Removal of the Mazda fountain.

As part of the proposed Valley Gardens redevelopment scheme the current plan is to remove the Mazda Fountain. There are several reasons for this decision:-

• The Mazda Fountain has no inherent historic connection to Valley Gardens – it was designed for the British Empire Exhibition in London.
• Because the Fountain was designed for a very different environment, it is not particularly suited to the Valley Gardens context.
• The inefficient operation of the fountain is inconsistent with principles of sustainable water management.
• Better use could be made of money currently spent operating and maintaining the fountain – potentially this money could contribute to a more efficient water feature designed for the Valley Gardens context.
• The current fountain takes up a large amount of space that could be better used for other purposes.

The new fountain / water feature proposed would be situated in front of St Peters and include a shallow, low maintenance and ecologically beneficial rill running through the area.

See also: The Mazda Fountain.

Crowdfunding for the Hippodrome

£25,000 is needed to fund Phase 2 of the campaign which includes the commissioning of full architectural plans.

If just 1% of the City's population pledges £10 they'd be there.

Go to:- http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/hope-for-hippodrome-fighting-fund/

Brighton Museums website

The Royal Pavilions & Museums now has a beautiful-looking new website.

The Home page
(This is the page to bookmark)

The buttons along the top link to the 5 different locations and the 6th button 'Discover' on the right enables you to explore in depth. 

Discover

The Discover page has buttons for Collections, Learning, Get Involved Highlights, Blog, and What's On.

Collections 

The Collections page has links to; Natural Sciences, World Art, Decorative Art, Local & Social History and Fine Art.

Coupled with its great looks, the straightforward and intuitive navigation makes the site a pleasure to visit.  A great improvement on the old.

Another litter rant

If you thought that all modern litter was the same motley collection of drink containers and fast-food wrappers think again. There seems no limit to the creativity of the contemporary litter-lout. This collection in Braypool Lane features collapsed balloons and exhausted Mosa 'cream chargers'.

Cream chargers are filled with nitrous oxide; the balloons were presumably used to assist inhalation.  It must have been a good party.

Other rants about litter:-
Does this make you as cross as it does me?
Fly-tipping.
University litter louts.
Pavilion Gardens litter

Carlton Hill development.

In a series of earlier posts Brighton Bits inveighed against a proposed development (see BH2012/04086/7) on Carlton Hill mainly with reference to the proposed demolition of an ancient flint wall.

Earlier design

Although the earlier application was approved by the planning committee the architects have commendably returned to the drawing board to take account of comments by the Conservation Advisory Group and the Brighton Society.

New design

In the latest application, BH2015/00333, the use of render and pitched roofs, with a ridge line that is “stepped” to reflect changes in gradient, has produced a design more respectful of the surrounding conservation area and neighbouring listed buildings.

There is also an improved layout for the office space making it more attractive to users. It is estimated to have a greater employment potential than the existing buildings on the site.

Unfortunately the old flint wall is doomed but the proposed replacement looks much better than that originally proposed and similar to many Victorian/Edwardian flint and brick walls to be seen around Brighton.