A developer can build a five-storey block of flats and three storeys of business premises in place of a couple of old warehouses after winning its case on appeal. Brighton and Hove City Council refused Martin Homes’ application to demolish the existing buildings at Saxon Works, behind 303-305 Portland Road, Hove, and replace them with two new taller buildings. The company took the case to appeal with revised drawings for the 26 flats with basement parking and 219 square metres of commercial space and won the case.
The application was refused by the council in March last year because the “scale, bulk, proximity to the site boundaries and location of balconies on the residential building would result in an overbearing impact, overlooking and loss of privacy to the Olive Road residential properties”. Councillors also considered the scheme out of keeping with the pattern and scale of the surrounding area and the number of homes an overdevelopment of the site. Labour councillor for Wish ward Bella Sankey spoke for residents against the application at committee, raising concerns about the developer’s neighbouring property Martello Lofts where the unfinished roof which has exposed some of the existing flats to damage.
Objectors raised the same issue in the appeal. In its appeal statement, the council said planning committee members were particularly concerned about the impact of the plans on homes at 2 and 4 Olive Road. But Martin Homes’ agent Savills said the objections w.