Hove Civic Society May 2020 Newsletter Chairman’s Letter The Living Coast

Dear Members, although Covid-19 We are still actively involved in commenting on planning has put the brakes on many of our activities, there are still applications and you can see things going on as you can see in this newsletter. some of the output later on in The Living Coast is participation from people’s own homes and gardens. I am sorry that we had to cancel the last parts of our the newsletter. & Lewes Downs UNESCO remaining winter programme but you will find an article We support sustainable, local businesses and the The biggest news, which World Biosphere Region. about the Living Coast, the last lecture we held, which region’s important visitor economy through the gives me immense pleasure Biosphere regions are to many of those who attended was an eye opener of #WeAreTheLivingCoast site, part of the Bio Cultural to announce, is the approval designated by UNESCO immense interest. We will of course try to reorganise the Heritage Tourism project. This aims to realise the by the Charity Commission to be international best lost events in the next season. potential of natural and cultural assets through developing of our application to become practise, living and working a Charitable Incorporated sustainable and experiential tourism opportunities, adding Before the lockdown we were able to progress the St examples of sustainable value to this sector whilst limiting the associated impacts. Aubyn’s scheme but now we need to wait and the same Organisation (CIO). This puts development, with the also applies to the various planting schemes. Your us on a much better footing overarching aim of bringing people and nature closer The Biosphere also works with partners on regional committee has agreed to help fund the hedgerow proposed than the previous organisation to do all the things we want together. Our Biosphere is based on the chalk block of projects, such as The Aquifer Partnership which works in at Hove Junior School and we will also want to help the to do to help improve the townscape and environment the South Downs and stretches from the Adur to the Ouse, both the rural and urban environment to utilise sustainable Glebe Villas proposal for new street trees. This is of course of Hove and Portslade. I am very grateful to the Charity and up over the downs to Ditchling, taking in Shoreham, and natural solutions to protect the chalk aquifer which also dependent on progress on the Council’s Street Tree Commission for helping us in clearly defining the scope Brighton & Hove, Lewes, Newhaven and all the towns and provides all of the drinking water to the Brighton area. Strategy, where we will argue that much more attention of the organisation as detailed later in the newsletter. The villages in between. Of the 7 Biospheres in the UK, we final wording of the scope will be put to the AGM inthe To learn more about our Biosphere and the projects we needs to be paid to work with local communities like ours to have a unique ‘urban Biosphere’ status, celebrating our are involved in please visit: www.thelivingcoast.org.uk keep the City, including Hove, green. I am very grateful for autumn. Downs, towns and coast. the local ward councillors in Hove Central and Wish Wards Of course we will now have to make a number of Sarah Dobson, the Living Coast Programme Manager Biospheres are all about partnership for transferring funds to us so they can be spent on these adjustments, the charity number has changed, we will and community, and our Biosphere local schemes. We could also do with a few more Street need to re-apply for gift aid and we will also change to is overseen by a diverse group of Tree Angels – this is the only way we can keep supporting electronic banking. But these changes will be largely representatives from the local Councils, street trees in our City. Do contact me if you want to be part invisible to members – the new organisation still has the Universities, national environment of this cost-effective way of investing in our environment. old name: Hove Civic Society. bodies, community organisations, Before the lockdown we also had a number of visits to the So there are exciting times ahead and with your continued charities, the arts and cultural sector, artist’s studio of Pierre Diamantopoulo where the sculpting support I believe we can make a very substantial and business. The strength of the of the Flight of the Langoustine is nearly completed. We contribution to improving our City. Biosphere is in this unique partnership can’t wait to get to the stage where the magnificent figures With best wishes – keep healthy and keep safe and being able to achieve more together, get cast in bronze. We just need to raise the additional by facilitating networks and projects that funding needed! Helmut Lusser achieve the Biosphere’s overarching aim of sustainable development. Projects that the Biosphere is currently BLUE PLAQUES supporting include Nature 2020, which is marking the closing of the UN Decade I’ve lived in Hove since 1948. . How lucky to have grown January at 11 Clifton Road: “Edward Bransfield RN of Biodiversity. Whilst the current up in such an artistic city as