The Brighton Marina Regeneration Project

The Brighton Marina Regeneration Project provides an exciting opportunity to regenerate much of the land in the western quarter of Brighton Marina, an area that is considered to be both visually and functionally unsatisfactory. Our proposals are for a residential-led scheme of 1,301 units developed across six individual parcels of land supported by an extensive, on and off site, programme of improvements to the public realm, sports facilities, pedestrian routes and network of cycle lanes.

Location	Proposed regeneration	Units	Height
ASDA site adjacent to the existing ramp access	Cliff site	779	5 to 10 storeys
ASDA petrol filling station	Marina Point site	148	3 to 28 storeys
McDonald’s	Quayside site	222	5 to 16 storeys
Sea wall site bordering the David Lloyd centre and the multi-storey car park	Sea Wall site	117	6 to 11 storeys
Estate Manager’s office	Inner Harbour site	35	3 to 4 storeys
Eastern-end of the multi-storey car park	Replacement petrol filling station site	0	1 storey

An overview of each of the sites proposed is provided in the links on the left.

The scheme responds to the feedback the Council has received from the statutory and non-statutory consultees (including stakeholders and residents) during its own formal consultation process.

This follows our own extensive consultation that has involved 3 years of collaboration and some 85,000 hours of work by the Explore Living team. We have contacted and seen over 14,000 people and have hosted 300 public meetings and exhibitions. Our belief has been that we could deliver a set of proposals that balance all of the many sensitive and complicated issues that make up the history and legacy of the Marina. Much has always been expected from this unique place and yet in the western quarter little has been realised.

At the outset we publicly committed to minimising development above the cliff height, to respect the importance of the cliffs themselves and to place the creation of quality public spaces at the forefront of the team's objectives. In the intervening years the scheme has undergone significant change as we have searched for a design response that mediates between the many objectives while at the same time being careful not to destabilise the scheme's viability, and as a result its ultimate delivery.

Today Marina Point stands as the principal building above the cliff height. While there has been much debate, change and conjecture over its height and form we do believe that the extra time spent deliberating over these essential qualities has created a building of quality that does not, on balance, negatively impact on its surroundings.

The economic climate is now very different to that of 3 years ago. Many industry commentators point to examples of paralysis in the market, a position reinforced by the daily events on the Stock Exchange. However, demand for housing and especially affordable housing remains unchanged.

In spite of this we remain completely confident about our ability to deliver the scheme to time and to budget. Being a family run, privately-owned business, with the ability to resource 100% of the delivery process internally, allows us to discuss the future with security and confidence.

The regeneration of the Marina has the potential to set Brighton apart from the rest of the South East at a time when financial investment in housing has virtually come to a standstill. The scheme will be a catalyst for jobs, economic growth and will provide 520 new affordable homes for families, couples, individuals and those people providing the essential public services in the City.

As such we were bitterly disappointed that despite a full recommendation for approval and no statutory or technical objections to the scheme our proposals were nevertheless refused on 12th December 2008. We see the loss of jobs, training, affordable housing and education as a hugely missed opportunity for the City at such a critical and unprecedented economic time. However we still remain fully committed to developing true partnerships and the building of constructive relationships through the critical ingredient of wide consultation.

There has been much said about the level of debate and the reasons behind the refusal as to its potential link with the early retirement of Alan McCarthy. For our part we are left to consider the 6 Reasons for Refusal put forward by the Planning Committee. This review is currently with our legal advisors, and once their report has been finalised and reported back to the Laing O'Rourke Main Board a decision on the next steps will be published across all Stakeholder Groups.

We do however still want you to have your say.

Please tell us if you wish to be kept up to date with the progress of the scheme.

We still have our dedicated information line - t: 0800 032 7620 and an email address: brightonmarina@exploreliving.co.uk.