Draft minutes meeting 9th April 2019

Minutes of London Road LAT Meeting 9th April 2019
6:30pm- 8:00pm

  1. Welcome, apologies and introductions

Apologies:

Sandy Crowhurst, Mike and Tony , Rowan Mitchell (Equinox), Richard Baraball, Andy Winter,

Present: Sarah Lewis (Warleigh Road), Cath Prenton, Lucy Walker (UOS), Clare Calder, Jean Calder, Adrian Hill, Andy Keeffe (UOB), Judi Lynn, Peter Lynn, Michael Simms, Cllr Pete West, Lucy Dunleavy, Corinne Lamb, Philip Wells,

Introductions and Welcome

Lucy Walker (University of Sussex)

  • There is a fitness of habitation bill that has been amended that came into affect on the 20th March.
  • It gives tenants the right to take landlords or agents to court in regard to the property and the condition of the property, and the amended version is clearer.
  • It includes 29 health and safety ratings that have been updated from the act that already exists; it has been made clearer for tenants. This act has been updated for vulnerable people. Environmental health has been called into act, but they are very under-funded but not sure how the amendments will play out in reality. This is a marathon not a sprint with seeking resolution through the legal process on the basis of pieces of legislation.
  • There is a Tenant Fee Bill coming in on 1st June, this will mean that landlords will not be charging tenancy fees from June. This needs to be kept an eye on. Landlords may be in a rush to secure tenants before this happens.
  • There is a house on Beaconsfield Road that has been re-advertised time and again on, it a HMO agent (they are called Clarity) they are trying to operate under the radar; they have no license in their planning permissions.
  • This is another issue that students are having.
  • This issue has been reported to Private sector housing.
  • The underlying issue is that the department is very under-staffed, hence why there is no response.
  • Pete West: Rogue landlords and agencies. The council hope to set up a not-for-profit letting agency, and the opportunity to put pressure on the “rough” landlords and marking the landlords who are less scrupulous, to set some standards.

Q: Change of policy at Abacus?

  • Action point: Lucy Walker will find out more about what is happening after September-
  1. Minutes of last meeting – scheduled date of next meeting 14th May 2019
  • Amendments: The item about Providence Lofts, it should read- they are existing apartments, other than that the minutes were accepted
  • Date of Next Meeting: 14th may


Discussion of future impact of development of Longley Estate and Vantage point -these will be very significant. Presumably the approval of LE sets a precedent for VP.

As the LAT we need to have our eyes on this development. There will be a lot of money coming into the area from the Section 106 allocation; we need to start thinking about how we can use the money.

  • Philip had emailed the Longley Estate developers to congratulate them and to ask if they can tell him the plans on liaising with the local community, and also invite them to the meeting- no reply.
  • It is important to have a contact for the developers during construction around the time or development.
  • Philip has also had an email in January from Vantage Point developers asking if they could set up a meeting to discuss developments. The reply from the developers was to the effect thatIt has all gone quiet from them while we reflect on the Longley decision and officer comments.
  • Below is an extract from the officer report that went to the planning committee. The specific amounts of money listed below make up the sums of the Section 106 money.

3. Public Realm Enhancement:

 A financial contribution of £745,907 towards enhancement of the public

realm in Elder Place and associated works or changes to surrounding

streets as necessary to enable this. Enhancement to include measures

to secure greater priority for pedestrians and cyclists, calming of

vehicular traffic, improved surfacing and introduction of street trees.

Scheme to include phased approach.

4. Sustainable Transport and Highways:

· A financial contribution of £202,894 towards sustainable transport

enhancements in the wider area in particular to address deficiencies in

pedestrian and cycling infrastructure to include:

o The Preston Circus junction complex (including potentially, inter

alia, the junction of New England St and New England Rd)

o New England Street

o NCN20 cycle route in the vicinity of the site- (signed down the A23, along Campbell road, and under the Viaduct, and New England Hill and Elder place and Providence Place, this needs to go to the park at Providence Place)

o York Hill, including its junctions with London Rd, as may be

necessary to complement public realm improvements on Elder

Place to be funded via the separately secured section 106

contribution.

o The Greenway and associated links to this and Brighton Station

from the development site.

