The leader of the city council said her party will not rest until all of Madeira Terrace’s arches are restored as councillors agreed to plough additional funding into the project. At a special cabinet meeting this afternoon, councillors agreed unanimously to pump a further £3 million into the first phase of the scheme to restore 28 of the 151 arches on Brighton's seafront and create a new fully accessible lift. Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council Bella Sankey said there is an “urgent need for additional funding” to save this part of the city’s “unique heritage”.
The need for additional funding came after the leading bid for the scheme’s contract came in “significantly over budget”. “For too long the terraces have been allowed to deteriorate,” said Cllr Sankey. “The terraces look old and have become a safety concern.
” During the meeting she took a swing at previous administrations and said hers will not delay over the “complex” project. The additional funding for the first phase will require the council to borrow more. Parts of the scheme have been scaled back to reduce costs, although Councillor Jacob Taylor said the plans are “largely” the same.
Cllr Taylor, who is cabinet member for finance and city regeneration, said making headway with the first phase of the scheme will show that the arches can be made “great again” and will “hopefully” attract further external funding for later phases of the scheme. Cost-saving measures to .