brighton & hove urban characterisation study January 2009 contentsurban characterisation study forward introduction 3 This study has been produced by the City Planning map of neighbourhoods Team as part of the ‘evidence gathering process’ 5 necessary to inform the Council’s emerging Local visual character 6 Development Framework. historic development 7 I commend it to you as a comprehensive piece of city-wide urban analysis and character scale & density 8 assessment, which provides an understanding and appreciation of Brighton & Hove’s many and varied movement 10 neighbourhoods. socio-economics 11 landscape character 12 Cllr. Geoffrey Theobald OBE, Cabinet Member for Environment neighbourhood typologies 13 quality assessment map 18 neighbourhood studies (see below) 19 bear road 19 patcham 87 bevendean 23 portslade-by-sea 91 black rock 27 preston 95 coldean 31 rottingdean 99 east brighton 35 round hill 103 hangleton 39 sackville 107 hanover & elm grove 43 saltdean 111 hollingbury 47 surrenden 115 Any enquiries regarding the content of this study should be made to: hollingdean 51 tivoli & prestonville 119 knoll 55 tongdean 123 Design & Conservation Team lewes road 59 university 127 City Planning london road 65 west blatchington 131 Hove Town Hall Norton Road mile oak & portslade village 71 west hove 135 Hove moulsecoomb 75 westdene & withdean 139 BN3 3BQ ovingdean 79 wilbury 143 pankhurst & craven vale 83 woodingdean 147 Contact: Gill Thompson, Senior Urban Designer tel. 01273 292264 introduction 1.1 purpose of the study 1.2 document background 1.3 background policy Brighton and Hove is an historic English city and resort. It is famous Brighton and Hove has rich and diverse patterns of development. National planning policy statements for its cosmopolitan lifestyle, elegant Regency architecture, its To a greater or lesser degree each district or neighbourhood within iconic Victorian seafront and its high quality churches. It has the city exhibits particular urban characteristics unique to that PPS1 Delivering Sustainable Development: The government expanded progressively during the 19th and 20th Centuries along area, and which give it its sense of place or local distinctiveness, is committed to protecting and enhancing the quality of the the coast and onto the downs. During the later part of the 20th and which in turn may contribute to a sense of civic pride and natural and historic environment, and requires a high level Century the city has undergone significant redevelopment to meet local well being. There may also be characteristics or features that of protection for the most valued townscapes. It recognises changing needs and aspirations. have a negative effect. that the condition of our surroundings has a direct impact on the quality of life and that the conservation and improvement Delivering quality change that safeguards the best of the city’s For nearly 40 years the city council has focused on preserving the of the natural and built environment brings social and urban character and secures positive improvements elsewhere special character and appearance of areas of special architectural economic benefits for local communities. It advises that requires a clear understanding of the city’s urban character, past quality or historic interest by designating conservation areas. These development plan policies and planning decisions should influences that have shaped its appearance, for better or worse, areas now account for 20% of the built up area. Elsewhere, and be based on up-to-date information on the environmental and the current trends and pressures upon it. more recently, the concept of delivering an ‘urban renaissance’ characteristics of the area. through the application of tried and tested urban design principles This study aims to provide that understanding through analysis of has been used to regenerate inner city areas. With growing PPS12 Local Development Frameworks: It is important that the city’s urban structure and its neighbourhoods. It will help guide pressure to provide increased housing and services there is local planning authorities have an understanding of what decisions about the location, form and type of future development, also now a need to consider sustainable development objectives exists already before deciding what to change. Background and more particularly will inform the Core Strategy component of including making best use of land. documents are required, which provide a robust evidence the City Council’s Local Development Framework. base for future planning policy documents. Most development change is small and incremental. In some cases The study aims to provide a comprehensive and objective ‘evidence however the change may be large with a more immediate and Local planning policy based’ document that can provide a starting point for how future dramatic effect. But in either case it is incumbent upon the council developments might contribute positively to the evolving urban to consider the effect such change, large or small, will have on the Brighton & Hove Local Plan: policy QD2 requires that character of the city. special and