Brighton Black Rock site plans back on the drawing board (From The Argus)

Brighton Black Rock site plans back on the drawing board

7:30am Tuesday 25th October 2011 in News

PLANS for a major regeneration site have gone back to the drawing board.

The latest proposal, to build a permanent coach park at Black Rock in Brighton, has hit the buffers months after a £70 million international arena plan was scrapped.

Brighton and Hove City Council has said it does not have enough money to get the latest proposal for the derelict site off the ground.

The planning saga has already seen a proposal for an international arena and ice rink stall.

The previous Conservative administration set aside £100,000 of Government funding to provide parking for 30 coaches after complaints from residents in Roedean Way about parking problems.

But according to the new Green cabinet the costs of the proposal have spiralled to £200,000 and “competing uses” for the site will now be considered.

Labour group leader Gill Mitchell said an appropriate use for this “key site” must be found.

She said: “I was never in favour of a coach park because I think the seafront is the wrong location for that but it is extremely important that a use is found for Black Rock.

“We need something, like Yellowave, that will draw people to the area. Black Rock is vital to the regeneration of the whole of Madeira Drive.”

But Garry Peltzer-Dunn, deputy leader of the Conservative group, insisted the coach park would solve a problem.

He said: “Residents in Roedean Way should not have to put up with their streets being turned into a car park. We have to wait for officers to look into this further but I hope this will still be viable.”

Transport cabinet member Ian Davey told Brighton and Hove City Council full council meeting last week that the doubling of the cost takes into account drainage work, building a facilities block, ground works and security costs.

Coun Davey was not available for comment yesterday but a council spokeswoman said a report would be prepared by the end of the year and would be used as the basis for the cabinet member decision.