The Brighton & Hove City Council Planning Committee met on 3 September 2025, and approved plans for temporary beach huts on Hove promenade, alterations to a property in Saxon Close, and external repairs to the Brighton Dome.

Beach Huts on Hove Promenade

The committee voted to grant planning permission for the temporary installation of 11 timber beach huts on the Esplanade South of Brunswick Lawns, Kingsway, Hove, for a four-month period each year (June to September) until the end of September 2027.

The application was partly retrospective, as the huts had already been in place for most of the summer season.

The decision was subject to conditions, including that the huts must only be in place between June and September, and that a management plan be submitted to minimise the impact on neighbours, covering hours of use, booking systems, crime prevention, condition monitoring, contact details for residents, and encouraging sustainable travel.

Responses were received from 19 individuals, objecting to the application raising concerns including:

• Impact on the views of the listed Brunswick Square, Brunswick Terrace and heritage assets
• The dimensions are not in keeping with the traditional beach huts
• Visual clutter
• Security cameras and impacts on public privacy
• No benefits to residents
• Increase of parking on the promenade
• Creating opportunities for camps to be set up behind on the lawns
• Inadequate consultation
• No consideration of the heritage impacts in the application submission
• Concerns about the use of the huts in conjunction with the adjacent Meeting Place Café
• Conflicts with the rules and regulations of beach huts
• Obstruction of views of the seafront
• Inaccurate site location
• Inaccuracies on the application form

Councillor Ollie Sykes also objected to the application, stating:

• The development interferes with the protected vista from Brunswick Terrace
• The development contravenes 1830s legislation limiting development at this location
• There is inconsistency between the area indicated in the plans and the actual area of build, indicating potential for further such adverse development
• The development interferes with the setting of a Grade 1 listed square of international importance and other listed heritage assets
• Consultation on this development either with ward Councillors, local Friends Of groups or neighbours was limited /non-existent and reports indicate that neighbour consultation letters were not in fact received.

The council's Heritage Officer objected to the siting of the huts, due to their location directly opposite the Grade I Listed Brunswick Terrace, stating that the huts would affect the setting of these historic buildings and interrupt views.

The report noted that:

Case law has held that the desirability of preserving a listed building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest it possesses, and the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of a conservation area should be given considerable importance and weight .

However, the officer's report also stated that the development is temporary, and there is a 70m separation distance including the busy A259 coastal road. It was considered that the development would cause less than substantial harm to the significance of the Brunswick Town Conservation Area and the setting of the nearby Listed Buildings, and that the public benefits of facilities that supports the use of the seafront (coupled with the temporary nature of the permission), outweigh the harm identified.

Sussex Police suggested crime prevention measures relating to the use of the outside areas of the huts, fire assessment, and physical security.

The Conservation Advisory Group objected to the development on the grounds that:

• The application proposals conflict as to content, and in principle with the Council's Seafront and Heritage policies
• The proposals conflict with the Brunswick Square and Terrace Act 1830 Section 113
• The development is inappropriate to the Brunswick Lawns and Hove Lawns, blocking open unobstructed views of listed buildings and of the sea from the listed buildings
• The development is inappropriate in the setting of the Grade I, II* and II listed buildings known as Brunswick Square and Terrace, Embassy Court and Peace Statue and Seafront shelter
• The development is inappropriate being adjacent to locally listed Brunswick Lawns and seafront railings
• The group expressed concern that the temporary consent would become permanent

The report noted that the agent and the Seafront Team have confirmed that it is the intention to purchase the huts on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council once the use on a temporary basis has ceased, in order to replace existing huts in poor condition or positioned in places where there are currently gaps.

Alterations to 7 Saxon Close

The committee voted to grant planning permission for amendments to the plans approved under BH2024/00692 for 7 Saxon Close, Saltdean.

The application sought to vary condition 1 of BH2024/00692 to allow for changes to the approved plans which include:

• A new excavated patio area to the front of the property and an enlarged patio to the rear at basement level
• New balustrading around the patio areas
• Alterations to the stepped access and changes to fenestration
• Alterations to the garden layout including new stepped access from basement to ground level
• Revised conditions on archaeology and ecology which are updated where acceptable details have already been approved under previous applications.

Representations were received from 5 people, objecting to the proposed development for the following reasons:

• Increased traffic
• Detrimental effect on property values
• Noise
• Overdevelopment/overcrowding
• Restriction of view
• Too close to boundary
• Lack of communication with neighbours
• No consideration for retaining wall between Tumulus Road and Saxon Close.
• Heat pump too close and will cause a disturbance,
• Loss of sea view.
• Poor design
• Inappropriate height of development
• Likely to increase pavement parking.
• Removal of turning head a concern.
• Loss of amenity and privacy.
• Noise during construction.

The report stated that impacts on property values and noise during construction are not material planning considerations¹.

The report concluded that the amendments to the proposal would cause no harm to the character and appearance of the area, and would not cause any harms to neighbouring residential amenity.

Brighton Dome Repairs

The committee voted to grant listed building consent for external repairs to the Brighton Dome, Church Street.

The application proposed masonry repairs, repointing, paint removal, render repairs, repairs to stonework including merlons², pinnacles³ and cornices⁴, application of limewash coating to stonework and renders, low pressure jet washing, window repair and redecoration.

The council's Heritage Officer raised no objection to the proposal, but stated that some of materials should be better justified and specified in the proposal, and that any replacement materials should be prepared on site and inspected to compare with the original.

The report concluded that the works are for repair and restoration of the Grade I Listed Building and do not involve the loss of historic fabric, and that the proposals are considered to suitably protect and preserve the special historical interest of the Listed Building.

New Appeals

The committee noted the new appeals received between 03/07/2025 - 06/08/2025.

These included appeals against decisions relating to:

• 269 Preston Drove
• 47 Ladies Mile Road
• 98 Greenways
• 3 Cliff Top Heights
• Land to the east of 10 Linchmere Avenue
• 9 The Beeches
• 77A Dyke Road Avenue

Appeal Decisions

The committee noted the appeal decisions for the period between 23/07/2025 - 19/08/2025.

These included:

• 139 - 142 North Street - Appeal Allowed
• 18-19 Charlotte Street - Appeal Dismissed
• 23C Shirley Drive - Appeal Dismissed
• 34 Queens Park Rise - Appeal Dismissed
• Paskins Hotel, 19 Charlotte Street - Appeal Dismissed
• 50 Kings Road - Appeal Dismissed
• 86 - 87 Preston Street - Appeal Dismissed
• 7 The Furlong - Appeal Dismissed
• Emblem House Home Farm Business Centre Home Farm Road - Appeal Allowed