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.