New England Quarter

Some of the residential development aims to meet high environmental and sustainability standards,[3] and green space is being provided on former railway land.

It covers a broadly rectangular area of 8.7 hectares (21 acres),[4] bounded by: (Some sources measure the site differently, and accordingly define it as smaller or larger than the size given in the master plan.)

)[2][7] Production lasted until 1957, after which the buildings survived for some time before being cleared in 1966[8] to make way for the largest car park on what was then British Rail's Southern Region.

[5] The Environmental Services Department of what was then Brighton Borough Council produced a planning brief for the site in October 1993, stating a desire to "recreate in the area west of London Road a vital, urban, mixed use townscape which links a regenerated and environmentally enhanced London Road shopping centre with North Laine and the station".

[14] The scheme is a mixed-use development, consisting of a wide range of residential, commercial, educational and community buildings, transport-related infrastructure and public space.

When the scheme is complete, at least 355 new homes will be available, consisting of a mixture of standard houses, apartments and townhouses,[17] and able to support a population of approximately 1,000 people.

[4] In 2005, a joint venture was formed between housebuilder Crest Nicholson and environmental project and design group BioRegional Quintain Ltd[18] to acquire part of the site (Blocks E and F) and provide 172 of the new homes, including the affordable housing stock as mentioned above.

This covers an area of 4,484 square metres (48,270 sq ft) and is bounded by the now partly pedestrianised New England Street (the former course of which it partially encroaches upon), Cheapside, a new pedestrian right of way (Kingscote Way) and Blocks B and C. The Harvest Forestry,[21] a low-rise building with small dome-shaped turrets at each corner, previously stood here.

[26] These blocks are being developed by Crest Nicholson BioRegional Quintain LLP as an environmentally friendly set of "eco-apartments" called One Brighton.

[32] It replaced a smaller outlet in London Road, which had opened in 1974 and which had seen little refurbishment since the original planning application for a Sainsbury's on the New England Quarter site was put through in 1997.

[33] In November 2005, Block K was granted planning permission[34] for a four-storey office development (B1-category), in addition to the hotel and public open space therein.

[22][24] Block J, which has a ground area of 3,707 square metres (39,900 sq ft), has been granted planning permission for a luxury (four-star) hotel, with around 250 beds and a range of facilities including a restaurant, swimming pool and conference venue, taking the total floor space to 21,367 square metres (229,990 sq ft) spread across five or six storeys.

The URBED master plan states that "no associated parking [has been provided] as it is anticipated that most guests will arrive by train",[36] as the station is immediately adjacent.

Controversy arose over a proposal—raised after the master plan was approved in principle—to build a 42-storey tower incorporating a large number of residential units and other facilities in addition to the already-approved hotel.

[1] Ruth Kelly, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, was responsible for deciding whether to overrule the council's decision and approve the tower.

[38] The future of the Block J site is undecided as a result of this; however, within four days of the decision, the Beetham Organization announced that it intended to submit plans for an alternative scheme, which it would develop in consultation with the city council.

[45] The Black and Minority Ethnic Community Partnership, a grant-aided registered charity,[46] leases the ground and first floors of Block D from Sainsbury's.

Blocks L and M (total ground space 5,509 square metres (59,300 sq ft)) consist of accommodation for Study Group International, housing Bellerbys College, a preparatory college for foreign students intending to go to British universities; Embassy CES, a language school; Study Group head offices; and residential accommodation for students.

[54] There was a contractual obligation to provide 600 spaces, although the form which this had to take was not specified and various proposals were considered, including a taller multi-storey structure with more floors and a much smaller ground area.

These give access to the car park, Bellerbys College and a new pick-up and drop-off point immediately outside the side entrance to the station.

As of September 2012, the following services operate: The area is close to many other bus routes, both from outside the front entrance of Brighton station and along London Road.

[62] This will be maintained and improved to create a "green corridor" called the Greenway, which will run from the embankment overlooking New England Road, at the northernmost point of the site (beyond Blocks L and M), through to the station.

Proposals include "green lifestyle" packs and information for residents, solar panels, a communal wood-burning boiler to heat the apartments and provide hot water, solar-powered recharging point for electric cars, roof-mounted wind turbines, a community allotment/garden irrigated by rainwater from the roof, a car club, and a high proportion of recycled materials used in construction.

Brighton Urban Design & Development (BUDD) is a campaign group which was set up in February 1997 in response to the original planning application for a Sainsbury's superstore and car park on what is now the New England Quarter site.

Although initially created to oppose and protest against these original plans, it has subsequently developed into an all-encompassing point of contact for all issues relating to the New England Quarter, and its stated aim is now to "stimulate, encourage and initiate sustainable urban design and development through an inclusive participatory process, to combat social exclusion and to generate schemes that integrate social, cultural and environmental benefits to Brighton and Hove.

[65] BUDD held a public meeting was on 24 July 1997, at which 99% of the approximately 300 people who attended voted against the original planning application, which had been submitted in May following several months of preparation.

[9] After the new master plan was submitted and approved, further action was taken by protestors; this was focused on the Harvest Forestry building at the corner of New England Street and Cheapside, which was squatted for a time.

[66] SchNEWS, a weekly anarchist newsletter, has frequently been critical of the plans for the New England Quarter site, and has regularly advertised BUDD's public meetings, protest events and similar.

However, property development and investment company The Beetham Organization Ltd, which has in recent years built several high-profile hotels, offices and other buildings in prominent city-centre locations in Britain,[71] bought Block J in November 2004 and submitted a revised planning application (BH2005/00136/FP) early in 2005.

[40] The reasons for the rejection were supported by various people and groups within the city, such as The Regency Society, which is involved with planning and conservation matters in Brighton and Hove.