Brighton Level's skatepark plans given green light (From The Argus)
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Brighton Level's skatepark plans given green light
4:24pm Wednesday 15th August 2012 in News
A controversial skatepark has been given the go-ahead despite thousands of people objecting.
Brighton and Hove City Council applied to move the facilities at The Level as part of a £2.7 million revamp of the area.
Opinion among locals was split with some claiming it would become an important community resource while others questioned the loss of open space.
Last week, the local authority’s planning committee agreed to the proposals in a split vote.
A petition of more than 3,000 signatures was previously presented by the Keep The Level Green group while a further 70 letters of objection were received with most concerned about the loss of open space.
One objector said: “It seems to be a sport subject to fashion, the next generation of youngsters maybe |losing interest leaving use with a pile of concrete.”
However, more than 150 letters supported the plans claiming there had been a skatepark in the area for more than 30 years.
A spokesman for Brighton and Hove Skateparks Association said: “The better the facility is the more pride the community will take in preserving it.”
The application is part of a wider restoration of the park including new fountains, public areas and the restoration of two pavilions.
The existing skatepark area will become a sensory garden containing plants of different smells and textures.
It will be moved to the southern quadrant in the undeveloped part of the park, which is bordered by Ditchling Road and Union Road.
The local authority added the western part of the quadrant, which has been a hard surface since the 1960s, will be grassed over.
The council has already secured £150,000 to develop the new area and is seeking an extra £250,000 to fund further phases of its construction.
Work is expected to start by the end of this year.
Conservative councillor Carol Theobald said: “They have been waiting 12 years for a new facility. I think it will be a really great asset for the city.”
Green councillor Geoffrey Bowden said: “I’m slightly torn on this one because of the use of The Level and it may reduce it.
“However, I’m mindful we are in Olympic fever and I can imagine this will be in great demand for young people who want to take up BMXing.”
But Conservative councillor Geoff Wells said: “I don’t want to see this green lung in the centre of Brighton concreted over. If it happened here I fear it could happen in Queen’s Park.”
Labour councillor Les Hamilton said: “I do agree it’s a much better skatepark. But I’ve lived here all my life and been led to believe the Rose Walk separated the amenities from the open space. I don’t want to break the Brighton tradition.”
Editor's note: This article first appeared in the print edition on August 9.
Comments(14)
Jules D.
says...
6:34pm Wed 15 Aug 12
One should question if the green councillors were voting without their party political hat on (6 votes in favour, 2 against and 4!! abstained - party info tbc).
Also one needs to question why none of the other aspects raised by objectors were considered for review...floodlighti
ng until 10pm in a residential area, lack of health & safety fencing, lack of equality impact assessment, invalid 3-point noise assessment.
....and why were alternative sites not reviewed which would not impact on green OPEN space, for example the existing location or Black Rock.
Please can the Green Councillors come out and justify this project to the voters in their wards (and please do not quote the outcome of the 2011 consultation!).
keswick
says...
8:20pm Wed 15 Aug 12
HJarrs
says...
9:28pm Wed 15 Aug 12
I for one am looking forward to this development. My only major concern is the long term future of the water feature as these are notorious for not being maintained.
NickBrt
says...
10:19pm Wed 15 Aug 12
D360
says...
10:47pm Wed 15 Aug 12
Sounds good to me
frida_3
says...
7:54am Thu 16 Aug 12
Disguising the project with plants and flowers is just an excuse to make us feel good about the ridiculous idea. It's not the Bronx-New York we live in, it's Brighton, if that helps,
lilleveller
says...
8:02am Thu 16 Aug 12
D360 wrote:''Sounds good to me".
More space for skaters, less space for druggies and drunkards, more lights for the rest of us.
Sounds good to me
That's because you're an idiot.
lilleveller
says...
