Brighton and Hove council leader urges planners to approve new bank

3:20pm Wednesday 11th July 2012 in News By John Keenan

Plans for a new bank in a city centre that would create 30 jobs could be blocked by councillors.

The leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Jason Kitcat, has stepped in to ask members of the local authority’s planning committee to show more flexibility on proposals for a branch of Metro Bank in North Street, close to Churchill Square.

The bank hopes to shake up the high street lending market when it opens a branch in Brighton.

It has asked the council for permission to raise the ceiling at the former American Express outlet by removing offices on the first floor of the building.

The site is currently occupied by discount bag and shoebox on the corner of North Street and Western Road.

Eliminate Planning officers say this would eliminate future employment opportunities.

Councillor Kitcat, who is a Green Party member for Regency Ward, which includes the Churchill Square area, has written to officers to ask them to change their minds when they consider the plans at a committee meeting on July 18.

In a letter to planning chiefs Martin Randall and Jeanette Walsh, Coun Kitcat said he very much wants to see the space improved and new competition in the local banking market.

He said: “The reasons for refusal, apparently, are fairly theoretical regarding minor loss of retail and office space despite tenants and landlord supporting the changes.”

Coun Kitcat told The Argus: “The fact that Metro Bank wants to open a branch in Brighton and Hove is a feather in the cap for the city.

“It will create jobs and the bank will lend to small businesses in the area. I would like to see planning officers supporting economic development in the city.”

Andy Winter, the chief executive at Brighton Housing Trust in London Road, said the charity had written to the council to support the bank’s proposals.

He said: “We occupy some of the offices in this property and will move out if the bank goes ahead.

“I think the bank will help improve footfall in the area and I hope it will offer good financial products to our clients.”

Metro Bank director Mike Brierley said: “We’re looking forward to meeting with the planning committee next week and demonstrating the benefits that Metro Bank will bring to the Brighton community.

“We’re dedicated to the local communities around all of our stores, and we can’t wait to offer Brightonians the high levels of customer service we’re recognised for.”

Comments(14)

Dirk Von Roden says...
4:10pm Wed 11 Jul 12

Jason Kitcat has brought in a sensible approach to this ! perhaps the Argus can run a Poll on what local business and people think??

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kopite_rob says...
4:18pm Wed 11 Jul 12

This really is a no brainer.
Which is why some council halfwit will probably muck it up.
Not sure that a planning argument that "some one might one day want to use it" when there's empty office & retail space all over Brighton really stacks up.
So removing a little to create 30 jobs doesn't seem like a horrific plan.

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saveHOVE says...
4:32pm Wed 11 Jul 12

There is no shortage of vacant retail space in the city that this bank could have chosen for its new branch. Did they seek alternatives? Or is this a petulant case of Location, Location, Location that is not strictly necessary in order for them to successfully trade.

Did they turn their noses up at, say, London Road? The city needs outfits like this to take space there too.

Why MUST Metro have their bank at this exact address? I wonder too what advice Cllr Kitcat sought from Development Control before making these comments.

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Fight Back says...
4:37pm Wed 11 Jul 12

saveHOVE wrote:
There is no shortage of vacant retail space in the city that this bank could have chosen for its new branch. Did they seek alternatives? Or is this a petulant case of Location, Location, Location that is not strictly necessary in order for them to successfully trade.

Did they turn their noses up at, say, London Road? The city needs outfits like this to take space there too.

Why MUST Metro have their bank at this exact address? I wonder too what advice Cllr Kitcat sought from Development Control before making these comments.
Really not sure why a business would choose London Road over the real city centre. And yes, of course it's location, location, location as you put it. That's rather key for a high street business !!!! Anyway, the answer is rather simple, insert a clause into the planning permission that requires Metro to return the building to its original state should they leave it.

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Noah Lott says...
4:53pm Wed 11 Jul 12

A pat on the back for Mr Kitcat from me... Metro Bank is an upcoming financial player, which doesn't gamble with its customer's savings like its larger counterparts. Friends of mine in London already bank with them and I would certainly consider doing so with their prospective branch in Brighton. We should welcome their presence in our City with arms open wide.

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Noah Lott says...
4:58pm Wed 11 Jul 12

saveHOVE wrote:
There is no shortage of vacant retail space in the city that this bank could have chosen for its new branch. Did they seek alternatives? Or is this a petulant case of Location, Location, Location that is not strictly necessary in order for them to successfully trade.

Did they turn their noses up at, say, London Road? The city needs outfits like this to take space there too.

Why MUST Metro have their bank at this exact address? I wonder too what advice Cllr Kitcat sought from Development Control before making these comments.
London Road is an absolute eyesore and how existing companies and retailers make any profit from being down there, I wouldn't know. The area needs millions spent on regeneration that the City's council simply cannot afford. Let's face it, its been on a downhill slide for far too long now; no sensible new company or retailer to the City will give the concept of opening up there the time of day.

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hovian says...
7:48pm Wed 11 Jul 12

This is a great prime location to site a new bank. Almost anything is better than the festering eyesore of discount premises that have occupied this space for so many years. As for London Road - what dynamic new business would want to locate there....?

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salty_pete says...
8:07pm Wed 11 Jul 12

I just wonder if a councillor, especially a leader of the council, should exert pressure on planning officers. Surely a decision like this should go to the planning committee to be decided and not delegated to officers.

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keswick says...
8:13pm Wed 11 Jul 12

For once JK may be correct. It is time someone came in and took these morally corrupt, theiving banks on. Creating employment and finding occupants for properties must be a priority for any council. As for the suggestion that they locate to London Road I can only assume that comes from someone who has not been down there recently.

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Kate234 says...
7:24am Thu 12 Jul 12

Jason "What a prat KitKat" should be concentrating on saving jobs by improving the detrimental situation in the city that has been caused by the new eye watering parking charges. He shouldn't have the time to meddle around in planning laws over some minor issue like this. There are plenty of empty retail premises in Brighton that should be suitable for this bank and with the drop in footfall caused by the parking charges there were will be plenty more soon. The excellent location of this space will mean someone will take it regardless of the ceiling height. In fact I'm wondering if metro bank have given money to the Green party? It seems odd that Jason is pretending he has any interest in Brighton jobs judging by the Green party's recent actions. Perhaps the Argus should investigate.

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leobrighton says...
9:15am Thu 12 Jul 12

Well done Jason Kitkat for showing excellent leadership on this. Of course he is absolutely right and its certainly a feather in his cap. It would be an outrage if this application was turned down because of unellected officials. Would a few cuts in that area save us from a council tax rise next year jason?

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leobrighton says...
9:15am Thu 12 Jul 12

Well done Jason Kitkat for showing excellent leadership on this. Of course he is absolutely right and its certainly a feather in his cap. It would be an outrage if this application was turned down because of unellected officials. Would a few cuts in that area save us from a council tax rise next year jason?

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Morpheus says...
12:33pm Thu 12 Jul 12

How can this be refused because of loss of retail space when there are empty shops and offices everywhere?

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salty_pete says...
2:49pm Thu 12 Jul 12

leobrighton wrote:
Well done Jason Kitkat for showing excellent leadership on this. Of course he is absolutely right and its certainly a feather in his cap. It would be an outrage if this application was turned down because of unellected officials. Would a few cuts in that area save us from a council tax rise next year jason?
Maybe the "unelected officials" know more about planning law than the councillors. The only time I've had consult with my local councillors I soon found out that they knew precious little about planning law. I suspect that also applies to Mr Kitcat

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