Harbour hopes – and plots for the future
Huge changes proposed for the ports of Newhaven and Shoreham bode well for Brighton. Frank le Duc reports
The two ports either side of Brighton and Hove have both spelt out ambitious plans for the future. Both Newhaven and Shoreham councils are keen to revive the working ports and to make better use of land that is no longer needed for harbour-related business. Given the need for new homes and jobs in both port towns as well as in Brighton and Hove, there are grounds for hope. Much though remains to be done.
While those closest to the harbours could be expected to gain most from the fresh optimism and the various plans being prepared, Brighton and Hove ought to benefit too. The city sometimes seems to exist in splendid isolation. Perhaps our physical geography plays its part. It’s nestled between the Downs and the sea and sits hemmed in as part of a bigger coastal conurbation.
Just as it acts as a magnet for tourists, it draws more of our neighbours for work than the reverse, although many thousands commute to London each day. Perhaps the feeling of a place apart reflects the independence granted when the two towns formally combined 15 years ago. Whatever the reasons, there are encouraging signs that those leading our city are increasingly willing to talk to our neighbours.
With our need for new homes and jobs high on the agenda, it’s a willingness that makes much sense. Land is in short supply in Brighton and Hove while the plans taking shape in Shoreham and Newhaven – and in Mid Sussex – could benefit from what the city has to offer. Whether it’s skills and training, workers or customers, Brighton and Hove can help Newhaven and Shoreham to grow and improve.
Both ports have recently produced master plans setting out their vision for the future. These have energised developers, other business owners, as well as local politicians and officials. Some of those people are based in Brighton. The draft City Plan was discussed at a recent event – organised by property firm Centurion – the case for Brighton and Hove to look beyond its borders was well made and the two port towns were a key part of that proposal.
Recent announcements and planning applications are an indication of the extent to which the ports are about to undergo dramatic changes. As we try to strengthen our local economy and shake off the recession, it is clear that joining a wider conversation about these changes is a must if we are to maximise the mutual benefits.
A NEED TO CONSULT
There was a time when a sizeable number of people commuted to Newhaven to work at the harbour and in the surrounding warehouses, workshops and factories. Closures and lay-offs have taken a heavy toll. More than one in eight adults in the town are on some form of Jobseeker’s Allowance. And while some regeneration has taken place, the incinerator saga in particular has created mistrust and discontent. The West Beach closure has also soured public sentiment.
So the recent sale of the Lewes Road Recreation Ground has given rise to mixed emotions. Few want to see open spaces built over when there is so much brownfield land locally. Some felt that the deal was done too quickly and with too little chance for the public to have their say. But the flipside is the prospect of a hotel and casino being built, with the developer looking to put a water park in the area too.
Round Table Entertainments, a company set up to see through the £350 million project by the Kuwaiti European Holding Company, hopes to create up to 500 jobs. Its proposals are one of a number aimed at making Newhaven more attractive for tourists. Proper consultation has been promised.
Councillor Steve Saunders said: “As one of the district ward councillors for Newhaven Valley I was and still remain disappointed that the residents were unable to be consulted at an earlier stage about the sale of the land at Lewes Road Recreation Ground and the potential loss of such fondly regarded and well-used recreational and amenity land. I am, however, aware of the confidentiality requirements of the discussions between the council and the developers, which has fostered an air of mistrust.
“I look forward to fact that promised full consultation will occur from now on with residents and businesses of Newhaven and other surrounding areas directly affected by the proposals. These proposals will have both far-reaching impacts and opportunities for the residents of the town and the district as a whole. But Newhaven residents must be the ones that ultimately decide on whether the scheme goes ahead.”
Councillor Rob Blackman, the lead member for business, economic development and tourism, said: “We apologise that more information was not forthcoming but it is not uncommon when negotiations are of such a scale and magnitude that they have to be kept confidential. In order to secure the developer’s interest in our district we have honoured this and had to move very rapidly. We hope that residents will understand. We are acting completely within the law and now we are very keen to involve residents. The views of residents and businesses of Newhaven are vital to this project.”
After the Eastside planning decision in May the town’s MP, Norman Baker, said: “To grant planning permission for the Asda site and to refuse the application for the Tesco site may well constitute an error of historic proportions which will have serious long-term consequences for the town. Newhaven is at a crossroads and the council’s planning committee has chosen absolutely the wrong turning.
“By favouring the Asda site the council will:
– Fatally undermine what is left of the town centre in shopping terms.
– Damage the prospects for job creation by allowing housing and retail to be built on long-protected industrial land.
– Divert scarce ‘planning gain’ resources into a dead-end road, pushed by the county council, which the port says it doesn’t want or need.
– Pull the rug out from under the port master plan and so threaten the very future of the port.”
Mr Baker’s unusual and vehement intervention over a planning matter gives an indication of the strong feelings around the way land is developed in the town. It also reinforces the need for a genuine and effective consultation if trust is to be built and the benefits realised in terms of investment and jobs.
CLOSER TO HOME
There is already a healthy dialogue taking place over Shoreham Harbour. The current port management team are outward-looking. And since plans by SEEDA – the abolished regional development agency – for 10,000 houses and flats were shelved, hopes of revitalising the area have seemed more grounded and realistic. Brighton & Hove City Council, Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council have set up a joint project team with a view to attracting jobs as well as building some homes.
Last year the port handled more than two million tonnes of cargo for the first time – a record year despite the recession. Parker Steel’s recently enlarged processing plant has created jobs. Plus Edgeley Green Power has also submitted a £12 million planning application to Adur council for a 32 MW eco-power station at the harbour’s Fishersgate Terminal next to the existing gas-powered facility. The intention is to burn a range of bio-fuels such as vegetable, plant or animal oils, bio-mass, animal tallow and even old cooking oil. Most of the fuel is expected to be brought to the harbour by sea for a power station which Edgeley hopes to be operating within two years.
The plans tie in with the port’s other green energy projects. It recently had solar panels fitted to the roof of the harbourside Hove Enterprise Centre. And the harbour is home to the proposed PortZED development. The first version was rejected for being too big but the developer, Boho Green, is working with those living nearest the site to try to reach a compromise. Boho Green also has various other green projects in the pipeline which could involve the creation of jobs at the harbour.
Access to and from the port is constrained and money has already been spent improving public transport links. Some reconfiguration may be possible at the Hove end – one of the sites where housing may well be concentrated. But the planning process for change on such a scale is lengthy and the work would be so costly that the sums would be unlikely to add up. But while we may not end up with ideal solutions, encouragingly the port seems energised and there is a general air of optimism. The revitalisation continues and the pace seems to be picking up. Rodney Lunn, the port chief executive, said recently: “Our business community
is thriving.”
Both Newhaven and Shoreham are vying to be the onshore base for energy firm Eon’s Rampion wind farm. Both have marinas for pleasure boats although nothing on the scale of Brighton Marina. And both have a modest inshore fishing fleet with leisure fishing also catered for. With the port master plans acting as catalysts, both places now have much more going for them. It is good to see some love being lavished on Newhaven and Shoreham and it’s encouraging to think that Brighton and Hove might contribute to, and benefit from, that process. After all, we’re all supposed to be in this together.
