On-going work at All Saints, Patcham.

Masonry repairs to the tower buttresses, one on each side of the corner. 

The exposed flintwork glows in the afternoon sunshine.

Patcham Place preserved

In the evening sunshine which only reaches it at this time of year.

The gate posts & fencing.

The KSD Group took over the lease of Patcham Place in 2012 and deserve every credit for the thoroughness with which they have restored and maintained Patcham Place since.

Following recurrent thefts of lead prior to 2014 estate-style mild steel fencing and handsome gate posts were installed.  Remnants of original wrought-iron fencing are still to be found at the top of Coney Hill.

Patcham Place was built in the 16th.C but the facade was later modified with the black mathematical tiles that can be seen today. It is said to be haunted by one of its owners Anthony Stapley who lived there c1620-1655. He was a leading Puritan and Parliamentarian in the area and one of the 59 MPs who signed Charles I's death warrant.

Previous posts:

Move to dispose of Patcham Place 

Patcham Place Proposals

Patcham Place Stables

Fencing for Patcham Place

Stanmer Parking Proposals

Larger view here.

Further details:

Notice

Statement of Reasons
Response Form

Madeira Terraces restoration - architects appointed

BHCC have awarded the contract for the architects that will lead the design team for the first phase of restoration to Purcell Architecture Ltd.

Purcell are known for their experience of restoring heritage sites and incorporating environmental sustainability into their designs.

They also have extensive experience with heritage architecture and cast-iron structures, with a good understanding of the challenges involved in bringing sustainable practices to a heritage restoration project.

Their portfolio of restoration work includes major heritage sites, such as the Houses of Parliament, the Elizabeth Tower (the tower that hosts the bell Big Ben) and Canterbury Cathedral.

Read on.

Madeira Terraces restoration - the extra funding

Petition - Re-wild Hollingbury & Waterhall golf courses.

The leases of both golf courses expire in March 2020. The Tourism, Equalities and Culture Committee (TECC) will meet on 16 January 2020 to review tenders with a view to granting a 25 year lease. Extinction Rebellion Brighton urge TECC to take this unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ensure that the internationally endangered, wildlife-rich and diverse chalk grassland ecosystems of the two sites can re-generate and flourish, and that eco-friendly community food production and public health, wellbeing and recreational activities are promoted.

Read more & sign petition.

Withdean developments

An earlier post 'Suburban creep' (4 years ago) lamented the gradual loss of semi-rural Withdean, its 1930s houses, mature gardens, and the 'country lane' look of the roadsides. In 2019 unfortunately there is no sign of relief. The two photos immediately below show 4 completed properties in Withdean Road. Some trees have been replanted and will no doubt eventually soften the view somewhat but nothing will disguise the hard fencing.

Elsewhere, unprotected by conservation area status or any other listings, the demolitions have continued. 

Withdean Avenue

Withdean Road

Withdean Road

The clearances so far, with no doubt most of the mature vegetation, has resulted in a large vacant plot which was the subject of planning application BH2016/06478 for a two-part, 3 storey building comprising 26 residential apartments.

Royal Pavilion Garden plans

Possible new entrance

Plans to restore and safeguard the historic Royal Pavilion Garden are back on track. An updated bid of £214,500 for National Heritage Lottery funding was sent in earlier this week. This bid is for funding to prepare detailed plans and an application for a full grant of £3.3 million.

After a previous application was turned down earlier this year the council was encouraged to re-apply by the Heritage Lottery assessors who noted the heritage importance of the project, the need to improve the garden and praised the community involvement which backed the bid.

The plans include:

• Improving access to the gardens for people with disabilities and a installing a new 'Changing Places' toilet
• New lighting and a secure boundary to address vandalism and anti-social behaviour
• Conserving and restoring listed lamp posts and balustrade, flowerbeds, paths, lawns and improving recycling, lighting and seating
• Overhauling the entrances, installing new gates and signs
• Creating a new programme of events, activities and volunteering opportunities
• Improving interpretation with maps and information boards, audio tours and an archival research project.