Brighton & Hove! Once again explorer and navigator discovered and charted Antarctica situation with Covid 19 has meant the Blue Plaque unveiling in April of last year at 8 Clifton in 1820.” The choice of 30 January was not random – many of the Nature2020 events have Road commemorated talented artists. George and it was exactly 200 years since his discovery. Edward had to be postponed, some – such as Edward Dalziel, the founders of Dalziel Brothers, were Bransfield was born in 1785 in Cork. At the age of 18 the City Nature Challenge – have been the celebrated wood engravers best known for Lewis he was pressganged into the Royal Navy at the start of swiftly reframed to engage and enable Carroll’s “Alice”books. The Dalziel archive in the British the Napoleonic Wars, and successfully rose through the Museum holds no less than 54,000 fine burnished proofs ranks with responsibility for navigation. In 1819 he sailed from 1839 to 1893. They worked with household names south from Valparaiso to investigate reports of unknown such as Tenniel, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Millais, Hughes islands. First he charted the islands – to be named and Leighton, but undoubtedly their most famous work South Shetland Islands – then he sighted the enormous was with the “Alice in Wonderland” books of 1865 and mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula, which he charted 1871. and named Trinity Land. The sea that he crossed is now known as the Bransfield Strait. The British showed A month after Dalziel was the unveiling of a Plaque at little interest in his discovery (not much opportunity for 8 North Street Quadrant commemorating the militant trade). He left the navy, entered the merchant fleet and Women’s Social and Political Union. They campaigned was forgotten – until now. He came to Brighton with his for votes for women, and the Plaque was unveiled by third wife Anne in 1847, and they are buried together in Caroline Lucas, Brighton’s Green MP. Clementina Black Brighton. and Minnie Turner were passionate supporters of the cause, and Blue Plaques were unveiled to Clementina The unveiling ceremony was certainly colourful – hymns in Ship Street in September and Minnie at 13 Victoria played by members of the Salvation Army, guard of Road in November. No. 13 was formerly the Sea View honour by the naval cadets of Brighton College, an boarding house and her home from 1910. Sea View address by Rear Admiral John Lippiett and the presence Dew Pond at Ditchling Beacon credit Cary Creed Adonis Blue Butterfly on Whitehawk Hill credit Paul Gorringe became a hub for the suffrage movement in this part of of members of the Royal British Legion. Thanks to England. Suffragettes recovering from imprisonment, remarkable research, Edward Bransfield now has the hunger strikes and forcible feeding found refuge there. recognition he deserves. The first of the Plaques in 2020 was unveiled on30 Elaine Evans, BEM Sackville Trading Estate – planning application by MODA We are Now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation!

After their last application was refused in July last year, MODA pursued a two-prong Plan and will generate much On the 27th January the Charity Commission agreed approach. They submitted a new application which sought to deal with most of the needed housing in a high-quality our application to become a Charitable Incorporated reasons for refusal, whilst simultaneously launching an appeal against the refusal. landscaped environment. The Organisation (CIO). This was a move we have planned IF the council should have refused the second application the plan was to refer this amount of car parking for such for some time, not least because several organisations one to the same appeal and the timing for the appeal was organised accordingly. a large scheme is very small including City Council suggested to us In the event the Planning Committee decided to approve the revised application in (less than 1 car per 4 units). that it was time to up the game. CIO’s work like companies March, which now stands as the biggest application dealt with for Hove. In order The continued presence of the and are set up to deal with larger volumes of funding, for the approval to become valid intense discussions on the major S106 agreement owners on site means a long-term responsibility and organisation and trading. It also means need to be concluded. This will probably be the last application in Hove that is not commitment to the maintenance of that the Trustees have limited liability, which is an important going to be subject to the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). a high-quality urban environment. factor in deciding to take on such an important role. This development will become The revised application will provide 564 residential units (built to rent) together with the largest component of the new It has taken us almost 2 years to reach this stage, and 260 care community units, over 5000 sqm of offices, almost 700 sqm of shopping Hove Station Quarter. more than a year after the proposed new constitution was We run an annual lecture programme on matters relating and some 950 sqm of community and leisure floorspace. Buildings