consultation

Planning application finally lands for Madeira Terrace and green wall restoration – have your say
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Planning application finally lands for Madeira Terrace and green wall restoration – have your say

The Grade II* listed Madeira Terrace was closed to the public in 2012. Now, 10 years later, and on the 150th anniversary of the planting of the Madeira Drive Green Wall, the plans to restore a significant section of the terrace are available for consultation with the public.

Building Green supports the planning application, and has been representing the environment on the stakeholder panel that the Council has consulted over the last few years in the development of these proposals. In particular, we are pleased to see:

  • recognition of the importance of the Madeira Drive Green Wall Local Wildlife Site, and the measures to protect the enhance it – especially the 150 year old Japanese spindle trees that support up to 100 other types of flowering plant and associated wildlife.
  • the reinstatement of planted verges for landscape value, sustainable drainage and additional wildlife habitat
  • the incorporation of planting to the upper walkway (Max’s Walk – see above), identified in Building Green’s original vision for the restored terraces.
  • the inclusion of the whole length of extant green wall – to the top of Duke’s Mound – in the project scope.
  • the ambition to restore the full former length of green wall towards the Aquarium end of Madeira Drive.

We are also excited to see that the first invertebrate survey of the green wall has been completed. The list includes some 50 species, including the ‘swollen thigh beetle’, ‘pouting woodlouse fly’ and ‘hummingbird hawkmoth’.

You can give your support and comments to the Council here before 16 September: https://planningapps.brighton-hove.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=RGI6KKDM0P900 or by searching the planning portal for application ref BH2022/02577.

In more detail, the proposals are:

Part Restoration of the Grade II* listed Madeira Terrace (Phase 1 – consisting of the 40 arches between the Royal Crescent Steps in the west to Shelter Hall in the east), erection of a new full height single car lift, general repairs to existing Shelter Hall Lift structure and operational upgrade to Shelter hall Lift car carriage and doors together with temporary means of access at deck level, new staircase from deck level linking with Madeira Drive, permanent planting, landscaping and seating at deck level, fixings for temporary seasonal canopies at deck level, cliff wall interventions and general repair (including physical works of protection for the Green Wall), works to laundry arch, and improvements to public realm and heritage setting upon Madeira Drive including removal of 22 existing parking spaces, provision of new planted verges, wayfinding signage, pedestrian crossings, cycle parking and associated drainage.

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City plan – consultation open

Consultation on the scoping for the second part of the City Plan is open.

It’s a bit like pre-planning the planning before the plan, but it’s the most influential document the city will produce in the next decade, so we think it’s important to engage with it.

From a Building Green perspective, there are a number of relevant questions. We don’t want to lead you, but the following seem particularly important to the future of Brighton & Hove’s environmental infrastructure.

Question B3 Should the City Plan Part Two include a Green Infrastructure landscape scale approach that reflects the joint work led by the South Downs National Park Authority with other authorities?

 Question B6 Should the City Plan Part Two update the locally designated SNCIs in accordance with the 2013 SNCI technical review and rename them Local Wildlife Sites?

 Question B7 Are there any other sites or features that should be included or specifically addressed through planning policy? (e.g. Ancient woodland, aged/veteran trees, local geological/geodiversity sites?)

 Question P5 Is it necessary to have a detailed policy to protect the quality and potential yield of water resources to guide all future new development?

 Question P9 Given the existing national guidance and approach, is it necessary to have an updated policy on sustainable drainage in the City Plan Part Two?

You can comment using the online survey at: http://consult.brighton-hove.gov.uk/portal/bhcc/ldf/city_plan_part_2/city_plan_part_two_-_scoping_paper

Here is the official blurb.

“Work on Part Two of the City Plan started on 30 June. It is in an early stage of consultation on the document and an opportunity to shape the Plan.

 ·         The Part 2 Plan will deliver the aims and targets set out in Part One (e.g. housing targets, business space, community facilities) – it will allocate sites for development, contain detailed development policies (e.g. design, accessibility within buildings and travel, public realm, safer places). At this stage there are no detailed policies or site allocations – instead the issues are outlined and key questions asked.

 ·         The scoping document outlines a number of policy topic areas for Part 2 – like housing, employment, transport and natural environment. It outlines the key issues under these topics that will need to be addressed and invites comments via a number of questions. A leaflet is attached.

 ·         The consultation period will be for 3 months from 30 June to 22 September. 

 ·         Next steps – draft Plan by Autumn 2017.”