· Submission of Travel Plan and commitment to ensure the promotion of

safe, active and sustainable forms of travel which shall include the

following:

o Separate residential and commercial travel plans.

o Targets and their monitoring should include deliveries, and

taxi/private hire vehicle (including “ride share” services such as

Uber)

o Free or subsidised availability for residents for up to 2 years of

each of the following: car club membership; Brighton bike share

membership; bus pass/season ticket; rail season tickets; and

bicycle purchase.

o Provision of up to two car club bays and associated vehicle

service in short walking distance if required

o Provision of Brighton and Hove Bike Share stands and cycles

within a short walking distance of the site

o For occupants of the commercial development, ensuring

provision of interest-free loans for the purchase of bus and rail

season tickets and bicycle purchase.

o Provision of formal cyclist training on request to all occupants.

o The creation of a Bicycle User Group, including funded

initiatives for “buddying” of less confident cyclists for a few trips,

publicity, and social rides.

o Arrangement of “doctor bike” maintenance sessions with a

teaching element

o Free cycling training for all occupants, offered on a regular

basis.

o Inclusion of sustainable transport information in marketing and

sales material

· Section 278 highway works completed prior to first occupation to

include:

o Extinguishing of existing crossovers and accesses into the site

o Creation of new access

o Footway improvements around the site including extension of

pavement widths into Elder Place

o Introducing a half-width buildout to the southern footway of Elder

Place at its junction with New England Street, as well as an

associated uncontrolled pedestrian crossing

o Relocation of the existing signalised pedestrian crossing in New

England Street and associated highways works

o Relocation and extension of loading bay on New England Street

o New England Street highway works to allow street tree planting

(see later wind mitigation section)

o Introduction of 66 visitor cycle parking stands on the footway of

New England Street immediately abutting the development.

Should this not prove feasible, any shortfall against this figure to

be addressed by provision within Elder Place (in addition to cost

of public realm enhancement contribution here)

· Submission of a Delivery and Servicing Management Plan and

commitment to providing the measures required e.g. provision of

additional loading bays at the applicant’s expense, may include

arrangements to alter how vehicles turn and exit Elder Place

6. Public art

· Commissioning and installation of an Artistic Component to the value of

£83,000 within the development within public view or in the immediate

vicinity of the site. This could comprise an ‘uplift’ in the value of public

realm provision to incorporate an artistic component in Elder

Place/New England Street.

7. Open space and recreation/sports: goes quite widely

· Provision of a financial contribution of £453,980 towards enhancement

of outdoor/indoor sports, parks and gardens, children’s playspace,

allotments and semi-natural space to include but not be limited to the

following locations:

· Dyke Road Park

· St Nicholas Gardens

· Tarner Park

· Preston Park

· Blakers Park

· New England Quarter Greenway

· Providence Place

· St Nicholas Rest Gardens

· Neville Recreation ground

· Withdean Stadium

· Small grassed areas in the vicinity of the site and on access routes to it

· Roedale Valley Allotments and/or Moulsecoombe Estate Allotments

8. Wind mitigation/public realm/ecology enhancement works (Street

trees)

· Submission of a Street Tree Planting Feasibility Report with

accompanying Road Safety Audit to demonstrate that the general

position of the 9 street trees adjacent to the proposed building in New

England Street adjacent to the development (required for wind

mitigation and amenity reasons) as shown on the indicative drawings

submitted can be achieved. No development (except demolition) to

take place until this Feasibility Report has been submitted and

approved. Should the general locations not prove feasible for highway

visibility reasons, a further wind assessment to be submitted modelling

the amended locations shall be submitted for assessment (at the

applicant’s expense) prior to construction of the development. No

development shall take place until acceptable wind mitigation

measures have been incorporated into the development. Should 9

trees not prove feasible for highway safety or other reasons, any

shortfall in numbers shall be planted within wider New England Street

at the applicants expense

· Once locations for the street trees have been agreed, a specification

shall be submitted for approval, which shall make provision for:

o Potential submission of a PAS128 level A investigation to

indicate the location of underground services and a

commitment that applicant will meet the full cost of relocating

any underground cabling or similar

o Provision of semi-mature trees (likely to be approx. 8m in height)

of a size, species, nursery stock type, supplier and defect period

to be agreed

o Allowance for a significant rooting volume of at least 10m cubed

o A tree pit design to include shared rooting space for the trees at

an agreed spacing to maximise future rooting potential (likely to

be 5m).

o Use of guards or other protective measures

o An agreed period of implementation – to ensure are in place

before first occupation

o Provisions for maintenance – developer to provide and maintain

trees for first 5 years to an agreed specification (and replace any

that are damaged or die), followed by a total commuted sum of

£11,310 for 20 years thereafter (£565.50 per yr) for the council

to maintain and continue to establish the trees (and replace any

if required).

