1. Purpose of the report and policy context

1.1 To receive deputations presented at the public engagement meeting held on the 21 July 2022.

2. Recommendations

2.1 That the committee responds to the petition either by noting it or where it is considered more appropriate, calls for an officer report on the matter.

3. Context and background information

3.1 To receive the following:

Deputation

3.2 New Accessible Foot and Cycle Bridge at Hove Station Quarter

We, the undersigned, support Artists Corner Residents Group in their request to secure design funding for the new accessible pedestrian / cycle footbridge connecting the Sackville Trading Estate redevelopment with Hove Station.

The redevelopment of the Sackville Road Trading Estate site is regenerating one of the largest brownfield sites in Hove.

The site offers the opportunity to provide an accessible footbridge connecting Hove Station with the development and communities in Hove Park, Westbourne, Goldsmid and Central Hove Wards. It will also contribute significantly to the regeneration of the wider area including the shops on George Street and Church Road.

This proposal is key to connecting the various parts of Hove Station Quarter and to help create an integrated new city quarter around Hove Station

The provision of a new accessible pedestrian footbridge is one of the major infrastructure proposals set out in the Hove Station Neighbourhood Plan / Hove Station Area SPD. The SPD identifies a “potential pedestrian / cycle bridge over railway line”. The bridge would provide east-west routes connecting Hove Station with the community to its north-west (Community Hub 4).

The next step to progress the pedestrian bridge project is to secure design funding.

This deputation asks the Council to support the allocation of £70,000 of Sackville Road Trading Estate redevelopment S106 funds and/or Hove Gardens 2 Community Infrastructure Levy to secure design funding for the proposed new bridge.

Supporting information:

Annex:

Extract Hove Station Area Master Plan SPD 18, page 25

Shows potential pedestrian / cycle bridge across railway (yellow arrow) -illustrative alignment

Deputation

3.3 A request to introduce parking restrictions in Nevill Avenue, Hove

As residents of Nevill Avenue, we are increasingly worried about road safety on this road for ourselves, our visitors and primary and secondary school children from surrounding schools.

There has been a problem for a number of years as people from Legal and General and Lloyds TSB use Nevill Avenue to park during the day as do users of Hove and Aldrington stations. Further, since parking restrictions have been brought in across Hove, notably around Hove Park, our road has seen a significant increase in long-term parking, especially vehicles such as campervans, vans and other large vehicles. This situation will only get worse with the Sackville Estate development, a scheme which lacks sufficient parking for the amount of residences being built.

As these parked vehicles block the line-of-sight, it makes pulling out of driveways dangerous, with many residents with children in their cars. Especially with the average speed being 37 mph on this road, according to police monitoring.

There is also the issue that these large parked vehicles cause blind spots for cyclists.

Having met with local Cllr Samer Bagaeen to discuss this matter, he advised us that the first step was to raise a petition voicing our concerns. There was a positive response and we have gathered 54 signatures to date from residents of Nevill Avenue (Greyhound Stadium end up to Bishop Hannington Church) who are in support of this action.

To be clear, we are advocating for “light touch” restrictions (typically only requiring a residents permit between 11am and 12pm, and 6pm and 7pm or suchlike). We believe that this would achieve a reduction of non-resident parking, with the least amount of cost/inconvenience to residents.

We are hoping that our petition will trigger an official consultation with the residents of Nevill Avenue and other relevant roads in order to join the Hove Park Parking Zone P.

We have been informed that in recent months the council has looked favourably on requests for light touch parking, extending the Hove Park Zone P into Withdean. So we asking for equal treatment in this regard.