will range from considered by the AGM in October 2018 and an EGM 2-15 storeys. Helmut Lusser to Hove as well as the wider City and organise site visits shortly after. Whereas the text of the constitution was from time to time on matters relevant to residents and Your committee has supported this application through its various amendments and unaltered throughout this process and stands as agreed businesses in Hove. (b) have continuously sought to influence and highlight the benefits of it. The proposal by the EGM, the objects were subject to some last minute seeks to conform to important elements of the Hove Station Neighbourhood changes prompted by the Charity Commission. I am very We engage in projects to preserve our townscape such as grateful for their suggestions as the objects now carefully the ‘Restoring our Victorian Street Tree Heritage’ campaign match what we do and intend to do. I am particularly grateful where we have co-funded about 100 street trees so far. We that the word ‘arts facilities’ were included in object d. We also campaign to improve major parts of our conservation will of course put the amended objects to our next AGM areas (such as Church Road – our Hove Boulevard) and with a recommendation to endorse them. By the way: the actively get involved in trying to generate the restoration of name of the CIO is still Hove Civic Society, but our charity forgotten corners of Hove (such as St Aubyn’s/Kingsway) (c). number and soon our bank account are all changing. We have initiated the Hove Plinth project with its changing sculptures and are promoting the Sculpture in the City For the record I set out below the new objects and how we Initiative. We are currently in the process of raising funds deal with them. for the second sculpture on the Plinth and have raised The objects of the CIO are almost £130K in cash and £35K in pro bono for the project so far. We have trialled music events at the plinth and are a. To promote high standards of planning and architecture planning to extend this in the future. (d) in or affecting the area of benefit We have accepted the responsibility for maintaining b. To educate the public in the geography, history, natural the plinth and the artworks we procure and will explore history and architecture of the area of benefit further ways in which we can secure the maintenance, c. To secure the preservation, protection, development improvements and provision of public amenities. (e) and improvement of the environment and sites of features of historic or public interest in the area of benefit. Can’t find a present? d. To provide recreational and arts facilities and/or events Here is your answer! for the public at large or those who by reason of their Our webshop is now up and running. It stocks sculpture, youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship automata, paintings and fashion all under the heading or social and economic circumstances, have need of, Hove Plinth Collection. We try to bring new works of or would benefit from, such facilities and/or events art to the site that relate in some way to Hove and the seafront. e. To procure the maintenance, improvement or provision All profits from the sales go to the plinth and our A hedge for Hove Junior School of public amenities. sculpture in the city initiative. To achieve (a) we participate in commenting and influencing Do let us know if you have any queries. planning policy for the city and examine and make hove-plinth-webshop.myshopify.com I am a parent at Hove Junior School on Portland Road. On cost effective and resilient plant to use and estimated the representations on new developments across the City. walking my children to and from school I noticed substantial cost to dig up and plant a hedge along the 70 m length of the Nicole Urbanski [email protected] traffic build up at the zebra crossing by the school. I was very school playground on Portland Road to be £6500. concerned about the air pollution getting Robert Nemeth suggested Hove Civic into the classrooms right by Portland Society may be interested in supporting road. The inefficient school heating the scheme. The parents of Hove Junior system causes these classrooms to get School and I are so grateful that the society too hot so windows and doors are open has offered to donate up to £1500 to the much of the year. project. Parents are contributing directly The practical and hopefully affordable to the school and Robert Nemeth and solution is a green barrier of plants that Gary Pelzer Dunn are both contributing will capture the pollution from the road. I £1000 each from the ward scheme fund contacted Councillor Robert Nemeth who and West Hove Forum has donated £500. was very keen to help. He and my husband monitored the air So it looks like with the help of Hove Civic Society we should be quality by the road one morning and found the measurements close to getting the money to create greenery that will improve peaked at PM2.5 levels of 40 ppm, 4 times higher than the the air quality around the school and bring some much needed acceptable maximum. This confirmed that we needed to take lushness to a very grey part of Hove. action. A landscape gardener advised that laurel is the most Deborrah Griffiths George Street : The Heart Of Hove Update : May 2020