The National Heritage Lottery Fund is expected to make a decision in November. If agreed, the council will aim to submit the full bid in March 2021 with work starting in January 2022.

Improving and protecting the Royal Pavilion Garden is a key part of the Royal Pavilion Estate project where the council and Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival are working together to reunify the estate and conserve its heritage.

Phase one of the project is underway. The Royal Pavilion Garden is part of phase two.

7 Ship Street Gardens, then & now

20 October 2013
See: 7 Ship Street Gardens

Planning Application
See: 7 Ship Street Gardens update

2019

All Saints, Patcham, to get a facelift.

12th.C All Saints is idyllically situated at the top of Church Hill, near to what was once Patcham Court Farm, its ancient barn,  dovecote and the site of what was once the village pond.  The turret spire can be seen from diverse points around Patcham. Its interior is beautiful but the external appearance is marred by cement render applied by the Victorians. This was probably well-meant but modern evidence suggests that in the long term cement render only serves to trap moisture which eventually migrates to the interior surfaces. 

A project to entirely remove the render, and make good using traditional methods, is expected to start on September 10th. The total cost is estimated to be £300,000 of which £100K has been match-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

To aid the original survey for this work various 'windows' were cut in the render to reveal the surface beneath. They give some hint of the wide variety of materials used and the historical interest that has been hidden for so long.

Postscript. 

Some months ago the churchyard wall was found in danger of collapse due partly to the roots of a nearby sycamore. The tree has now been removed and the wall sensitively repaired by BHCC which owns the churchyard.

'Save Madeira Terraces' Raffle

Don't forget your raffle tickets

Available on line or from 20 outlets across the city.

See: https://www.facebook.com/notes/save-madeira-terraces-raffle-group/how-to-buy-where-to-buy-raffle-tickets-2019/328701547786152/

Toad's Hole Valley - FoE objections

New bid for Pavilion Gardens conservation.

Google

BHCC are preparing to resubmit an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a grant to develop plans for the improvement and conservation of the Royal Pavilion Garden and get it removed from the Heritage at Risk Register.

Last year, following a consultation launched which attracted more than 1,300 responses, a bid was submitted for £194,000 to develop conservation plans ready for a funding bid for £3.3 million. Unfortunately, the bid was unsuccessful.

However, the Heritage Lottery Fund encouraged the council to re-submit, highlighting work that should be undertaken in the meantime.  This includes:

• Carrying out an access audit
• Developing designs of what a new boundary and improved entrances might look like
• Providing evidence of how multi agency working will tackle anti-social behaviour
• Providing more details of an activity programme, interpretation strategy and volunteer roles and skills.

The estimated cost of this work is £25,000 which would be met from the Royal Pavilion and Museums core budgets.

Toad's Hole Valley proposals

Illustrative master plan

An outline planning application BH2018/03633 for the development of Toad's Hole Valley has been filed. It proposes: 880 much-needed dwellings; a secondary school; office/research/light industry units; a doctors' surgery community building, and public open space (including for food growing and play space).

It also includes  enhancements and alterations to the Site of Nature Conservation Interest to the east of the site and associated landscaping.

The most controversial proposal seems likely to be  the suburbanisation of King George VI Avenue.  Nearly all A23, A27 traffic destined for Hove and Portslade funnels down this road.  The 3 light-controlled vehicular accesses is a welcome reduction from the 7 suggested earlier for the development. This will still result in some rush hour delays but in the search for new housing maybe this is just one of the trade-offs the city has to accept.

Comments can be filed up until the application goes before the planning committee in the spring.

Save the Madeira Terraces - special event

Stanmer woodland management.

Areas of work

Starting tomorrow, thinning out of trees and coppicing is beginning  in three areas – the Water Catcher, Flint Heap and Upper Lodges Wood. 

No memorial trees will be affected by this work.

Access to these areas will be restricted between 8am and 4pm for periods of between one to three days, while work is carried out.

The work is part of the council’s Stanmer Woodland Management Plan, which was approved by the Forestry Commission following citywide consultation earlier this year.

