CONSTRUCTION update
RESIDENTS’ NEWSLETTER ISSUE 18 MAY 2023
Dear Neighbours
As we move towards the final stages of our regeneration programme for Preston Barracks and the University of Brighton’s development The Big Build, we would like to update you on the progress so far, and what will be happening in the next few months. We would also like to outline the facilities and amenities these schemes are creating for the local community, as well as the wider benefits that investment in the area will bring.
DID YOU KNOW WE ARE BRINGING…
Housing:At Preston Barracks we are building 369 new homes - a mixture of studio,1, 2 and 3bedroom apartments and triplexes, available through open market sale, Shared Ownership and affordable rent
New GP surgeries:A new Medical Centre and Pharmacy serving up to 13,000 local residents
A newpublic street:The Furlong on Preston Barracks will offer a range of shops and workshops including a convenience store
Event spaces:For activity and events in The Furlong for local residents
A new café: The café at Plus X on Preston Barracks is open all day on weekdays, all are welcome
Outdoor spaces and access:Green spaces and traffic-free routes, ultimately creating an opportunity to use the various new pathways as a circuit for walking or running an estimated 1km loop
Jobs and economic benefits:Through the Plus X Innovation Hub, new commercial spaces, and construction-related employment, the development will create over 1,000 new jobs locally and contribute over half a billion pounds to the city’s economy over its first 10 years
PLUS FURTHER LOCAL BENEFITS
The Big Build and Preston Barracks developers have contributed around £2.65m for Brighton & Hove City Council to allocate to local projects, with around £1.85m going towards improvements for public sports and recreation facilities in the area - such as your local parks, leisure centres, open spaces and allotments.
This includes:
• £250,000 to improve indoor sports facilities at Moulsecoomb Community Leisure Centre
• £440,000 to fund Carden Park’s new accessible multi-use games area, creating a mini-exercise track, an outdoor fitness space and new teen zone
• £384,000 toward BHCC’s Local Employment Scheme
• £265,000 for local transport initiatives
• over £75,000 for allotments and food growing locally
• and £85,000 for local Early Years education and nursery provision
LEWES ROAD BRIDGE
The landmark pedestrian bridge across the Lewes Road is now open, providing a fast and safe route for all to use. Repairs to the lift serving the Lewes Road bridge have been completed following issues with vandalism and water ingress. The lift remains available for public use from 8am to 6pm, seven days a week. A deep clean of the bridge deck and staircases, and remedial waterproofing, were also carried out in April.
Four of the eight residential buildings have completed and are partially occupied, with the next two due this autumn. Works to the final residential building on Lewes Road began in January 2021; it is anticipated that this will also be completed in autumn 2023.
Landscaping to the area around the bridge should be completed by the end of November, opening up the area known as Bridge Square and improving the link between the Preston Barracks site, Elm House and beyond.
We anticipate that all Preston Barracks construction works will be completed by March 2024, with final landscaping works to The Furlong also expected in early 2024.
The University is carrying out refurbishment and renovation of Mithras House, including replacing nearly 400 external windows across all four floors of the building.
Scaffolding has now been erected to enable this work to take place safely and will remain in place for the remainder of the year.
The main contractor for this work, ISG, are working hard to minimise any inconvenience to our neighbours during this work. If you have any questions or queries about the work and any impact on you, please contact Richard Dawson, ISG Project Manager via email: Richard.dawson@isgltd.com
SOUTHERN HOUSING
Since our last newsletter, Optivo and Southern Housing Group have merged to form Southern Housing. The newly formed housing association is one of the largest in the UK, owning around 77,000 homes and serving 167,000 residents across London, the South East, the Midlands and the Isle of Wight.
Southern Housing are delivering the residential properties at Preston Barracks under the name ‘Home X’. Residents have been moving into the homes since April 2022, with four of the eight buildings completed. Homes are available to purchase through open market sale and Shared Ownership; where you buy a percentage of the property and pay a subsidised rent on the equity you don’t purchase. A range of studio, one, two and three bedroom homes are available, with some homes ready to move into.
To find out more, or arrange a viewing, you can visit www.home-x.co.uk or call 01273 068032.
Roadwork update
Our roadworks contractor Edburton has been granted permission by Brighton & Hove City Council to undertake the works, but we are awaiting another party to complete some works before we can commence on site; these works will involve resurfacing part of Lewes Road, and final commissioning of the traffic lights.We anticipate these works commencing Summer 2023.
We continue to liaise with Brighton & Hove City Council, the bus company, and other local stakeholders regarding the phasing of the works and the impact on road users and local residents.
RESIDENTS’ MEETING
We welcome you to attend our regular residents’ drop-in meetings, where representatives of U+I, Southern Housing and our construction contractors will be present to answer your questions on all aspects of the development.
Next meeting:
Monday 22nd May 2023 6pm-7pm at Plus X, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GL
CONTACT US
www.brighton.ac.uk/thebigbuild
EHL.environmentalprotection@brighton-hove.gov.uk