Introduction

This document supersedes the existing Street Furniture Policy and HP8/4 Control of Placements on the Highway. This is one a number of documents updating processes and guidance for managing placement of street furniture on footways in Brighton and Hove. This policy covers licensed construction items such as but not limited to

• Scaffolding/Hoarding, mobile access platform, temporary excavation

• Skips, temporary deposit building materials

• Scaffoldings

• Portable Toilets

Objective

This document sets out the principles by which Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) will control placements of street furniture on the public highway. This policy document covers licensed construction items as listed above.

The objective of this document is to control obstructions on footways and carriageways to ensure safe use and access for all, while permitting construction works on the streets of Brighton and Hove.

This policy aims to aid the transformation of streets into walkable places that are more welcoming. Pedestrian access, permeability and design are key for ensuring that people have access to various amenities, services and destinations while any construction works affect the footways. Footways, footpaths and other pedestrian spaces should be designed and set out in an inclusive way to allow for all users, including pedestrians, cyclists and disabled users. Construction items such as scaffolding/hoarding, mobile access platform, skips and portable toilets can limit pedestrian space and obstructing routes. At worst, these can fully restrict access for some users. Therefore, the policy recommends that a balanced approach needs to be taken while placing such construction items on footways, while considering access remains for all users.

What does the policy document cover?

This policy document sets out tools and processes to maintain a high-quality environment for Brighton and Hove City and best suits it’s local land-uses and the wide variety of users accessing them, while permitting construction activities around the city.

This document aims to encourage construction companies to work with the council by promoting a high level of design and maintenance of footways and carriageways during any construction activity being undertaken by them. This policy will therefore promote best practice design principles to be applied across Brighton and Hove City, particularly locations where licenses for construction items are required to maintain sections of the highway.

This policy document forms part of a collection of policies which should be read in conjunction with one another, to ensure the highway is managed in a way to best suit Brighton and Hove City and those using the highway.

How and when should I engage with Brighton and Hove City Council?

Owners of construction companies, should consult with the Highway’s Regulation Department (hereafter referred to as ‘the Department’) at Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) when there is a requirement to place scaffoldings, skips or portable toilets on streets or other parts of the highway. Construction company owners or managers should seek agreement with the Department, issued in the form of a License, prior to placing anything on the street.

A License is required for new items, or if an applicant is seeking to change the locations of any existing items.

The Department should be made aware of any proposed changes, technical feasibility of these changes and how access would be maintained while construction activity impacts the footway or other parts of highway. The applicant should consider and set out how the designs or amendments meet wider planning criteria, guidance and best practices.

Do I require approval?

All proposals, amendments and renewals on the highway network, which includes most footways and carriageways in the Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC), require formal approval from the Department. If in doubt as to whether a License is required, please contact the Department. This document focuses on items to be positioned on footways by construction companies. Any item will be subject to a completed license and the enforcement team will ensure that guidance is followed in detail.

How should I request approval?

Applications should be made via the councils website. The Department, on receipt of a valid application, will commence review the application within the timeframes set out on the application. The decision on the License will be conveyed to the applicant within a maximum of 10 days of the application being received by the Department. The list of information required for each type of item is stated within this policy. An incomplete application or an application with incorrect information may lead to delays in the processing time of application. There may be cases when public consultation might be required, which may lead to a longer decision time.

Integration with existing policies

This policy should be read in conjunction with the other policies governing the design for highways within Brighton and Hove City, such as:

· BHCC Plan for 2020 to 2023

· BHCC Streetscape Design Guidelines First Edition