Brighton: Brighthelm Gardens gate plans get green light

Brighthelm Gardens, in Queen’s Road, Brighton, is owned by the Brighthelm Centre but other people are allowed to use it.

Last spring, after a spate of antisocial behaviour, the open access park was fenced “to prevent access for undesirable and unauthorised activities” in it.

Now, proposals for permanent railings around the gardens have been approved by Brighton and Hove City Council.

Plans for permanent gates around Brighthelm Gardens have been approved (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

The railings will go all the way along the Queen’s Road and Church Street sides.

There will be double gates off Queen’s Road and a single gate off Church Street.

The passage to the gardens and vehicle access in North Road would both be gated too.

When the plans were submitted earlier this year, Brighton and Hove Living Streets, a campaign group for pedestrians’ rights, objected to the plans, saying that the proposed changes could limit public access to this “much valued and rare open green space in the middle of Brighton”.

• READ MORE: City gardens closed after knifeman threatens security

In the objection, a spokesman for the group had said: “The current very ugly temporary fencing has already closed the access from North Road to the gardens.

“This suggests that the new railings and gates will also be used to severely limit the use of this footpath, which is much valued by residents to avoid the traffic on Queen’s Road and to enjoy the green space of the gardens.”

A view of North Road and the proposed gates to Brighthelm Gardens (Image: BHCC)

The North Laine Community Association also objected to the plans.

On their approval, a spokeswoman for the NLCA said: "The NLCA has made clear its concerns as to the limiting of public access to the gardens. The officers’ report says the applicants have undertaken to keep the garden open 8am to 8pm but there is no obligation in the consent to do this, nor to provide a through-route. 

"We will continue to press Brighthelm’s trustees to provide and maintain a through-route from North Road to Church Street, at least during daylight hours, as has been used by the local community and visitors for decades.

"We have also expressed our strong concern regarding the very unattractive temporary hoardings, which have been a target for tagging over the last year, and are a depressing sight along Queen’s Road and Church Street. 

"The approval says that these ‘clearly require removal at the earliest opportunity, not least due to the visual harm they create.’ In the short term we urge Brighthelm to remove the sackcloth immediately, as it attracts graffiti which cannot be painted over or erased.’"

But Katie Love, general manager of the Brighthelm Centre, insisted the gardens will remain open to the public as normal. 

She said: "Brighthelm Centre is delighted to have approved planning to install gates in keeping with our listed railings. We look forward to improving the look of our beautiful gardens. 

 "Since we limited access to the garden via one entrance we have seen 90 per cent drop in antisocial behaviour, a return of wildlife and reduction in damage to the nature in the garden.

"We have joined in partnership with a local nursery for children to use the space and we’ve enjoyed seeing the public use the space safely. 

"We remind all that the gardens are open and accessible for the same opening hours as the building, roughly 8am-8pm.

"Our next steps will be funding and instructing the works."