Issue - items at meetings - Lewes Road (Preston Barracks and University of Brighton) Planning brief

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy circulated separately).

(1)         That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Employment, Economy & Regeneration notes the results of the public consultation held in April and May and the resulting changes that have been proposed to the planning brief.

(2)         That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Employment, Economy & Regeneration approves the amended planning brief and that it be adopted by the council for development control purposes.

35.1               The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place seeking approval of the planning brief for Lewes Road (Preston Barracks and University of Brighton) following a six week consultation on the draft version of the document.

35.2               The Cabinet Member reported that the planning brief had been prepared in partnership with the University of Brighton to assist in bringing forward a shared vision for a comprehensive mixed use development across the Barracks site and the University’s Moulsecoomb Campus. The consultation had been well publicised and responses had been considered, resulting in a number of changes to the brief, including providing a greater emphasis on the council’s sustainability objectives for new development through zero carbon or carbon neutral developments. She noted that the council’s successful bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund for improvements in the Lewes Road area would help realise those objectives and thanked officers for their work on the planning brief.

35.3               Councillor Morgan congratulated officers on the planning brief and stated that it represented a significant achievement after a long period without any progress.

35.4               Councillor C Theobald noted the low number of responses to the consultation, but welcomed the changes that had resulted from them and the planning brief in general. She also welcomed the funding from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund bid, which had been submitted by the previous Administration. She raised concerns about the proposed car parking spaces, which she felt were too low and could discourage developers; she stated that there should be a balance between car use and public transport.

35.5               The Cabinet Member stated that provision for bus travel was already in place and that she looked forward to working further with partners on sustainable transport in relation to the development and also in order to tackle the serious issue of air quality in the Lewes Road area.

35.6               RESOLVED - That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the following recommendations be accepted:

(1)         That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Employment, Economy & Regeneration notes the results of the public consultation held in April and May and the resulting changes that have been proposed to the planning brief.

(2)         That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Employment, Economy & Regeneration approves the amended planning brief and that it be adopted by the council for development control purposes.