Blue Plaques in Brighton and Hove

Hove Civic Society May 2015 newsletter Chairman’s letter demonstrates how emotional the debate has become. I am sure that Dear Members, the inspector will be less than impressed by the Council’s refusal to grant planning permission for an Once a year we try to have a debate about some key urban fringe development in the Rottingdean / issue which affects all of us living and working in Ovingdean area. Hove (and Brighton). This year we invited three of the local parliamentary candidates - Graham Cox, Our planning advisory group tries to keep a cool head Christopher Hawtree and Peter Kyle - to debate the in all this and since the last newsletter we have issue of affordable housing and energy. We had a commented in favour of the proposed Medical Centre superb introduction to the issue by Andy Winter, the at Holy Trinity Church, the proposal to provide an well known Chief Executive of Brighton Housing access to the new Hannington Development at 15 Trust and also by Kyla Ente, the Chief Executive of North Road and the two proposed wind turbines at the Brighton and Hove Energy Services Company Shoreham harbour. We have also urged the Council (BHESCo). A vigorous debate of almost two hours to reject the proposal at Goldsmith Lane, as we ensued and in spite of the length there was much believed it constituted underdevelopment, the praise for the quality and interest of the debate proposal to change from offices to residential at 136- afterwards. You will find more information about 140 Old Shoreham Road as we did not believe that BHESCo and a summary of Andy Winter’s the proposed residential units would be fit for purpose contribution later on in this newsletter. and the renewal of planning permission for the Brighton Ferris Wheel as we believe the temporary The essence of his permission granted for this development was contribution is that we intrinsically linked to the i360 and was to be need more housing, dismantled once the i360 was ready for business. We much more housing, but try to post the letters of support or objection on our that we need somehow website for members to read. to manage the access to that housing if it is going There has been some very good news that I would to benefit those who like to share with you: need it most. This is a huge and complex issue We have finally managed to make a breakthrough in and much of it can only terms of securing funding for the Hove Plinth. be controlled by central Following hot on the heels of an Arts Council Grant, government action. we have now also had a pledge to construct the House building © Ian Britton. What can be done foundation and core of the Plinth. Together with some Licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence locally at the moment is additional pledges on the engineering side and largely confined to the founder and founder members pledges we have now supply side and Andy’s call for build, build, build managed to raise some £55,000. It seems as we are would need a fairly fundamental shift in attitude not just in the foothills, but have climbed half the locally, in the Town Hall and in the minds of both councillors and officers. As I have said many times before we are missing many opportunities and inward investments into the city. This is not least because of an over-cautious approach by planners fired on by an extremely vociferous opposition to virtually any new development in the city. The debate over the City Plan, which has been raging now for several years (and where the inspector now has called for yet more submissions to be with her by the 13th May) Chairman’s letter Hove is where the art is (continued) 2015 is all set to be another year of exemplary quality and variety from our mountain towards our award winning artists in Hove Arts. funding target. There is a detailed account of where we Stunning exhibitions, working studios and curated shows provide inspiration are going next later on in this and delight for all ages, and children's interaction with the arts is encouraged newsletter. By the time you with the Hove Trotter Children's Passport. read this we should have received proposals for the We are open weekends and both Bank Holidays in May and are thoroughly first sculptures for the Plinth looking forward to another fantastic year of exhibiting in delightful homes, and be busy preparing gardens, studios, workshops, a gallery and even a hotel. a shortlist. All this would not have been possible without Look out for the Hove Arts banners outside each venue and welcome in! the incredible effort by the sculpture group. Our proposal to improve Church Road has now been included in the Local Transport Plan 4, which had full Council blessing in April. Although it is unlikely that anything will happen in 2015/6 we will be pushing for work on the scheme to start soon afterwards. A big thank you to Mike Weatherley and our local councillors for supporting the idea. Finally, we are now working with residents in Shakespeare and Coleridge Street to raise funds for street tree planting there. We have also received a small grant from West Hove Forum and will work with them to develop a planting scheme for Portland Road. If A message from the Membership Secretary successful, this could be our SUBSCRIPTIONS: Thank you to everyone who has paid this year’s subscription largest scheme so far. to Andrew. If you have not done so, and I know how easy it is to forget, please could you do so as soon as possible? If you do not yet pay by Standing Order It always strikes me that please consider it as then you do not have to remember! If for any reason you there is so much scope to do are discontinuing your membership (I hope that will not be the case) please things locally, which can be would you let me know at [email protected] or 01273 417303. achieved given enthusiasm and dedication and a little bit E-MAIL ADDRESSES: If you have an e-mail address and are happy to receive of funding. The more we are communications from us in that way and have not given it to me please send it the more we can achieve – so to me at [email protected]. If you are not receiving please join in our efforts. communication from me via e-mail and have given us an address please send me another e-mail as it may be that I do not have a correct address for you as With best wishes several are sometimes ‘delivery failed’. If you have changed your e-mail Helmut Lusser address, please let me know so that I can update my system. Big steps forward for the Hove Plinth Sculpture Project Exciting progress has been made on the Hove Plinth a limestone similar to Portland Stone and suitable project, bringing us ever closer to our goal of for a marine climate. We are also looking for establishing new sculpture on the seafront. sponsorship for broadband cabling (£7,500), cabling for power supply (£6,000), installation of lighting We are very pleased to report that the Arts Council / (£7,000) and landscaping (£3,000). National Lottery approved a grant of £10,000 to help fund our call to artists for sculpture proposals. This A specific appeal for contributions to sculptures will support is particularly valuable, in part because it go out in the summer, once we have chosen the first helps promote confidence in the project and our sculptures to go on the Plinth. ability as an organisation to carry it out. The call to artists to submit their sculpture proposals Contributions and pledges from the public total over went out in March, which was widely reported in the £10,000 so far and we plan to appoint a fundraising press, including BBC South East, Latest TV, The volunteer to help generate further investment. Argus and Brighton & Hove Independent. It was great to see such positive coverage and involvement of the local community in publicising the next stage of the project. Information about the artists’ brief has been sent out to numerous arts organisations, from the Royal British Society of Sculptors to the Brighton & Hove Art Commission. Artists had until 4th May to enter their proposals and we will choose a shortlist of ten from those submitted. Exhibitions to display the shortlisted sculpture proposals will take place at Jubilee Library from We are also thrilled to announce that a local 8th-13th June and Hove Central Library from company has pledged to undertake the basic 15th-20th June. We are also planning a weekend construction of the Plinth pro bono, which will be exhibition on the seafront, at the planned site of the worth £24,000 in kind. This gives the project a plinth 20th-21st June. These exhibitions will enable significant boost and we are very grateful for the the public to get involved in the discussion, and support. We are already receiving engineering contribute to the decision on which sculptures will consultancy from another local firm with a pledge to finally be commissioned for the Plinth. Our selection continue - this will amount to approximately £9,000 panel will meet at the end of June to make the final in kind. selection of three sculptures and to commission small scale models (maquettes) of these. So a big thanks to all who have contributed so far! We have also been working with students at the There is a long way to go and you can all be part of University of Brighton’s Digital Media Art course this amazing project by donating at: regarding the digital capabilities of the Plinth, and www.justgiving.com/hovecivicsociety they have now come up with an excellent range of technological possibilities for us to explore - watch All contributions are welcome! And don’t forget to this space.

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