  • A lot can been done with this money, and it’s a good opportunity to have a voice put this money to good use, need to talk to the council officers about these plans and have an input into it..
  • A suggestion was made that on Viaduct Road even though it is calmer now and cars are doing 20/30 mph that could there be more signs were suggested and on Beaconsfield Road. Also the pavement is particularly dangerous particularly on the corner of Viaduct Road, people have been falling when icy or raining. There is a danger someone could get hit. The suggestion was that could the pavement along this stretch be raised.
  • The cycle ways are designed for able bodies, could we make a start for disabled access cycle ways, is there a possibility of making the cycle ways in general wider, as its quite intimidating at present.
    • Peter West can ask about speeds on Viaduct and Beaconsfield road and ask about what they have been measuring in recent times.
    • Peter will look into the cycle lanes as they are old and now some are sub standard. There is a new infrastructure plan for walking and cycling, the council is bidding for money for this.
    • There is a positive from the Valley Gardens Project on this issue, which might deal with this issue.

Policing – “cat killer” – update sought from Police- Shaftsbury Road and ditching road

  • Could there be some general money spent on trees on streets and could improve air quality on Beaconsfield Road and the wider area, we have lost them around the circus, and could we have more around the circus?
  • Could it be more mature trees if possible? As we have some money now we could definitely use it for this issue.
  • Public Art: It would be good to have public art done with input from the residents, for the community. PW past experience teaches that it is not always easy to get high quality proposals, but very open to get some as we are in an artist area. It could be anything that the public could enjoy. For example the Level has some concrete reliefs that have worked there so this could be an idea for around Preston Circus.
  • From this we need to find out how the art will be commissioned and the brief for this. We do need to ask these questions. Could the LAT be on the consultation list regarding this? [post-meeting comment: Branwen Lorigan has been a key person in this. ] Another question to ask is How can this be twinned in the council budget for the local transport plan?
  • Philip Wells asked InspectorDan Hiles, the response and email are as follows:

and it struck me that members might appreciate an update on the “cat killer”. Someone has put up home-made notices on our lamposts saying that 2 animals were killed in Shaftesbury Road “during the week”

– presumably last week, or the one before. The notice advises people to ring 101 if they see anything suspicious.

I wondered whether you could kindly send us a report as to:

(a) is the notice correct? were there 2 reported killings in the named street?

(b) how widespread are the reports – I am led to understand that this is a problem in the West Hill area, and possibly other areas too … which makes it wider than Shaftesbury Road alone

(c) how is your investigation progressing?

(d) is there anything particular to advise about reporting to the police? Anything particular to look out for? Also: if we see a violent act actually happening I believe it is correct to call 999 – am I correct?

Many thanks,

Hello Philip,

We have reports of injured cats which are being progressed by my colleagues in the Investigations department.

We are currently awaiting the result of a couple of lines of enquiry and before we have those I don’t want to make any statements as these may provide to be significant. I hope to be able to prove more clarity in the next few weeks. The timescales are unavoidable unfortunately.

Should you ever see a violent offence occurring of any kind please do call 999.

Best regards, Dan

****

  • Comment (J.C.) “This response is highly inadequate from the police; there is no place for information to be shared. This does need to be dealt with as it could progress onto an even bigger crime.”
  • Comment: The Police seem to have become more unaccountable to the community including the LAT even though we have asked in the past. Will ask at the citywide meeting on the 10th April.
  • There is a new Sussex Police website about crimes reported in the local area and reporting levels that has been happening in the last month, which is good to check out.

4. Upkeep in New England Quarter

  • The name of the company that own Hyde Housing that own Providence Place and Sainsbury’s, but nothing else at present. The issue was that the flats by Sainsbury’s are green and mouldy; it was raised on the last minutes.
  • Action Point: Philip will write a letter to Hyde Housing asking for information on their maintenance schedule and to CC Peter West.
  1. Missing bins – update has been sought. Rachel Chasseaud.

