BHASVIC seeks permission for new building on Hove site

Brighton, Hove and Sussex VI Form College (BHASVIC) looks likely to be given planning permission for a new building on its campus in Dyke Road, Hove.

The sixth form college has more than 2,100 students, with funding for 2,089 of those. The new building would create 12 extra classrooms – or room for an extra 288 students.

The college hopes to appoint a contractor next week and start work on the building in December or January if its plans are approved.

If the work runs to time, the building would be completed in April 2015.

A report to the Brighton and Hove City Council Planning Committee recommends that councillors should be “minded to grant” permission subject to a number of conditions.

These include coming up with an amended plan detailing proposed extra bike and car parking spaces.

The new building would lead to the loss of 29 parking spaces off Dyke Road.

The new building would three storeys high. The ground floor would be used as a social space while the top two floors would house 12 classrooms.

Two neighbours have objected to the plans along with the Brighton Society which criticised the design of the proposed building, its height and the building line relative to the other college buildings.

The Brighton Society was also concerned about the proposed materials and the impact of the new building on the existing building and wider street scene.

The plans also allow for a new service area for deliveries and rubbish collections to the north of the College House building in Dyke Road.

The existing refectory and staff room would be refurbished and CCTV would be installed.

If he plans are approved, the college is being asked to contribute £90,000 “to help finance off-site highway improvement schemes such as pedestrian and cycle infrastructure improvements along the Dyke Road corridor”.

The Planning Committee will decide whether to grant permission at Hove Town Hall during a meeting that starts at 2pm and which is open to the public.