roy Pennington has been complaining to Cityclean about this for some time and the Society has recently added its voice.

It seems that there may be a result shortly. Council Environment Director Jenny Rowlands has said that this is a "serious matter". The latest news is that the bins will be moved as soon as there is a space available. A special vehicle is needed to move them.

Off yer bike!

How can we stop cyclists riding through the twitten by the Regency Tavern? We asked the police to put a temporary sign on the pavement. The answer was "no". It might get stolen and police don't have the right to place temporary signs for any length of time.

They are promising some enforcement action as part of their Operation Spoke. We have suggested that an officer stationed in the twitten for an hour or so during the evening rush hour would find plenty of opportunity to encourage cyclists to behave more responsibly.

Russell Railings

The railings at the eastern end of Russell Square have been damaged. Does anyone know how this happened? Let us know if you do.

We have sent a copy of this photo to the Council parks department asking them to carry out repairs.

We've also asked them to do something about the nearby gate; it digs its way into the ground when it is opened and gets stuck. The ground needs to be levelled and the gate needs to be adjusted so that it closes automatically.

Peregrines farewell?

Our winged neighbours on the top of Sussex Heights are likely to be moving out in the near future.

An extensive programme of maintenance work needs to be carried out on the building, starting with urgent repairs to the roof.
After that, the weather-proofing around the windows of each flat needs to be renewed. This will require access from cradles, suspended from the roof. The work will be funded over the next five to seven years.

So the peregrines are on the look-out for a new home. Sussex Heights chairman, Paul Michaelson, has written to the Argus to ask for help with a campaign to find a suitable new location for them on another tall building in Brighton.

Any suggestions?

Why cook on Christmas Day?

The Regency Restaurant (corner of Regency Square) will be open for breakfast and lunch on Christmas Day.

Ten Bollards

The Hilton Metropole Hotel has applied for permission to install ten black bollards around the former French church in Queensbury Mews. They will be on the pavement to the north and east of the church building.

The purpose of the bollards is to stop vehicles parking on the pavements and possibly causing damage to the newly restored building.

Why is the Metropole Hotel making the applications? They don't own the former church. The answer is that they do own the pavements.

New Year Breakfast

10 am Friday 1st January 2010 Regency Restaurant - Bring your friends!

Return to top of page