More than 170 people have objected to plans to raise the roof of Mitre House, the rundown building on Western Road that occupies the block between Hampton Place and Spring Street. Mitre House is already the tallest building on Western Road.

The proposed extra floors will spoil many views of the sea from the Montpelier and Clifton Hill Conservation Area, including the classic one down Victoria Street. It will also spoil views up the hill from the sea front as well as casting an enormous 70-metre wide shadow that in winter will stretch from Western Road to Upper North Street. The playground of Saint Mary Magdalen’s School will lose its winter sun.

The Say NO to Mitre House Campaign has made local people aware of the sheer scale of these plans. Three local conservation organisations are backing the campaign, the Montpelier and Clifton Hill Association, the Regency Square Area Society and the East Brunswick Residents’ Association.

The Mitre House plans are due to go to the Council's Planning Committee on Wednesday 29 August 2007. The Council's Officers have recommend turning down the plans, reflecting the strength and number of objections received.

Two new planning applications have been submitted by Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd, to Brighton & Hove City Council, for  Consent to demolish the buildings of the former Royal Alexandra Childrens' Hospital  in Dyke Road Brighton.

The applications can be viewed on the Council website www.brighton-hove.gov.uk in the planning register section.  Objections to the application quoting BH2007/04453 and BH2007/04462 can be made on their website, before 25th January 2008. For more information please see our pdf 'how to object' below.

In January 2006 the Montpelier and Clifton Hill Association completed a survey of local residents in the area and the results were compiled by Brighton & Hove Council Statistics Department. There were 281 replies with 96% wanting at least some buildings retained (66% wanted only the main buildings kept, 30% wanted all the buildings kept).

In March 2006 the City Council's Planning Team issued a Planning Advice Note covering this site. The conservation advice states 'it is expected that both the 1881 and 1904 buildings would be retained and re-used…..their demolition would need to be justified'.

The Montpelier and Clifton Hill Association believes that these historic buildings are a major asset to the conservation area. What is the point of having conservation areas if buildings like these are demolished? The former hospital buildings could be converted to residential use without demolition. The Pickford's Depository in Holland Road and the Hove Hospital are good examples of similar buildings that have been converted for housing.