Massive Lewes Road regeneration scheme gets go-ahead

Preston Barracks proposals

One of the city’s biggest regeneration plans of recent decades has today been granted planning permission by the BHCC planning committee by a unanimous vote.

Permission covers the redevelopment of three adjacent sites along Lewes Road; the former Preston Barracks site, the current car parks of the University of Brighton’s Watts House and Mithras House. 

Planning permission allows:

Preston Barracks site - a seven storey research laboratory, 534 bed spaces of student accommodation in three blocks of between 13 and 15 storeys; 369 residential units consisting of 45 studio apartments, 111 one-bed, 192 two-bed and 21 three-bed units in eight blocks ranging from two to 10 storeys, ground floor workshop, commercial and retail space and 156 parking spaces, plus cycle parking and public realm works. 15 per cent of the residential units will be affordable properties aimed at local people in housing need. 

Mithras House site - a mixed-use campus development consisting of 804 units of student accommodation in five blocks of between nine and 18 storeys, students’ union and welfare facilities, gym, 13 disabled student parking spaces and a  pedestrian /cycle bridge crossing Lewes Road.

Watts House site – outline planning permission for a six storey academic building for a Business School, a 551-space, eight-storey car park to the rear, cycle parking, plus public realm and landscaping improvements.

A new public footbridge across Lewes Road will unify the campus and make the busy route less of a barrier for local communities.

As part of a planning agreement with the city council, developers will pay £1.7m for local recreation and open space provision, £371,000 for local employment schemes, £255,000 to improve local sustainable transport and £83,000 for improving or expanding five local nurseries.

Footbridge over Lewes Road