Preparatory work to support the development of a new leisure centre on the King Alfred site is moving ahead with the removal of hedges on the lawns opposite starting this week.
Subject to the plans being approved, a brand-new leisure centre is set to be built on the space currently occupied by the existing car park and the green roof over the disused bowling alley.
Planting will help replace ecological features that will be lost through the work, including from the green roof and some vegetation to the north of the current car park.
The existing planting provides a habitat for sparrows and other nesting birds, so it’s crucial that this is removed ahead of the nesting season to avoid disrupting breeding birds.
New nesting provision, along with other facilities such as sand baths, will be put in place as part of the planting.
To ensure there is parking available throughout construction, a planning application is due to be submitted at the end of the month for a temporary car park on the adjacent lawn. This space is currently being used as a site compound for the coastal protection work being undertaken on the beach.
The planting, removal of vegetation and soft landscaping work can take place while the application is being finalised as it comes under permitted development and does not require planning permission.
The main planning application for the new leisure centre is scheduled to be submitted at the end of February. Once it’s published, residents will be able to view final designs and have a chance to comment on the proposals.
Ahead of that, the council has received prior approval to move ahead with work to demolish the old bowling alley.
This is the first formal planning consent for the project and will pave the way for construction of the new leisure facility to begin later in the year.
Councillor Alan Robins, Cabinet member for Sports, Recreation and Libraries, said: “There’s real momentum to the project now and it’s crucial to get the timing right.
“Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll start to see more activity on site to prepare for the things to come. It’s important residents understand what this work involves and why it’s needed.
“Planting is an essential part of our environmental commitment to protect local wildlife and prepare the site in a responsible way. We need to replace vegetation that will be removed later in the project, and it needs to start now so we can safely remove hedgerows ahead of the nesting season.
“We need to demolish the old bowling alley to make the site safe for future construction. Now we’ve got prior planning approval, this can start in the spring.
“Final refinements are being made to the designs based on resident feedback and these will be submitted later this month. Then you’ll get to see the exciting plans for the new leisure centre and have a chance to share your views on the final design.”
Given the challenges of the coastal environment, the planting mix has been carefully designed in partnership with landscape architects, council ecologists and the Parks team to ensure species can thrive.
They have designed a balance of species best suited to the location that will include a mix of grasses, shrubs, hedgerow and wildflowers.
The planting is an important part of the project’s biodiversity net gain plans to balance the loss of existing vegetation. It will contribute to long-term improvements for the area as part of our wider biodiversity strategy.
We've received confirmation from Historic England that the existing King Alfred Leisure Centre will not be added to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
There's high public interest as plans progress on the new leisure centre, and while feedback is shaping proposals there’s also misinformation being shared.
Councillors have gathered in Hove to see the work being done to help protect Brighton & Hove from flooding and coastal erosion for decades to come.