8:05am Thu 16 Aug 12
HJarrs wrote:I’m struggling here HJarrs... When you call this a ‘progressive move’, do you mean as in the council ‘progressively’ thieving historic public land from right under the public nose (to loud cheers from folk too blind to see what’s going on right in front of them?) Or do you mean ‘progressive’ as in Heritage Lottery funding works that entail converting a historic open green into a modern concrete wheeled sports destination venue, and, a historic children’s playground into modern formal public gardens? Or, I don’t know, maybe you see ‘progression’ in the planned introduction of a permanent police presence on The Level to protect all those new council quality facilities from pesky locals and you know, to keep all us ‘drunks and junkies’ under firm council control? Actually, come to think of it, there is something very ‘progressive’ about all this... mmm.
As long as the quality of the facilities are high then this will be a really progressive move, despite the loss of a bit of open space, as the Level will be more intensively used as a whole by a wider part of the community. But quality is the key!
I for one am looking forward to this development. My only major concern is the long term future of the water feature as these are notorious for not being maintained.
Crystal Ball
says...
9:35am Thu 16 Aug 12
kawaiisakuranbo
says...
10:02am Thu 16 Aug 12
lilleveller wrote:What's with the aggression? Calling someone an idiot for having an opinion. Anyone would think these are comments on a YouTube page!
D360 wrote:''Sounds good to me".
More space for skaters, less space for druggies and drunkards, more lights for the rest of us.
Sounds good to me
That's because you're an idiot.
I think it's a great move. The quality of the skate park is pretty aweful right now. The lagoon benefits from good skate facilities and the people who visit the other facilities eg the cafe, never grumble. When Shoreham skatepark was built this led to a designated area, where skateboarders can take their sport seriously. Compare that to the level where it's a grotty hang out lacking in serious skate facilities, along with no lighting, which leads to it being a dodgy place to be in the evening, for adults and young teens.
The area it's being moved to looks like a baron desert, so there's no loss there!
As for the noise, it might be a bit noisier but people choose to live by the level, it's already a 'noisy' place, and a lot of that comes from drunks at night and the playground during the day. It's also host to the fairground visits. Sorry if you disagree but the level is in a state at the moment. It needs a major turn around.
Not everyone understands skateboarding. Well that's because it carries a lot of stigma and I understand why, some kids give it a bad name. However there is a huge community of people who treat it as a sport and are very passionate. For them there is no where to go that's good without travelling to Portslade or further.
Please don't scream 'idiot' at me. These are my opinions, so let's hear yours.
fordinner
says...
12:42pm Thu 16 Aug 12
Gillespie
says...
4:50pm Thu 16 Aug 12
dungagin
says...
7:59am Sat 18 Aug 12
kawaiisakuranbo wrote:Not everyone understands skateboarding because it is a minority sport with the profile of the average skater being white, male and 13.5 years old.
lilleveller wrote:What's with the aggression? Calling someone an idiot for having an opinion. Anyone would think these are comments on a YouTube page!
D360 wrote:''Sounds good to me".
More space for skaters, less space for druggies and drunkards, more lights for the rest of us.
Sounds good to me
That's because you're an idiot.
I think it's a great move. The quality of the skate park is pretty aweful right now. The lagoon benefits from good skate facilities and the people who visit the other facilities eg the cafe, never grumble. When Shoreham skatepark was built this led to a designated area, where skateboarders can take their sport seriously. Compare that to the level where it's a grotty hang out lacking in serious skate facilities, along with no lighting, which leads to it being a dodgy place to be in the evening, for adults and young teens.
The area it's being moved to looks like a baron desert, so there's no loss there!
As for the noise, it might be a bit noisier but people choose to live by the level, it's already a 'noisy' place, and a lot of that comes from drunks at night and the playground during the day. It's also host to the fairground visits. Sorry if you disagree but the level is in a state at the moment. It needs a major turn around.
Not everyone understands skateboarding. Well that's because it carries a lot of stigma and I understand why, some kids give it a bad name. However there is a huge community of people who treat it as a sport and are very passionate. For them there is no where to go that's good without travelling to Portslade or further.
Please don't scream 'idiot' at me. These are my opinions, so let's hear yours.
John Fallon says...
6:25pm Wed 15 Aug 12
Looks like another council consultation that got the result the council wanted all along. What a surprise.