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UPDATE: Music Lovers Oppose Plans For Flat Above Iconic Brighton Venue

Tuesday, 23 May 2023 06:00

By Sarah Booker-Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter

Scores of music fans have rallied to fight plans for new flats opposite a popular city centre music venue.

Haysport Properties Ltd wants to convert offices above an empty shop opposite the Hope and Ruin Pub and Rossi Bar on Queen’s Road into six flats.

In just two days, 163 people objected to the planning application on Brighton and Hove City Council’s online portal, saying future neighbours could complain about the noise.

Many refer to music venues such as The Freebutt, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar and Blind Tiger, which closed due to noise complaints.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning policies state:

“The continued operation of pubs and other venues, including those featuring live music, is protected from being compromised by new, sensitive development on nearby sites through the ‘agent of change principle’.”

One objector, whose details are removed on the council’s website, said:

“I am concerned that this will have a significant impact on Brighton’s thriving music scene, with residents then being able to close down venues with a noise abatement request as we saw with The Freebutt and Sticky Mikes.

“The Hope and Ruin pub, in particular, is a vital part of our town with the likes of superstars, Adele, Dua Lipa and The Strokes having played there.”

The operators of the Hope and Ruin, a Laine Pub Company venue, have also objected to the plans.

They said:

“We believe a residential development in such close proximity to us would not take into account our long-established activities over many years as a music venue and would not be consistent with the commercial nature of Queens Road.

“Within metres of the proposed development, there are three music venues that would be in jeopardy should the change of use take place.”

The third venue is not specified.

An objection from the Music Venue Trust charity criticises the noise assessment carried out by Venta Acoustics was not made in collaboration with the two “grassroots venues” to establish a “worst case scenario”.

The charity said:

“The noise assessment concludes that the impact of noise will be well in excess of standards, and significant mitigation in terms of building fabric and glazing specification will be required to make the units habitable.

“However, the assessment appears to make assumptions about the existing building fabric, but these are untested and unspecified.

“Non-opening windows are not proposed, nor is any form of air conditioning, making noise complaints much more likely. Even with windows closed, the noise assessment expresses uncertainty.”

The application, written by UPP Architects and Town Planners, includes a noise impact assessment which states measurements were carried out between Tuesday 13 and Thursday 15 September 2022.

According to the report by Venta Acoustics, the daytime average noise was 65 decibels (dB) and at night, from 11pm to 7am, it was 61 dB.

The report said:

“The noise associated with the pubs on Queens Road is due to the voices of customers outside, with a lesser contribution from music noise breakout.

“The loudest period of the night associated with the pub is at closing time, when average noise levels increase to between 60-65dB, with maximum events ranging between 75-80dB.”

If Brighton and Hove City Council grants the application, the top part of the building will be converted into four one-bedroom and two, two-bedroom flats.

The application is available to view by searching for BH2023/01234 on the council’s planning website.

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UPDATE

Plans to convert office space into flats opposite two popular Brighton music venues have been withdrawn.

Haysport Properties Ltd submitted a planning application for 125 Queen’s Road, Brighton.

The move sparked outrage from music fans concerned for the future of the Hope and Ruin and the Rossi Bar live music venues opposite.

Brighton and Hove City Council head of planning Liz Hobden said that the latest application was withdrawn on Tuesday 23 March.

This move would not prevent Haysport Properties from submitting another application in the future.

Once live music fans learnt about the application to turn the top part of the building into four one-bedroom and two two-bedroom flats, they deluged the council’s planning website with objections.

By yesterday (Tuesday 23 May), there were 169 objections after the venue and fans raised awareness over the weekend.

Many of the objections referred to music venues such as the Freebutt and Blind Tiger which closed after noise complaints.

Green councillor Ellen McLeay, who represents West Hill and North Laine, said that her party was working with the Hope and Ruin team to reach a “positive outcome” should a future application be made.

She said:

“Brighton and Hove is a cultural hotspot. It is a key reason so many people visit the city and why so many want to live here.

“Having just witnessed the buzz and excitement in the city during the Great Escape, it is essential we protect the important role that live music venues play in nurturing creative talent.

“While the need to increase housing in our city is an urgent issue, we also need to protect grassroots venues like the Hope and Ruin from being restricted by new development and find ways to mutually achieve these goals.”

Councillor McLeay said the “agent of change” principle has been adopted as part of the council’s planning policy. It required the right level of soundproofing to ensure that any new residents would not be disturbed by live performances from the existing venue.

The Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, Caroline Lucas, wrote to the council to share her concerns about the application after the Music Venue Alliance contacted her.

She urged the council’s Planning Committee to “ensure that the importance of these venues are fully taken into consideration” as they “nurture new talent”.

After the application was withdrawn, she said:

“I’m glad this planning application has been withdrawn.

“The live performance and creative arts sectors are not only essential to Brighton and Hove’s tourism and night-time economy, they are a fundamental part of the city’s identity. We must ensure that our precious music venues are protected.”

Haysport’s agent, UPP Architects and Town Planners, was approached for comment.

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