Greenway vandalism update.

Further to the earlier post BHCC is not responsible for these lighting bollards. BHCC are however trying to contact the owners presumed to be the original developers.

Greenway vandalism

The lighting bollards along the Stroudley Road section of the Greenway were ruined by mindless vandals several weeks ago. Now none of them work. Council reaction so far seems to have been to tape over the exposed wiring and openings.

The Graffiti scourge.

From the Brighton & Hove Heritage Commission:-

In the past twelve months Brighton and Hove has become the victim of an epidemic of graffiti, artlessly and indiscriminately scrawled across every unguarded wall and render, or so it seems. No building is safe. Even security shutters are not safe. Property owners hardly dare put up scaffolding for fear of enabling access to these talentless vandals.
It is a well known fact that graffiti, if not removed immediately, quickly leads to even more graffiti which in turn leads to defacement of the whole neighbourhood, like a cancer, bringing the area down both aesthetically and economically as it increasingly resembles a ghetto. Our city already suffers from a large number of empty commercial premises and these are even less likely to be re-let if graffiti is allowed to proliferate. Read on.

Fly-tippers beware.

Fly-tipping in Braypool Lane.

CCTV cameras are to be introduced in an attempt to stop flytipping in Brighton & Hove streets and will be funded with money raised by fining people for a range of environmental crimes.

The authority has been able to issue fixed penalty notices for fly tipping since May 2016 under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The maximum fine imposed by the council is currently £300.
Alternatively it can prosecute via the courts under the same legislation.  The maximum penalty from a Crown Court is up to five years imprisonment or an unlimited fine.

The move is part of the city council’s drive to tidy streets and improve the environment.  In February this year it started using contractors 3GS to issue fixed penalty notices for environmental offences.  In the first six months they issued 1082 penalty notices, compared to just 80 in the whole of the 2014/15 financial year.

Environmental crimes common in the city range from flytipping, flyposting and littering to unauthorised distribution of leaflets. Businesses are causing problems illegally dumping refuse in communal waste or recycling bins, increasing the city’s waste and driving down recycling rates.  All businesses are legally obliged to have a waste disposal contract with a licenced operator.

The council says it will respect people’s privacy but use CCTV in a very targeted way to tackle anti-social criminal behaviour at problem locations and help it to meet legal obligations to keep areas free of litter and refuse.

A report on the matter is going to the environment, transport and sustainability committee on October 11.  It can be seen here among the agenda papers for the meeting.

See also:-
Fly-tipper caught in the act by helicopter.
Another litter rant.
Fly-tipping.

Fencing for Patcham Place

An application SDNP/14/03236/FUL to the South Downs National Park Authority to fence the immediate surroundings of Patcham Place has been approved. The green line in the map above indicates the line of the fencing which will be made of mild steel in a traditional estate style. Traditionally wrought iron would have been used but this is no longer commercially available.

There is no evidence that Patcham Place was ever provided with gates but the proposed design is borrowed from existing 18thC examples and is typical of that which would have been used by the provincial gentry. They will be hung from piers of Portland stone with inset panels of knapped flint.

The installation of fencing has been prompted by:- 

• uncontrolled vehicle parking by third parties whether commuters or users of the adjacent public park and sports pitches.
• the lack of any perimeter control at night and hence the ability of vehicles to gain free access to the immediate vicinity of the building. 
• recurrent problems of lead thefts from the roof and the resultant costs and potential for serious damage to the fabric of the listed building. 

Previous post: Patcham Place proposals.

Broken glass in Preston Park playground.

Yesterday a friend allowed her granddaughter to go barefoot in the popular children's playground in Preston Park. Within a few minutes one of the child's feet was bleeding profusely from a serious cut. Even though my friend's chief concern was getting the child back to her car and treatment as soon as possible, she had time to notice that the immediate area they were using was bestrewn with shards of green and brown glass.

One can guess that the scenario leading to this deplorable situation involved inebriated youths, alcohol and the late hours of the day or early hours of the morning. A long-term legislative solution would be to ban the sale of beer, cider etc. in glass bottles. 

Children should surely be able,  even encouraged,  to go barefoot within the small areas of public space especially set aside for them.

University litter-louts

This little tower of flint and brick is situated on the Downs above the Sussex University campus and seems designed simply to mark a viewpoint over the valley to the Amex Stadium beyond. 

The tower is without any kind of dedication but is bestrewn with the remains of barbecues, discarded wrappings and broken-glass. Perhaps a plaque to the  "Patron Saint of litter-louts" would be appropriate?

Fly-tipping

Fly-tipping near Braypool roundabout. Old furniture and, in the distance, bags of builders' waste which contain what appears to be broken asbestos sheeting. I would stop short at calling for the death penalty for the perpetrators, but stocks and pillory would seem entirely appropriate. Perhaps the public could be permitted to pelt them with the smaller items of their rubbish. 