unique identity of the city, and the particular qualities all new developments should take into account local of its neighbourhoods. neighbourhood characteristics, including built form, street layout, topography and natural landscape, landmarks and views, linkages with available local facilities, and patterns Seafront from the Palace Pier of movement. Victorian suburb North Laine shopping street 3 introduction 1.4 methodology 1.5 structure The Urban Characterisation Study aims to identify, analyse and describe in a systematic and objective way The first part of this study is structured to give an initial city wide context, providing a brief those elements or combination of elements that help to form the character of a place. overview of how topography and historic human activity have shaped the four landscape types within the city. Other key criteria have been identified that have had a profound Using best practice developed by the Countryside Agency for Landscape Character Assessment, the city can effect on the development of the city, its visual character and how it functions. be broken down into distinct landscape character types. Within these landscape types the city can be broken down into neighbourhoods based on local association. The detailed character assessments for each neighbourhood are arranged under the four landscape character types so that they can be easily located. These are: To obtain an understanding of relationships between topography, settlement patterns and developments in human activity each neighbourhood has been analysed against the following criteria: 1. Urban Coastal 2. Urban • Historic influences 3. Suburban Downland Fringe • Settlement typology 4. Downland Settlements • Topography and microclimate • Land Use The study identifies different townscape types within the city. These have been mapped • Scale and density and interpreted to produce a broad quality assessment of the city’s landscape. • Architecture • Socio-economic characteristics • Movement • Open space The criteria chosen have been adapted from best practice provided by a number of key urban design publications including: 1. By Design: urban design in the planning system towards better practice: DETR 2. Urban Design Compendium: English Partnerships & The Housing Corporation 3. Towards an Urban Renaissance: Urban Task Force landscape neighbourhoods neighbourhood identification of character by landscape quality analysis townscape types assessment association 4 map of neighbourhoods key to neighbourhoods 1 Bear Road 2 Bevendean 3 Black Rock 4 Coldean 5 East Brighton 6 Hangleton 7 Hanover & Elm Grove A 23 8 Hollingbury 9 Hollingdean 10 Knoll 11 Lewes Road A 27 12 London Road 17 13 Mile Oak & Portslade Village 4 14 Moulsecoomb 8 27 15 Ovingdean A 27 16 Pankhurst & Craven Vale 30 11 17 Patcham 14 18 Portslade-by-Sea 24 19 Preston 6 13 20 Rottingdean 9 21 Round Hill 2 28 19 22 Sackville 26 A 270 23 Saltdean 10 1 24 Surrenden 25 32 21 25 Tivoli & Prestonville 18 22 29 31 7 26 Tongdean 12 27 University 16 A 259 5 28 West Blatchington 29 West Hove 33 30 Westdene & Withdean 31 Wilbury 15 32 Woodingdean 3 33 Central Conservation Areas * 20 23 * The Central Conservation Areas have not been included in this study. These areas have already been appraised in individual Conservation Area Character Statements (see www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/conservation), and in ‘Brighton & Hove: Historic Character Assessment Report, Sussex Extensive Urban Study’ by Roland B Harris, March 2007 A 259 5 visual character relationship between topography and views Developed valleys with views out to surrounding downland Undulating landscape allowing glimpses to the countryside beyond Steep slopes allowing for city-wide panoramas Gently sloping landscape allowing glimpses down to the sea A 23 significant views and landmarks a b c d A 27 p e f g i j k m a A 27 q A 270 h j i m h A 259 k d t n n p q r c s g f u e v b 100m + grand architectural statements r 50m + Church s t u v significant panoramas land above sea level windmill significant views A 259 study area other landmark 6 historic development urban growth Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements were once located The early nineteenth century saw the greatest growth in on the high ground along the coast within the Brighton area. 1850-1900 population and Brighton was one of the fastest growing neolithic Later a Roman Villa was located within the Preston area. towns in England. The major developments of Brunswick It was not until the early Saxon Period that the settlement Town and Kemp Town, built as locations for wealthy 100m of ‘Brighthelmstone’ grew up at the point where the Downs visitors, saw an increase in manufacturing and servicing met the sea. for local needs. These included iron and brass foundaries, 50m 50m brick and lime kilns, furniture making, food processing and During the medieval period the settlement developed into a rapid expansion in tourism. Much of this development a fishing village surrounded by agricultural holdings on the was within the flatter land of Hove seafront, however adjacent hills.