Public plans to replace "ugliest building in Sussex"

11:54am Thursday 26th April 2012 in News

Multimillion pound plans to redevelop a gateway site will go on show to the public.

Anston House, in Preston Road, Brighton, has been derelict for 20 years and is billed by some as “the ugliest building in Sussex”.

A new team has been brought together by Investec Bank and receivers Stiles Harrold Williams, which assumed responsibility for the site after the previous owners went into receivership.

An exhibition will be held tomorrow and Saturday from 11am to 4pm in the Floriana Rotunda Cafe, in Preston Park.

Mark Latham, of regeneration specialists Urban Splash, which is leading the project, said: “We believe we can create something truly great here – high quality design and a realistic and viable scheme and we really want to hear local people’s views on our proposals.”

Ward councillor Leo Littman said: "This important site, which is at the gateway to our city, has been neglected for too long.

"We are committed to working with the developers to make sure that residents have their say on what will be a major scheme, and hopefully a landmark building."

Comments(27)

PorkBoat says...
12:44pm Thu 26 Apr 12

Let me guess. Offices, shops and...COFFEE SHOPS!

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Le Premier Cru says...
2:49pm Thu 26 Apr 12

Floriana Rotunda Cafe? Floriana? What's that all about?

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Nick Brighton says...
4:01pm Thu 26 Apr 12

Surely the Kingswest (Odeon Cinema building) is uglier?

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MikeyA says...
4:35pm Thu 26 Apr 12

Nick Brighton wrote:
Surely the Kingswest (Odeon Cinema building) is uglier?
I concur!

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bug eye says...
5:18pm Thu 26 Apr 12

unfortunately brighton and hove planning officers are well known for only being able to deliver bland medioca new builds due to its regressive policies that only like victoriana, so another faux yellow brick building with a poundland underneath and a medical centre boring then.

what we really want is a gherkin or a shard please something truly 21st century that is not relying on boxy flats.

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JackStraw says...
6:36pm Thu 26 Apr 12

New England House is the ugliest building in Brighton.

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rolivan says...
6:45pm Thu 26 Apr 12

The saying goes you don't judge a book by its colour, it is what is inside that counts.Taking that into consideration Kings House must be the Ugliest Building in the City.

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rolivan says...
6:46pm Thu 26 Apr 12

rolivan wrote:
The saying goes you don't judge a book by its colour, it is what is inside that counts.Taking that into consideration Kings House must be the Ugliest Building in the City.
Sorry that should have been Cover.

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SicklySeagull says...
6:51pm Thu 26 Apr 12

It should be a bank offering motorists instant loans to enable them to pay for parking charges.

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the bolt says...
7:20pm Thu 26 Apr 12

the ugliest building must be st peters church, its a good site for a proper bus station, with shops toilets, and a multistory car park,,

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fedupwithgreens says...
8:07pm Thu 26 Apr 12

na the hilton and brighton centre are pug ugly buildings, and so are the entire green party and their cronies

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HJarrs says...
8:08pm Thu 26 Apr 12

Urban Splash seem to have one of the best reputations for architectural design, they have made good use of some existing buildings in Manchester for example. Shame a local practice wasn't used though.

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leobrighton says...
9:42pm Thu 26 Apr 12

Who said it was the ugliest building in Sussex? They need to have a good look around.

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Hovite says...
10:03pm Thu 26 Apr 12

Hove Town Hall is a stand out ugly and drab building. Built by the council after they burnt the the original one down.

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vogon1 says...
8:01am Fri 27 Apr 12

Wow. They plan to replace an ugly building with another ugly building. There's vision for you

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Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit says...
12:42pm Fri 27 Apr 12

Two points: Firstly it's not actually the 'Gateway', it's more at the front door after you've come through the gate and gone up the garden path.

Secondly the 'ugliest building in Sussex' is New England House.

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Bob_The_Ferret says...
5:22pm Fri 27 Apr 12

How about a multi-storey traveller park?

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Joshiman says...
7:32pm Fri 27 Apr 12

Ugly with Ugly .Yep thats progress.

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hawksmoor says...
7:03am Sat 28 Apr 12

The Holiday Inn on the seafront beats all the nominations for the ugliest building, it makes New England House look like a masterpiece

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mimseycal says...
7:37am Sat 28 Apr 12

Evidently the term ugly is highly subjective. Personally I found it an increasingly distressing sight all these years.

As for New England House, I concur that it must be one of the most aesthetically displeasing buildings.

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mustaphaLeeko says...
1:35pm Sat 28 Apr 12

What a dreadfully ugly building to be proposed!
Can we please have something eye catching and modern and not just ANOTHER high rise box with glass & steel balconies clad in old sheds like the ones by Brighton station!

Think new, think futuristic, think quirky, think different!

Also, what's with the picture they show of a posh garden with the building in the background, that's clearly a stylised view from across the main road, standing in the park towards the proposed building! Deceptive or what!

Seems todays architects really can't "think out of the box"!!

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pebble counter says...
1:48pm Sat 28 Apr 12

Ugly buildings a plenty in Brighton. New England House, the building at teh south end of the level near the old Phoenix brewery and Free Butt pub, that faces the traffic lights, whatever it's called. Horrible and has been for years. Prince Charles nominated the Kingswest (Odeon) as the ugliest building years ago. The whole of Brighton Marina looks as though it was planned by an argumentative group of unsighted halfwits too.

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Hove Actually says...
3:26pm Sat 28 Apr 12

Hove Town Hall must make any list of bad buildings in the city.
Mind you New England is probably one place above it

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Moodycow70 says...
12:06pm Sun 29 Apr 12

Why don't the council ever ask Brighton tax payers what they want to see.. ? what would you like to see there ?

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brightonandproud says...
8:37pm Sun 29 Apr 12

ugly, then u havent seen the council offices then! chuckle chuckle..

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Joshiman says...
9:16am Mon 30 Apr 12

Lets have two guerkins with a banner between the two .Printed on the banner.Motorists not welcome.It will cost you.

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sunsetoneuk says...
12:08pm Mon 30 Apr 12

I am astounded that the site has been left in such a mess for so many years! I worked in a neighbouring building for sometime, and remember seeing yobs chucking bricks from the roof back then. Given the time involved and the money that can be found in Brighton, it really is a disgrace that we are still just talking about ideas! First the West Pier, then The Brighton Centre. Now Anston House. Oh dear! Can the planning decisions in Brighton get any worse?

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