Of course the first priority is to catch them and this is where modern technology could surely come in. Wild-life photographers seem to be able to perform marvels with cleverly concealed autonomous cameras. Could not similar items be deployed to catch fly-tippers? It would only need one or two which could be moved around between likely spots thus creating uncertainty in the minds of potential offenders. It would be even better if any fines could be hypothecated towards the cost. But, if this is not possible and cost is a problem, do we really need all the cameras dotted around the City Centre and trained for 99% of the time on mainly law-abiding citizens? 

Madeira Lift restoration

View east along Marine Parade in the early 1900's

After a year of restoration work the covers came off the Grade II Madeira Terrace lift this week to reveal a stunningly renovated roof complete with corner griffins and dolphin weathervane. and dramatic new LED lighting.

As originally opened in 1890, the lift was powered by hydraulics. It descends into a shelter (now Concorde 2) which was designed to accommodate visitors during bad weather.

In February 2003 thieves dressed as workmen erected stolen scaffolding around the top of the lift and stole the dolphin weathervane. In 2007 a man walked into the John Street Police station deposited the weathervane on the counter and left without saying a word.

Major work to the lift mechanisms and shaft was carried out in 2009 - the present roof work was the final phase of the restoration project

Two of the original griffins, which sit on the corners of the roof, have been repaired and the remaining two cast to match. The large orb and weathervane have also been repaired and were finally lifted into place by five men who carefully adjusted the dolphins and compass to point in the correct directions.

Lightning protection hidden within the structure has also been added along with exterior lighting so the roof and lift to be seen at night.

The lift operates from Easter and throughout the summer season.

Pavilion Gardens litter

The scene at 10 am.

Two hours later some of the litter was in the process of being cleared away by two individuals with black bags and a litter picker. They were not identifiable as Council workmen. One surmises they were simply public-spirited residents.

Medina House squalor

Some good photos on "Save Hove" . . .

Horsdean traveller site

This piece of land, formerly part of the Brighton Rugby Club playing field, was quickly colonised by travellers when the A27 Brighton bypass was opened in 1996. Over the following two years the number of caravans rose to over 180 and the situation became quite chaotic.  In 1998 the Council sent in the bailiffs and the travellers scattered throughout the City leaving behind an indescribable mess.  The Council then drew up proposals for a legal transit site, and opposition of local residents crumbled when the Government refused a public enquiry in December that year.

A permanent site, with drainage and toilet facilities and hard-standing for 23 caravans, was opened in September 1999. Occupants had to prove a need to stay in the area, were charged £40 per week and  limited to 6 months stay at any one time.

In 2002 the travellers received a £2000 grant from the Scarman trust for play equipment. In 2005 the Council was awarded £159,000 from a Government grant to help towards an upgrade of the site including provision of an electricity supply. In 2009 the rent was increased to £60 per week and occupants were limited to 1 months stay with a possible extension to 3 months if their plot wasn't needed.

The site was vandalised in 2008 and again in 2009 and had to be closed for repairs. In 2011, 24 hour security was provided at a cost to the taxpayer of £85,000 per year.

There are now proposals to extend the site northwards by adding a further 16 pitches dedicated to long-stay "travellers" who will have to supply evidence of close ties with the neighbourhood. The whole site is now in the South Downs National Park, the Authority for which will have to give planning permission. They have asked for two other sites to be reported on for comparison: Waterhall Farm and Hangleton Bottom.

Brighton has long operated a somewhat tolerant attitude towards travellers, reinforced in recent years by the Human Rights Act, but all efforts will only scratch at the problem unless other councils in the South East make similar efforts.

Comment on the City Council's 'New Traveller Commissioning Strategy 2012' here.

Fly-tipper caught in act by helicopter

From a City Council press release:-

Brighton fly-tipper comes a cropper.

The Environment Agency, in partnership with Brighton & Hove City Council, has  prosecuted a fly-tipper who was spotted by a police helicopter crew whilst he dumped waste out the back of his vehicle in Brighton.

Mr Billy Tom Fury of Horton Rd, Colnbrook, Slough, Buckinghamshire, appeared before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Friday 5 August 2011 and pleaded guilty to illegally depositing waste. Mr Fury was fined £5,000, ordered to pay costs of £1,285 and £15 victim surcharge.

The Court heard that at lunchtime on Saturday 7 August 2010, a Sussex Police helicopter was returning back from Brighton towards Shoreham airport. The crew spotted fly-tipping taking place on land to the east of Devils Dyke Road as they saw a man emptying waste from the back of a tipper truck. Read on.

Does this make you as cross as it does me?

Several bags of miscellaneous kitchen rubbish dumped  alongside the footpath that runs behind Braeside Avenue, Patcham, near to Horsdean Recreation Ground. Glass bottles, plastic bottles, cans etc. Some bags torn open, maybe by animals, some unopened. No vehicle access. An animal might have dragged one bag there, but several?

This is the kind of thing travellers did in Patcham Place a few years ago. They did at least have the faint excuse of no regular rubbish collection.

