New employment space and homes approved for city centre
One of the largest mixed-use developments to come forward in Brighton & Hove in recent years has been approved by the city’s planning committee.
Redevelopment of the former American Express site in Edward Street will see new offices, homes and new public open space created in the city centre.
The plans include 15,000 square metres of commercial space that has the potential to create 2,000 jobs. Applicant Edward Street Quarter Ltd has signed up to be a Living Wage employer.
Of the 168 homes, 33 will be available at low cost for rent or shared ownership. Residents will have a communal garden and children’s play space and people that work, study or visit the area will have access to a new public square.
Councillor Julie Cattell, chair of Brighton & Hove’s planning committee, said: “This project will help address the need for good quality office space for small and medium-sized enterprises in the heart of the city. It will create 168 new homes and thousands of jobs, as well as bring a vacant site back into use.”
The development is on the site of the former HQ of American Express which moved to a new building nearby.
Proposals also include extending Mighell Street, re-instating the historic pedestrian street that once linked Carlton Hill with Edward Street. The new street and square will link to Dorset Peace Gardens to create a ‘green route’ of public space.
Entrances to the historic peace gardens will be improved. Queens Park and Valley Gardens could also benefit from developer contributions, which include more than £80,000 for local schools.
- At the same committee, plans were approved for new sports facilities at Patcham High School. A new sports hall, designed by the council’s in-house architects, will be built providing new facilities for badminton, tennis, cricket, volleyball, basketball and dance, together with new netball courts and a 3G football pitch.