Revamp scheme for Edward Street area of Brighton

1:20pm Thursday 28th February 2013 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter

REDEVELOPMENT: Amex House in Edward Street, Brighton, which must be demolished by 2016 REDEVELOPMENT: Amex House in Edward Street, Brighton, which must be demolished by 2016

A multinational's headquarters, law courts and a police station could all be demolished as part of the regeneration of a run-down area.

With staff at American Express currently relocating to the firm’s new £140million building, Brighton and Hove City Council has drawn up a wish list for the company’s former “wedding cake” site in Edward Street, Brighton.

The local authority sees it as a prime plot for homes and offices as part of a wider redevelopment scheme.

In a guide to be used by any future developer, town hall bosses have also included the courts and the city’s central police station in John Street.

However, they made clear any decision to redevelop these sites would depend on the landowners.

The council said the aim of the whole project was to create a “dynamic first class business and residential district with a strong sense of place, distinguished by high quality townscape, architecture and public realm”.

According to the planning brief, which is due to be signed off by councillors next week, any development should be zero-carbon.

The local authority wants to replace the old Amex House building with offices and 65 new properties.

If agreed by the council’s economic development on Thursday, residents will be asked for their views as part of a six-week public consultation.

Geoffrey Bowden, chairman of the council’s economic development committee, said: “The Amex development provides us with the perfect opportunity to look at how we could develop and improve the wider area around Edward Street.

“I am looking forward to seeing the draft proposals and would urge residents to take the opportunity to have their say if the plans go out for consultation.”

American Express has until 2016 at the very latest to vacate and demolish its old headquarters.

The Job Centre Plus block would be the second phase of any development and it is hoped changes to the Amex site could act as a catalyst.

Sussex Police admitted last year it could close its John Street station as the repair costs are too high.

However, the council admitted there is currently no known aspirations by owner Crown Properties to redevelop the Magistrates’ Court.

Also included in the planning brief is Dorset Gardens Peace Park, which the local authority feels could serve its community better.

Comments(9)

Maureen Jenner says...
3:17pm Thu 28 Feb 13

What a pity more forethought was not given before the current built-for-demolition confections were built in the first place.

So many buildings, completely out of sympathy with those already in existence, were thrown up to satisfy architects who had no empathy with the area, or its cultural background. In the second half of the twentieth century, they just wanted to impress with geometric designs in glass and concrete; many of these are now well past their prime and are having to be demolished all over Britain.

A little more thought might have created something that would have been a lasting monument to British craftsmanship rather than a demolition job.

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Bt'n-breezy says...
5:01pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Maureen Jenner wrote:
What a pity more forethought was not given before the current built-for-demolition confections were built in the first place.

So many buildings, completely out of sympathy with those already in existence, were thrown up to satisfy architects who had no empathy with the area, or its cultural background. In the second half of the twentieth century, they just wanted to impress with geometric designs in glass and concrete; many of these are now well past their prime and are having to be demolished all over Britain.

A little more thought might have created something that would have been a lasting monument to British craftsmanship rather than a demolition job.
I completely agree with Maureen Jenner.

I think it is the case that the walls in the small North Laine shops are not allowed to be pulled down which has had the effect of keeping out the chain stores. If there was an opportunity to take up this idea up in a redevelopment of this area it would be welcome.

Brighton has lost a good deal of its style and planners need to think hard about what the essence of the town is.

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kkj says...
5:03pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Would the Argues care to elaborate on it's description of run-down? Admittedly, the jobcentre does the area no favours, but apart from that, its not too bad.

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bug eye says...
5:20pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Do not take inspiration from the vile buildings built over the last few decades especially the one at the corner of edward st/old steine and the ugly newly built old peoples accommodation corner of edward st/freshfield road. who on earth designs these buildings, and moreover who approves them.

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saveHOVE says...
6:04pm Thu 28 Feb 13

"Hunt the Heritage" will be quite the game in decades to come, what with emails in cyberspace instead of on paper and buildings that are put up with 30 year only lifespans.....like the Frank Gehry was designed to be at King Alfred.

Building materials are ephemeral and insubstantial and look tatty very quickly.

Look at the van Alen. Unless it is pristine white, the thing loses all magic and looks a slum. It greys-out very, very quickly and sports a rust streak down one side from a pipe.....rubbish materials to build a lovely design.

The blue glass of the AMEX building is very 'of its time' and dated but the pagoda-like shaping (not wedding cake) is something a bit special and some of us love it.

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rolivan says...
6:16pm Thu 28 Feb 13

Tim if you think this area with most of the buildings constructed in the last 50 years is run down I hate to think how you would describe other areas

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rayellerton says...
6:28pm Thu 28 Feb 13

So, the wedding cake is to be demolished as it is past its sell by date? I worked on that building in 1978, so what is the problem? Most of the houses in Hanover are definitely past it, they were cheaply built workers houses with a far shorter lifespan but they are still standing, but just about...if you take away the render, the bungaroush would disintegrate! If there were an earthquake nearby those type of houses would be dust...

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mimseycal says...
8:15pm Thu 28 Feb 13

There are areas that are run down in Brighton. This is not one of them.

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Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit says...
1:21pm Fri 1 Mar 13

mimseycal wrote:
There are areas that are run down in Brighton. This is not one of them.
Agreed. Anyway, this being Brighton nothing will happen for decades as each scheme suggested will be opposed (by a different group of people each time) and until eventually the area WILL become run-down.

.... and even then different pressure groups will STILL stop development for different reasons!

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