King Alfred Development - Rob Starr, Crest Nicholson, No 50m Pool

[The Albion Roar]

But this new development doesn't have permission either, so yes, they could just re-submit the old plans and have them approved.

They could re-submit these old plans, but they've already had them rejected.

Would they risk spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on plans that have since been rejected (and fighting the objectors once again), and far from guaranteed from going through? These plans are far more conservative (with a small 'c'), and as such, their blandness would more likely see them through.

They could do dodgy deals to approve them, like they did the first time.

Which dodgy deal from 2005 was that?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Shocking that you could think such a thing. We have a Labour council now, so if the original designs were great, Labour could simply give them permission again. Does that not suit your extreme bias?

To add balance I believe it was a Labour council which promised us the Hanging Gardens Of Babylon on the old Concorde site and gave us a Burger King and an amusement arcade. I felt let down by this as well. Another huge missed opportunity.

 

[Triggaaar]

They could re-submit these old plans, but they've already had them rejected.

They're already had them passed too.

Would they risk spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on plans that have since been rejected (and fighting the objectors once again), and far from guaranteed from going through? These plans are far more conservative (with a small 'c'), and as such, their blandness would more likely see them through.

If the current council wanted the old plans to go ahead, they could simply say so. It wouldn't cost much to resubmit the plans, and the council could simply approve the application. There's no need for them to spend money on expert analysis etc to support the application when it's already been done once.

Which dodgy deal from 2005 was that?

The original decision to pass the plans was surrounded by allegations that Councillors were inappropriately encouraged to approve the application.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

They're already had them passed too.

If the current council wanted the old plans to go ahead, they could simply say so. It wouldn't cost much to resubmit the plans, and the council could simply approve the application. There's no need for them to spend money on expert analysis etc to support the application when it's already been done once.

The original decision to pass the plans was surrounded by allegations that Councillors were inappropriately encouraged to approve the application.

I guess Gehry has moved onto other things and is busy; he's an in-demand architect.

 

[glasfryn]

don't you just love the BBC
BBC south had an article tonight and thought it very clever to ask 3 residents of the area about the development all three were foreign (not one of them British or even born in Brighton and Hove).

 

[knocky1]

To add balance I believe it was a Labour council which promised us the Hanging Gardens Of Babylon on the old Concorde site and gave us a Burger King and an amusement arcade. I felt let down by this as well. Another huge missed opportunity.

The site, Madeira Terrace, is being demolished this year. Onwards and upwards for the Regeneration team, only around 5 storeys for the Soho House Private Members Club.

 

[knocky1]

I guess Gehry has moved onto other things and is busy; he's an in-demand architect.

As I said he is the McDonalds of architecture. His team would do all the work. His input is his name and his output is the money. Ronald McGehry has plenty of time on his hands. He is the architect for the masses.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

maybe the council are going for a 'safe' but boring design after seeing how 'people' lost their shit over the gehry design

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

As I said he is the McDonalds of architecture. His team would do all the work. His input is his name and his output is the money. Ronald McGehry has plenty of time on his hands. He is the architect for the masses.

I think you're being a bit disingenuous here. And as with most architects it's their office which does most of the work: Norman Foster's company is actually called Norman Foster and Partners, David Chipperfield has a team of architects he leans on, ditto say Libeskind. And Gehry Partners LLP is no different....the clue is in the business name.

Check out the film Sketches of Frank Gehry to see what he actually does.

 

[The Albion Roar]

They're already had them passed too.

If the current council wanted the old plans to go ahead, they could simply say so. It wouldn't cost much to resubmit the plans, and the council could simply approve the application. There's no need for them to spend money on expert analysis etc to support the application when it's already been done once.

I'm not sure what your point is.

After approval of a planning application, the applicant must make a start on the project within three years (though exceptions written into the conditions of approval). After that, the approval is annulled. This project was approved ten years ago, and nothing has been done in terms of building it.

If the current council wanted the old plans to go ahead, they would have to be re-submitted. They would then have to be re-considered. Ten years after the original approval, there is always the consideration that the immediate environment around the application had changed, or planning laws may have changed. In short, they have to start from scratch.

A re-submission of an application this size would cost tens of thousands of pounds. (£19,049 + £115 for each additional 75sq m in excess of 3750sq m to a maximum of £250,000 - to be precise)

The original decision to pass the plans was surrounded by allegations that Councillors were inappropriately encouraged to approve the application.

I don't suppose you could define 'inappropriately encouraged'? If so, could you point us to any evidence of these allegations?

 

[Triggaaar]

I'm not sure what your point is.

My point is that I disagree with Herr Tub blaming his political enemy for having the new design in place of the old one.

I don't suppose you could define 'inappropriately encouraged'? If so, could you point us to any evidence of these allegations?

I think I'll pass, thanks.

 

[The Albion Roar]

My point is that I disagree with Herr Tub blaming his political enemy for having the new design in place of the old one.

He's blaming a previous administration (his political enemy, if you wish) for stopping the project from going through - for which he is correct to do so.

I think I'll pass, thanks.

So it was a barbed political comment with no substance, aimed at your political enemy...?

 

[Triggaaar]

He's blaming a previous administration (his political enemy, if you wish) for stopping the project from going through - for which he is correct to do so.

No he isn't. As you said, "the applicant must make a start on the project within three years". It's not the council's fault they didn't.

So it was a barbed political comment with no substance, aimed at your political enemy...?

Not my political enemy, I voted for them for a start. And while I'm not making stuff up, I'm also not wanting to get either myself or the forum into trouble by making a potentially libelous comment.

 

[The Albion Roar]

No he isn't. As you said, "the applicant must make a start on the project within three years". It's not the council's fault they didn't.

Actually, for the most part, it is.

The council previously said that they would work with the applicants in partnership, so all concerned parties continued the project under that premise. Then the new administration told them that they wouldn't do that - principally because they were against the idea, and didn't want it to go ahead. At which point, the applicants understandably withdrew.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

I think it's a reflection of the total lack of imagination and aspiration of politicians. They hold us in contempt.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Er...are competition pools 50 m? They should really be olympic size pools. Does Brighton even have one? It is pretty embarrassing not to.

25m pools are short course competition pools. Guildford Spectrum has one - not a 50m pool. K2 has a 50m pool which is not Olympic sized as it has only 8 lanes. There are no Olympic sized pools in the South East outside of London.

 

[Return of the Rev]

I think it's a reflection of the total lack of imagination and aspiration of politicians. They hold us in contempt.

This!

 

[Triggaaar]

Er...are competition pools 50 m? They should really be olympic size pools. Does Brighton even have one? It is pretty embarrassing not to.

I'm not a swimming chap, so what is all this about a 50m pool, why would we need one? We're not having the Olympics here are we?

 

[Butch Willykins]

I'm not a swimming chap, so what is all this about a 50m pool, why would we need one? We're not having the Olympics here are we?

I concur. There's a bloody great outdoor pool just south of the King Alfred if anyone feels the need to swim more than 25m in a straight line.

 

[knocky1]

I concur. There's a bloody great outdoor pool just south of the King Alfred if anyone feels the need to swim more than 25m in a straight line.

That is the crux of the issue. I personally prefer the straight lines of the almost mid century modern new design whilst many prefer the ubiquitous curves of a ubiquitous Gehry structure.
When it comes to swimming in the sea I do a bit of both.