The plan aims to:

• maintain and preserve open access
• build resilience against Ash Dieback and other diseases and ensure existing woodland cover is maintained
• increase biodiversity and protect nationally and locally rare flora and fauna
• produce semi commercial timber extraction of coppice products, wood fuel and timber.

The work is being managed by Pryor and Rikett, a Lewes based forest management company.

A Comment on Valley Gardens Scheme Phase 3

West side of memorial garden

As shown in the initial proposals one wonders if enough thought has been put into maximising  green space. There is certainly no point in putting grass in areas likely to be much trodden or in isolated areas which would increase the maintenance costs, but in areas such as that shown above the existing grassed area could simply be extended outwards at lower cost than for paving and the cost of the extra mowing needed would be minor.

Grass is easier on the eye, better for the environment and reduces run-off to the sewers.

Court Farm Cottages sold

The Court Farm cottages (Abergavenny Cottages) are reputed to have been sold for £1m.

See also: Court Farm Cottages.

Madeira Terraces turned down for Heritage Lottery Grant

The application for £5M funding, the maximum allowed,  submitted in March 2018 met the Heritage Lottery Fund's criteria but the Board of Trustees had to take decisions on more projects than the available budget would allow.

The council will now be talking urgently with Heritage Lottery Fund about a resubmission of the bid in August.

Decision makers noted the great heritage value of Madeira Terrace, and recognised the project’s considerable potential to support the wider regeneration of the area and bring economic benefit.  The grant would have allowed for the complete restoration of the first 60 of the 151 Madeira Terrace arches.  While this remains under discussion, the council will be moving ahead with the first three arches which were crowd funded in a successful city-backed campaign in 2017.

Griff Rhys Jones, President of the Victorian Society, who supported the council’s bid, said:  “It feels like a setback but these things take time.   This is a stage on the way and a good one.  We must not think it’s over.  It needs even more support.  We recognise there is more competition than ever out there and funds are dwindling. Lots of very successful and important conservation projects have not got there first time but they happened.  And few are more important than this.”

Community campaigner and raffle organiser Jax Atkins added: “It’s disappointing that HLF haven’t chosen to help with the terraces yet but we’re not giving up. There is such strong feeling in the community and so many people are determined to get the project underway.  We will not be waiting around.

“Our midsummer raffle on Saturday raised £9,000 and I’d like to thank everyone who bought tickets and donated prizes, we had over 800 in the end!  Every penny we raise sends a clear message to the council and to funding bodies that the people of Brighton are serious about saving Madeira Terrace so we can once again be proud of our beautiful heritage and the shop window of our city.”

Next steps for the Madeira Terrace project include appointing a design team and obtaining planning and listed building consent.  Work on the first three arches is expected to start towards the end of the year.

There are numerous ways to get involved:

• By making a donation on line. 
• By joining volunteers at the monthly community clean-ups – contact Jax Atkins. Madeira Terraces & Black Rock.
• Buying a specially brewed Mabiera beer.  Local brewery, Brighton Bier, is donating 25% of its profits from the sale of Mabiera to the restoration fund.

If you have fundraising ideas, please contact us: Madeira.Terrace@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Pavilion Gardens public consultation.

BHCC is working on a plan to improve and enhance the popular garden and has launched a public consultation to find out what residents and visitors think.

Up until the 29 June the public will have the opportunity to comment on all aspects of the garden from planting, seating and walkways to attractions and events. Views are also being sought on how to tackle antisocial behaviour and whether a boundary should be created so that the garden can be secured at night.

The council is committed that the garden will remain free and accessible to all as one of the most important green spaces in the city. This survey will support its bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of Phase Two of the Royal Pavilion Estate project.

The results will also feed into the final draft of a conservation and management plan. Historic England recommended the council draw up the plan for the Grade II listed garden.

The Royal Pavilion Garden is one of the few remaining Regency gardens in the country and is considered one of the nation’s most significant outside spaces.

To take part online visit:
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/royalpaviliongarden

For a paper copy call 03000 290902

More photos:-