No reply as yet from Rachel

  1. Updates
    1. Level via Maureen – current park carer Steve Peters is moving away

Dear Maureen and Roz, We wanted to inform you that Steve Peters will be leaving on Friday 12 April to take up a new post at another local authority. We are sure you will wish to join us in wishing Steve all the best in his new role. If you have any operational enquiries about The Level in the interim, please contact cityparks@brighton-hove.gov.uk . Best wishes,Claire.

Parking in zone J

  1. Committee minutes

Oct 2017 Parking Annual Report Financial Year 2016/17Introduction from Councillor Gill MitchellIt is my pleasure to introduce Brighton & Hove’s ninth Parking Annual Report. Last year’s report was voted‘best parking annual report’at the Parking and TrafficRegulations outside London (PATROL) Annual Report Awards,for the second year in a rowand we are very proud that our work to engage with residents and visitors has been recognisedin this way

Resident Parking Zone and Visitor AllowanceResident Permits on issue as at

01/07/14 01/07/15 01/07/16 01/07/17

London Road*, J (50)2262 3852 3962 3817

London Road car park is perfectly situated for accessing the shops on London Roadand is close to the North Laineand the Duke of York’s Picture house

****

There was a report in November 2018 and the above is what was said in the report.

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee

Tuesday, 26th June, 2018 4.00pm

5.4         The Chair provided the following response:

“Thank you for your petition and I’m sorry to hear about the parking problems being encountered and I think it is the case that these schemes need to be reviewed after they’ve been in operation for a length of time. 

Members of this Committee agreed a timetable up to 2020/21 in October last year which includes reviews of new parking schemes and we gave permission to those parking schemes, most notably in the Hanover & Elm Grove area on the basis that they would be reviewed after a year of their operation so we have to honour that commitment . 

The timetable is based on a number of factors including the need to plan the extensive consultation work in the areas agreed which puts a lot of pressure on officers both at a project management and senior level.

However, we will be reviewing this timetable in light of recent requests and an update report will be presented to the ETS Committee next year which will include a review of Area J”.

Zone J (London Road Station area) Review5.18Residents presented a petition to the ETS Committee in June 2018 as they are concerned about the Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) Zone J south of the railway line(i.e. between Viaduct Road and Ditchling Rise). It was outlined that the original advantage of the CPZ was that the residents could park during the day, and overnight within reasonable walking distance of their homes. However, it was felt that Zone J hasnow become to large following extensions to the scheme. Since the extension of Zone J north of the railway line residents have had parking difficulties particularly in the evening.5.19Residents would like the Council to take steps either to divide the zone up into smaller areas along the railway line, or use some other method to bring back the benefits of the original smaller zone.

Action Point: Philip Wells to write back to Charles Field to ask for more specifics on this issue noting this, CC Pete West.

  1. London Road BID (Business Improvement District) … what is left of this?
  • There is £5k in a fund waiting to be claimed by government for this area, we are waiting to know where this money is.

Below is the letter (edited) from James Watts on his idea on how to improve the area in Providence Place and the back of Poundland and is keen to upgrade the area:

Graffiti – Providence Place / Poundland

Hi Philip

Thanks for all your time on the phone yesterday, it was good to catch up after all this time…. and now that the build has finally finished.

As discussed, please find below:

  • Photos of The Railworks – I hope that you approve as it’s a significant improvement from the “worst building on the street” I feel!
  • Summary of key actions for Providence Place (PP) – for potential early review/discussion/minutes at Tuesday’s LAT. 

I’d appreciate your help re PP Philip as it’s critical for us to engage the community/key local stakeholders if we’re to build any momentum/see change. My, and I sense “our”, objective is to see PP move from one of the more problematic, dark, dangerous, uninspiring, unattended and underinvested streets to something that meets the new resident’s and community’s needs. I feel that for us to make PP “work” we need to make it safe, provide a sense of community and also pride in the street. Each of which are in short supply…. yet all being very achievable.