Planning Update George Street: The Heart of Hove Update: May 2020

Since our last Newsletter a couple of applications have - completed their path through the Council’s planning decision process, both of which are good examples of The ‘Love George Street’ Campaign has continued to operate during the issues Hove Civic Society has long been emphasising. As national ‘Lockdown’, and its never had such a vital role as a community group it happens, the cases involve two sites not far apart, in the than right now. To have in place a ‘community mouthpiece’ in these strange Eaton Road and Holland Road area. times has proved to be very valuable in being able to source information and be a conduit to reach the people living in ‘Lockdown’ within the immediate Among the issues with these two cases is how well a community, Hove and also across the city. proposed scheme balances the design of buildings in terms of height, mass, spacing, choice of materials, LSG have linked closely with the Brighton & Hove City Council, Ward and how well it sits with surrounding buildings and the character of the streetscape. The height of a development Councillors, Council Officers and the managers of both Tesco in Church is not necessarily a concern if the overall design is good, Road and the Boots pharmacy in George Street. This close working and likewise a bold modern design can actually enhance relationship has allowed LGS to be able to spread the quality of an older streetscape if it works with the grain vital information through the facebook page ‘Love of existing buildings. George Street’ at this time of crisis. Information ranges from Council initiatives, help lines, One scheme we objected to was an application for contacts, links, general useful messages and development of the site in Holland Road between the information, telephone numbers for those in need “Palmeira Yard” building (grade 2 listed) and the synagogue County Cricket Ground - site plan of help. Information and news, with continued (locally listed). The design simply did not do justice to the updates from both Tesco and Boots have allowed neighbouring buildings and the wider Brunswick Town We were much more positive about the scheme proposed both to share important information such as ‘Social Distancing’ protocols to keep everyone conservation area. The application was rejected by the for the Sussex County Cricket Ground. We supported safe within their stores, with videos, photos and information updates on stock and supplies. Council’s planning committee in February. plans for the first two phases of development, which should help to secure the long-term viability of this important George Street Improvements: The ‘LGS’ campaign continues venue. The redevelopment of the pub and adjacent to push and implement the promised ‘Classic’ nostalgic look for buildings will create another tall building facing Eaton George Street. Although George Street is mostly closed, apart Road, but the proposed height, massing and material has from the essential shops, the pharmacy and the banks, the work and installation of the new been handled well in the design, which benefited from street furniture has continued and has pushed the project ahead, only to stop just recently several consultation stages. We felt it would not be out of due to running out of building materials, and unable to scale with the two neighbouring buildings on Eaton Road, restock. The decision was to stop and pick up the project nor would the impact of the new building devalue the up on the other side of this crisis. character and appearance of the adjacent Willett Estate conservation area. The application was approved by the At the time of writing this report for HCS, all the cast iron planning committee in March. bollards are in place, not only replacing all the old metal During the Covid-19 emergency we are still monitoring and plastic ones but with some extra bollards installed to new applications. And we are still working closely with the kerb some the inconsiderate parking caused by the Regency Society on the most significant cases - albeit in inconsiderate few. Just this one change and creating uniformity has already made a a “virtual” manner while the restrictions remain in place. huge visual difference to the street. Sussex County Cricket Ground - proposed entrance area through from Eaton Road Bob Ryder The new street benches have arrived and have been put into temporary position, and will be looked at when the project resumes. The planters have been delivered and again they will be positioned and filled once the project resumes. A new digital version of the The Treason Show appeal Hove crest has been designed and will feature on both the planters and the new cast iron litter bins. The new LED ‘Classic’ looking lampposts were planned to be installed in May, and this still may happen, but for any reason it does not it will be obvious what had Performing Arts are badly hit by the corona virus. One of the regular caused the delay. The project was making excellent progress and the work was being shows which many of our committee have enjoyed