Victorian villas to be restored

9:19pm Monday 12th May 2008

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The restoration of a string of empty Victorian villas into 32 properties has been approved.

Karis Developments, the firm behind the £290 million King Alfred plan, has been granted planning permission to redevelop Dresden House, a former residential care home in Albany Villas and Medina Villas.

The plan was unanimously backed by councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council's planning committee.

The conservation-led scheme is expected to restore the extensive Victorian villas to their original grandeur.

Unattractive extensions and alterations, including ugly fire escapes, will be removed from the buildings in the Cliftonville Conservation Area. Flats, duplexes and family homes will be provided in place of the 72-room care home.

Four large family houses each occupying an entire villa will be sold, together with a mix of one, two and three-bedroom flats and duplex apartments.

The Albany Villas section of the development will become 12 private flats and 12 low-cost apartments, provided in partnership with Southern Housing Group.

On the Medina Villas side of the site, four family homes with private gardens will go on the market alongside four duplex apartments with private gardens.

Trustees of Dresden House said the care home was not financially viable and decided to sell it in 2005.

The Albany Villas side of the care home closed in April 2005 and a year later the Medina Villas section shut.

Many residents of Dresden House were left traumatised after being made to move. Two residents, Alice Pink, 93, and Edna Henshall, 84, both died soon after they were forced out of the home.

Albany Cross Ltd, which is connected to Karis, bought the site last year for £6.1 million.

Josh Arghiros, managing director of Karis Developments, said: "We are delighted that councillors have unanimously supported our plans for Dresden House in Medina Villas and Albany Villas.

"These wonderful properties are in a fantastic position in one of the most desirable areas in Hove and we are very pleased we now have the opportunity to return these unique and very special villas to their original splendour.

"Unfortunately the previous use as a care home did not respect the Victorian architecture and the properties have been neglected for far too long.

"The plans have been developed to restore original features and enhance the conservation area, and it will be wonderful to see the villas brought back into use as beautiful homes."

John Robinson, of Karis, added: "The proposals have been widely supported by local residents and we look forward to starting work on site in the very near future."

In addition to the low-cost housing, a £150,000 contribution will be made to fund public art, education, open space and highways.

Karis is already involved in a number of high-profile projects in Brighton and Hove, including the King Alfred on Hove seafront and the Black Lion Street redevelopment in The Lanes.