I hope that the photos attached will encourage you to conclude that I have made valued and considered investment in PP.  If you feel that it’s appropriate for me to lead on this, now I have a bit more time, I would like to apply some thought and effort to building a formal plan for the improvement of PP. As a well executed and concerted final push would really transform our street into something special (bear with me as I do think this is possible!). 

I’ve taken the liberty of summarizing what I feel are the key areas in need of attention/LAT review and the potential approach for us to take to resolve:

Safety

1. PROBLEM: Traffic management

– Providence Place is a single lane highway – the road moves from dual lane to one way and this is causing several (very) serious problems: 

– Cars mounting the pavement to pass/danger to residents: resulting in our needing to look for cars from our front door when we leave the property. Given this is a short term rental we should assume that no guests will be familiar or think to do this (they shouldn’t need to anyway)

– Damage to the resident’s buildings: cars seeking to pass have damaged several buildings on our terrace, see the damage to:

– Lack of pavement to either side of the road – cars come off Ann Street block paving and then accelerate to full speed as soon as they are on the PP road. I have seen this MANY times. Yet PP has no pavement to either side?! So people are left with no choice but to walk on the public highway. I can’t imagine there are many other roads where the only option is to walk along a road, so would hope this is a priority for Highways. Given the Ann Street development/the new station rear entrance/the resulting increase in footfall to the area = his is a serious problem.

PROPOSED SOLUTION: 

– Extend the block paving from Ann St to the tyre garage

– Add bollards in front of the buildings to create a safe pavement zone that traffic can’t access. 

– Add trees to bring some life to the street, and act as further protection

= A semi-pedestrianised street would then provide safe pedestrian spaces and see traffic slowing/calming measures.

2. Drug dealing, anti social behaviour (and homeless tents)

– it’s a drug users lavatory behind Poundland. There’s human waste, needles and drug paraphernalia

Police and PCSOs

Community

Graffiti & antisocial behaviour

– tagging and graffiti has now moved to neighbouring/our buildings 

SOLUTION – Professional street art

Discussion

  1. Pete West has had the Head of Highways to look at the whole area of Providence Place.
  • The main problem is people don’t understand the shared access and very un-managed road. The money that was received did not take into consideration the side of the church. There is a disjoint in money and consideration and lack of continuity between the pavement and the side of the church.
  • The traders had quite strong requirements for access for trade in the area and use of this part of the street.
  • Any solution has to take into account quite a lot of needs of all those who use the place. This should be taken into account when looking at the Section 106 and other money and the re-consideration of Anne’s Street and Providence Place operates. However the area is vastly better than it was before.
  • James would like the LAT to Minute that this is a problematic area, and would be helpful to the owners of Poundland to put into their assessment. The residents have highlighted the issue to the police as a ‘Hot Spot’. The LAT noted that the area around the side of St Bartholomews church had long been a point of concern and this is still the case – especially since there is a general “uplift” going on.
  • Action Point: We need to clarify which wall that he is referring to.
  • Overall: The situation is moving in a positive direction.

Cycling on pavement in Beaconsfield Road

  • Beaconsfield Road is a three-lane road, one-way and very busy. It is not an issue for the cyclists coming into town, but the confusion is the shared surface in front of Duke of York’s Cinema, there is signs to stop cars going across. It is clearly marked for cyclists to go onto the road.
  • The other way, there is a small disc on the road
  • The problem is the cyclists coming up the pavement, who are going so fast up the road towards the Viaduct that it is dangerous for pedestrians. People are having to step into the road into parked cars and give way to the cyclists. It is being used as a cycle lane.

Email from Cath P

I wonder if we could raise the issue of cyclists using the east side of Beaconsfield Road pavement as a cycle lane?

Could we maybe bring pressure to bear for additional signage making it clear that the cycle path zone ends where the pavement starts, as we did at the fire engine cross over by Moe’s ?

