Brighton and Hove City Council reject plans for new house

Brighton and Hove City Council turned down the proposal to demolish the existing property at 41 Hill Brow and build a three-storey replacement.

The council dismissed the plans, arguing that the proposed house’s height, roof design, scale, and bulk would be “overdeveloped” and out of place in the surrounding area.

A computer generated image of the proposed house (Image: Lewis & Co Planning) The council also stated it would disrupt the street scene and harm the character of neighbouring properties.

The proposed second-floor front terrace was deemed intrusive, causing overlooking, loss of privacy, and increased noise disturbance to neighbouring properties.

The planning report decided the house “would appear overdeveloped and fail to respect the characteristics of the street scene and local area, appearing out of scale and incongruous with the surrounding development”.

The current house, which the plans sought to demolish and replace (Image: Foster & Co) The council also pointed out that the design of the third storey, its height, and front-facing terrace were excessive, harmful to the urban grain, and out of character with neighbouring properties.

The application received one neighbour objection, which cited concerns such as overshadowing, overdevelopment and poor design, loss of privacy, and building line infringement.

The impact on property value and views was also mentioned, though these are not considered in planning decisions.

The current house has a pool in the back garden (Image: Foster & Co) The current property, a detached chalet-style bungalow, features a semi-circular driveway, a rear garden with a swimming pool, and conservatory additions.

The planning officer recommended refusal due to non-compliance with local design and amenity policies.

The house is currently listed for short term let on website Rightmove, by letting agents Foster & Co, for £3,500 a month.