Plans to convert a former bingo club to a 'super-sized' doctor's surgery and block of flats has once again been rejected.
Downland Housing submitted plans for the five-storey building on the site that housed the Gala Bingo club on Portland Road, Hove.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee rejected officer’s recommendations and turned down the proposals. The decision was welcomed with applause by residents in the gallery many of whom have been protesting against the development for the last 6 years. This was the fifth application in respect of the site made by Downland Housing.

The application outlined plans to demolish the empty bingo club that ceased trading in 2003 and build a new two-floor GP surgery. In addition the company wanted to build 35 homes which included 14 affordable properties, and parking for 18 vehicles.

Nearly 500 residents opposed the proposal describing it as an “overdevelopment”. Downland Housing who were made aware of the residents concerns below have chosen to constantly ignore these in subsequent applications:

1) Thousands of people losing their local GP surgeries in Hove, and instead having to travel further by car to the new tesco-style "super-surgery"
2) Road safety issues: this development will attract hundreds of cars EVERY DAY to an area that already has too much traffic and road danger. The proposed development would be right next to two major primary schools, and extra traffic would seriously put children on foot at risk
3) Lack of parking. WE are told by the developers that the 15,000 patients would be "travelling by bus". This is total nonsense, as we all know that when you are ill you don't go by bus, you go by car and taxi. The area has hardly any parking spaces, due to the fact that the two major schools have no carpark of their own.
4) The development would have balconies unsafely overhanging the footpath leading to the school, and looking directly over the school playground.

The development would be so massively overdeveloped that it even comes out to the footpath. This is a prime example of developer's greed, not what the community needs or wants. Bringing a whole load of surgeries to one place will result in traffic chaos and parking rage, and put children in even more danger.

Derek Rist, of Marmion Road, Hove, commented after the hearing it was “a victory for common sense”.

Four councillors rejected the proposals with the other eight members of the committee abstained from voting.

Maria Caulfield, who proposed the move to reject the plans, commented she had concerns regarding the space and additional traffic this would bring to the area.