Personally I’d like to see CCTV on Beaconsfield for all sorts of reasons, the cyclists being one of them…

  • There needs to be a sign to say it is a pavement. It could also help if the road could have some trees planted. Beaconsfield is a prominent issue as it is one way. The other place that is dangerous is along London Road, again going very fast.
  • There is not enough space to put a cycle lane in the road; cyclists can use the road in the other direction that never gets used.
  • Some cyclists have a sense of entitlement, this needs to be resolved.
  • Suggested solutions:
    • A suggestion was raised by Cath that was; could we get CCTV on the pavement as a deterrent, but who could monitor it.
    • Could there be a clear cycle end sign and even signs pointing for example Preston Park in one direction City Centre in the other?
    • There is a lack of respect to other people and public not behaving both on bikes and pedestrians; we need a better debate going between all road users. There needs to be a story in the Argus about people on bikes, need to shift attitude around the issue.
  • Action Point: Philip to try and see if we can get a Sustainable Transport Cycle officer to come to the next meeting. (Simon Hickmott Simon.Hickmott@brighton-hove.gov.uk )
  • with this being the termination of his period of tenure as a Councillor for this session – the meeting thanked Councillor West (in a non-party political way) for his help and support over the past years. He in turn complimented the LAT on its record of achievement.

Close


Air quality- hold over to next meeting

– see from Adrian

I live on Stanley Road and have attended the LAT a few times (I will be there tomorrow).  Of great interest to me is the air quality on my Road, Preson Circus, New England Road and Viaduct Road as I have poor respiratory health.  When I walk around some of the busy roads round here, especially if I cycle around this area, my respiratory health deteriorates.  My poor respiratory health has been a major life risk, I lost my last job due to my poor respiratory health but hey, that’s life and I am pragmatic!  I wanted to raise my concerns that I feel not enough is being done about the air quality.  Also and more pragmatically, I have had a number of ideas that I have thought of the last few years that would be ‘fairly’ inexpensive and might improve both traffic safety and the quality of the air.  As I’ve often needed to leave on time I haven’t always had an opportunity to discuss how to raise these things or ask in how much detail they have been discussed previously.  I have emailed councillors over the last few years but I’ve only seen small improvements in this area the last few years apart from the 20mph limit (which was a definite improvement).  What would be the best way to discuss this matter?

I could argue my points in detail and I think here detail is needed but before I do so I’ll just suggest some general problems and solutions.

Problems

  • Short increases in acceleration on hills especially increases pollution and there are certain points where this can be tackled such Viaduct Road and New England Road.
  • Air pollution is known to be bad around this area and it is traffic that produces the pollutants (I’m almost certain that the level under the bridge on New England Road is very dangerous and Viaduct Road also)

I just want to increase the likelyhood or improvement, of course they need to be discussed properly by people who can do the analysis of their implications for pollution, traffic and all other concerns and interested parties but I do think that health should be number one, especially as it is other’s who are damaging other people’s health.

Some solutions, (they may not all be popular to motorists! but I think health should come first).

  • Add a radar speed check sign on Viaduct Road and on on New England Road (the ones that flash with the speed), possibly other locations too
  • Change the timing and positioning of lights around this area so there fewer hill starts
  • Generally fewer waits at traffic lights by having cars wait for longer when they do stop (start stop tech and regenerative braking means that running engines is less of a problem)
  • Reduce queuing of traffic under the bridge at New England Road by moving the traffic lights before the bridge
  • Have larger and more visible 20mph signs especially on uphills around this area
  • Speed cameras on these points too to again (I did hear you can’t enforce 20mph but can 30mph be enforced in a 20mph limit area)
  • Be very strict with the most regular drivers of the city; deliveroo drivers, taxis, white vans, buses etc, it is those who set the unofficial speed limits in Brighton and if one driver speeds the other needs to to compete fairly.
  • More trees planted in and around this area…more planters with large trees if trees can’t actually be sited in the ground (I would be happy to donate some funds, especially for Stanley Road!)
  • Increase the low emission zone to include parts of this area (traffic has steadily increased in number and more importantly become heavier throughout parts of Brighton).
  • I’m pretty sure that the Abacus House development’s plans had pictures of trees, could be worth checking and if so finding out why they weren’t planted
  • Introduce an ultra low emission zone like London has just done
  • Reintroduce the 20mph limit to the very short 30mph stretch on the a23 part of Stanford Avenue to stop cars accelerating up the hill only to hit traffic lights 500m later
  • 20mph limit all round Preson Park because it is where people exercise the most (consider other parks in Brighton too)
  • Change the pedestrian lights on Viaduct Road to synchronise with the ones around Preston Circus so cars don’t need to stop unnecessarily and are also slowed to 20mph by a red light.