Vandalised trees . . a rant

One of the useless specimens of humanity, which Brighton seems to have more than its fair share of, has decapitated two of the saplings planted, relatively recently, in front of St. Peter's Church.

I believe this is at least the second attempt by the arboricultural department to get trees established here.



This is by way of  relieving my feelings. I have no great expectation that the mindless individuals responsible even know how to read let alone regularly surf the internet.

Winter Ice Skating

At first mention the Council's proposed temporary ice rink on the eastern lawn of the Royal Pavilion Estate conjures up a delightful image of a sheet of ice, dotted with skaters gliding and twirling against the backdrop of the floodlit Pavilion; something like a cross between a Dutch winter scene and a setting from the Arabian Nights. 

Unfortunately the proposals also include ancillary structures to house a restaurant, crèche, café, toilet facilities and skate hire, and require a marquee with transparent walls and roof to be erected all along the eastern side of the lawn, especially placed to shelter  the ice from wind. The effect as viewed by a person 5ft.11in tall standing in the Old Steine is  as shown in the mock-up photo below. 

In fact, it seems that the only place the skating will be clearly visible is from a small area at the southern end and from within the venue itself.

Including set-up and break-down time the lawn will be occupied from 26th October to 23rd January 2011, and the grass will be severely damaged over this period. Resurfacing is to be completed by 23rd February but it is doubtful that even after this time the grass will be fully restored. However it is not the temporary loss of the lawn which is the greater concern, as it is not intensively used, especially in winter,  but rather the loss of the iconic, most photographed, view of the Royal Pavilion.

On the plus side the rink will provide an important source of income which will help to fund repair and maintenance of the cash-strapped Pavilion. It will provide a leisure/sporting activity which will encourage tourists and engage with local communities. It will increase the capacity of the historic site temporarily, bring a wider range of visitors and go some way to provide for the aims of the "Keep Sussex Skating Association". Although footfall in the area will be greatly increased by this event  the provision of 24-hour security should reduce graffiti and vandalism on the east elevation. 

It seems that Pavilion and Council staff have put a lot of effort, planning and preparation into this project, and approval must be a foregone conclusion. We should perhaps give a guarded welcome to a first trial.

Thoughts while pondering Steve Ovett's foot . . .

One of the last acts of plunder in Preston Park, the removal in 2007 of the bronze statue of Olympic 800m champion Steve Ovett by sawing it off at the foot. It was well reported at the time, but has an interesting link with an earlier act of vandalism, namely the illegal felling of mature trees just across the London Road on the vacant Anston House site. The unnecessary loss of these trees caused much indignation among local residents, but certain denizens of the alternative, unwaged society took it upon themselves to move in and set up a "Protest the Trees" camp. This involved decrepit caravans, makeshift tents, bonfires and much miscellaneous rubbish.

After the statue disappeared,  the police visited the Anston House site, recovered most of the statue in pieces, and charged a 44 year-old female person, of no fixed address, with possession.  One of the pieces nestled in the remains of  a bonfire, where attempts had apparently been made to melt it down, this neatly demonstrating perhaps why the miscreant was unwaged.

The pieces of the statue were returned to local sculptor Tim Webster whose work it was. Mr Webster  estimated it would cost £30,000 to recreate it. The illegal felling eventually came to court and the owners were fined £30,000 (+£4,000 costs). The female miscreant was simply cautioned.

Preston Park 5

This pylon at the southern entrance provides yet another example of urban plunder. As it has the Brighton Coat-of-Arms on the south face which were not granted until 1897, the pylon presumably dates from the 1928, or later remodelling of the entrance. On the east side of the plinth there is a brass plate commemorating the Manor of Radynden. 

On the west side there was once a matching brass plate commemorating the nearby Roman Villa (where Wellend House now stands).  I have no idea how long it has been gone. I first noticed it missing about 2 years ago.

Disappearing street lamps

I try to keep up with the local news but have only recently come across this BBC report from back in May.

It probably explains what happened to the lamps outside Marlborough House.

Preston Park

The southern entrance gates from a postcard dated 1915.  The carriage "in" was to the extreme left and the pedestrian entrance to the right. On the extreme right the start of the six foot high iron railings which surrounded the park can just be made out. These were removed as a matter of policy in the 1928 the idea being to 'integrate' parks more into the surrounding area. (Nothing to do with the war effort). The gates would have been locked at night by a park-keeper who lived on site and I can't help thinking that in today's world such an arrangement would be welcomed by most people. It would certainly have helped to prevent the urban plunder and vandalism the Park has suffered in the late 20th Century.

Below is a photo taken from the same viewpoint today. The tree to the extreme left is still there (as I expect are some others) and the curving entrance to the driveway seems to have been preserved. This remodelled entrance dates from the 1930's and contrary to The Encyclopaedia of Brighton article it is clear that the entwined dolphin lamp standards have simply been transferred to the new shorter pillars, not newly designed. However, in the associated  balustrade, the dolphin theme has been attractively reworked.