over the years is Mark carried out swiftly until this national catastrophe arrived. Brailsford’s Treason Show – the Not the 9 O’clock News equivalent for Brighton and Hove. If you haven’t seen it yet – do, when it is back. If you It is hard to tell what it will be like when the ‘Lockdown’ is over, and they say it could take have seen it, do join us in supporting the show – it is an essential part of months to get back to some vague normality we knew, but returning when the time Brighton and Hove! Below the appeal by Mark Brailsford. comes will be a first major step in saving our high street, George Street, the businesses In these unprecedented times, the survival of The Treason Show is my only in it and jobs that the street generates. We will no doubt lose some businesses, but new means of income. The show has run for 20 years and is unequivocally my businesses will emerge and create new jobs for the life’s work. We are unsubsidised and don’t have corporate sponsors and community. only survive on our box office income. To this end, I need your support to keep the show going through the covid 19 outbreak to enable us to come When the time comes, and it will, to return to George Street out the other side with the show intact somehow. Personally, as a renter, I we can look forward to the new building work being am facing the prospect of being unable to pay our rent and other bills due completed, or nearly completed, so there will be a new fresh look to George Street that to this virus emergency. Our income has vanished as no one is booking to enough to survive. So, with humble thanks for all hopefully will not only attract the people back but also attract new businesses to George see our shows, in the next few weeks there may not even be any shows as the support we’ve had over the 20 years of The Street to replace those that will unfortunately not survive this crisis. Altogether we can all venues may close. Even if they stay open we face a wipe out of audience Treason Show, I hope to raise enough to keep help rebuild upon this first step to our future success, and rebuild up our street back into numbers and have already had to cancel shows as some of you know. Any going and when this has all calmed down, with the successful community hub it was fast becoming before the arrival of C19. aid you can offer by contributing to our justgiving page would be amazing your help, be able to keep The Treason Show and whilst our plight is now where near the desperation of other sectors alive. Thank you. George Street is not only the heart, but also h eartbeat of Hove. of society (health, OAP’s,homeless) as a self-employed creator of shows Mark Brailsford, Creator of The Treason Show. there is no prospect of the government’s assistance being anywhere near https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfundingtreasonshow?utm_ Love George Street term=Pkdd6Me8A St Aubyn’s / Kingsway

Hove Civic Society is continuing to work with residents role includes waste to enhance the environment in St Aubyns. Based on the and recycling, and the ideas proposed by residents, the plans drawn up by LCE Head of Environment Architects to improve the southern end include: Improvement and • Replacing the waste bins using green, insect friendly Modernisation. containers; We have also held meetings • Greening the space with suitable planters and plants with the Council’s suitable for this seafront site; Conservation Officer • The provision of cycle racks, including rental bikes; and our Central Hove • The provision of some seating and possibly a space for ward councillors. a small sculpture. All have expressed In addition, the plans aim to extend tree planting down strong support for the road to where it widens at the southern end and the plans and we are to improve pavements and the junction with Church now discussing the Road. This junction is very busy and the pavements timetable and how here are uneven due to tree roots and the location of best to prioritise and implement the proposals. Clearly the bins, which create in the current situation all further meetings have been a hazardous conflict put on hold for the time being, including a wider meeting between pedestrians and with residents hosted by the ward councillors who have motorists. donated £1,000 from their ward budget towards the costs of the scheme for the southern end of St Aubyns. Since our last update we have held successful LCE Architects continue to demonstrate their support and meetings with the Chair we are very grateful for their help and for all those who of the Environment have given their time to date. In this renewed climate Committee, the Assistant of community engagement we are optimistic these Director for City improvements can be achieved and deliver much needed Environment, whose benefit for the local area.

Hove Civic Society Gift Aid Declaration We can now claim gift aid on all membership fees. Registered charity 1187602 Please sign the form below to allow us to claim

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Please send this form to: Andrew Haicalis, Treasurer Hove Civic Society, Flat 6, 32 St Aubyn’s, Hove, BN3 2TD

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