Greens push for ‘bold ideas’ to tackle housing and environmental crisis

‘Community facilities, public transport and genuinely affordable housing’ central to Green response to Labour’s City Plan Part 2.

PROVIDING 100% genuinely affordable housing and cracking down on poor air quality are some of the proposals put forward by Greens in response to City Plan Part Two, the Labour Council’s strategic plan for Brighton and Hove. The Plan builds on City Plan Part 1 which outlined the strategic approach.

Part 2 sets out the council’s preferred approach to development of housing, offices and shops, community facilities, heritage and open spaces and will form a key factor in the future assessment of planning applications.

Greens have responded to the consultation calling for affordable housing and public transport plans to go much further. Developments should be based around maximizing green space for residents, providing warm, genuinely affordable homes and limiting polluting transport if the city is to thrive into the future, Greens have said.

With over 50 new proposals put forward, Greens want to see development plans fulfil a stronger emphasis on the public realm and the environment in the face of climate change and increasing need for affordable housing in the city.

Greens have also called on the Labour Council to take into account key proposals raised at meetings of Full Council, including the redevelopment of the Brighton General Hospital site sale into affordable housing, and a cycle network and improved public transport links.

Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, convenor of the Green group, said: “The challenges that lie ahead – a rising need for affordable housing, a growing elderly population, increasing air pollution and climate change – require a bold and ambitious response.

“As we did with our political leadership in the City Plan Part One, Greens believe that a well-designed and well-planned built environment creates benefits which go far beyond just bricks and mortar, such as protecting our fragile environment, boosting other areas of the economy such as tourism, retail and leisure. We also need to balance the challenges our city faces in terms of sustainable growth, recognising that uncontrolled development, issues like party houses, increased road traffic access, HMOs and Airbnb, too often negatively affect the communities we live in.

“Climate change will continue to pose a threat so it’s important any plan meets the needs of our city’s population, but within ecologically sound limits. We are asking the Labour Council to consider better flood protection for areas like Patcham, warm homes resilient against future energy prices, zero-carbon building, local renewable energy networks and new and better maintained public spaces for our city.

“This is the Labour Council’s plan but we hope our continued vision for sustainability will lead to better outcomes for our city. The Green approach focuses on how development plans improve wellbeing and quality of life. We put the community at centre stage- with things like a focus on public transport, green spaces and affordable housing- which will put our city on a path to more sustainable development.”