A housing association could demolish one of its major office buildings to make space for homes in Hove.
Hyde Newbuild, part of the Hyde Group, has won planning permission today (October 29 2014) to demolish its two-storey building in Davigdor Road and replace it with 68 flats, plus 700 sq m of offices at ground floor level – the same area provided by the current building..
The building would range between four and eight storeys.
Accommodation would consist of 32 one-bed flats, 22 two-bed, and 14 three-beds. Forty per cent would be affordable – 27 units in total.
Each flat would have a balcony in addition to some communal gardens. There would be landscaping of the site, including over a dozen trees.
Thirty eight spaces are proposed in a basement car-park - eight for the offices, 30 for the homes.
To help offset the impact of the development on local services, the developer is required to pay a contribution towards improving local school facilities, along with contributions towards improved parks and recreation facilities in the area and for indoor sport. The developer is also required to fund improvements to Davigdor Road, including providing a new zebra crossing, and to contribute towards local job creation.
An officer’s report to today’s planning committee said the current small building makes an inefficient use of the site. Although not in an official tall buildings zone, the report says the area is suitable for the proposed development – with nearby buildings rising up to seven storeys.
Chair of the planning committee Cllr Phelim Mac Cafferty said: “It’s important that we’ve also retained 700 sq m of office space, as well as creating the 68 new homes. At a time when the city faces a critical housing shortage, the scheme is very welcome.”