Plans for new house in garden in Saltdean cause uproar

The plans were submitted to Brighton and Hove City Council to construct a single-storey property on land behind 8 Eileen Avenue, Saltdean.

They were then withdrawn following objections from residents.

The site is currently home to a modern apartment building, which replaced a house that previously occupied the land, after receiving planning approval in 2020.

The planning application for that development had proposed an "enclosed private patio" alongside the house's rear, with "a communal lawn and planted areas beyond this".

This landscaping was then stipulated as a planning condition when the approval was granted by the planning committee in 2020.

The modern development at 8 Eileen Avenue (Image: Google) However, the site for the newly proposed dwelling is described in the application as "unused garden land".

The land is owned by the applicants.

The proposal said: "As the proposed house will be single storey, the house will not have any impact on views out from properties in Eileen Avenue.

"The proposal is an excellent example of sustainable development, with no significant or demonstrable adverse impacts of the development."

This marks the third attempt to build a dwelling in the garden behind 8 Eileen Avenue.

The most recent attempt to secure planning permission for the same garden was rejected in September 2023, with planning officers concerned about creating vehicular access to the site.

The proposed site (Image: Lewis & Co Planning) These concerns were addressed in the most recent application, which said: "The current application overcomes the council’s concerns about vehicular access from Lenham Avenue by proposing that the site is accessible by pedestrians only."

However, the plans received strong objections from residents.

One objector wrote: "This site has already been developed to its maximum with a single dwelling becoming flats.

"To squeeze another dwelling into the garden compromises existing residents, is poor design, and causes genuine harm."

Another objector wrote: "The development of further properties without dedicated off-street parking is totally unacceptable."

Drawing showing the proposed house, shaded in beige, with the existing block at 8 Eileen Avenue behind (Image: Lewis & Co Planning) A further objector added: "I strongly object. Our once quiet residential street now has a lot of cars and noisy motorcycles from the flats already squeezed onto this plot."

Independent councillor Bridget Fishleigh, who represents the area, mentioned the application on her Facebook page.

She wrote: "I've just seen the planning application in Saltdean to squeeze a new house into a garden.

"I think that developers are grooming the area to see where there are large gardens where access can be created onto a road."