Council and Crest Nicholson win £15m government funding to kickstart King Alfred project
Brighton & Hove’s King Alfred redevelopment has won £15.2m from the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund – the second highest in the country among over 130 grants announced today (Feb 1 2018).
The Fund is aimed at kickstarting major housing projects where financial viability is in question.
The city council bid was submitted last December with developers Crest Nicholson. The result has been warmly welcomed by the partners.
Council leader Warren Morgan said: “We’re massively pleased and proud to have submitted a bid which has won the second largest single sum in the country. It speaks volumes for our commitment to providing the housing the city desperately needs, alongside a first-class leisure centre. We have achieved a very significant step forward after years of difficulty getting this project off the ground.”
Plans for the site include 560 flats in four blocks. Twenty per cent of the homes would be affordable units. Proceeds from the sale of private flats would fund a new public leisure centre.
A provisional timetable for the project is subject to concluding contractual arrangements in the first half of 2018. It is hoped planning public consultation could commence by mid-2018 with a view to a planning application later this year. Details of the longer-term programme will be published once contractual arrangements are finalised. An indicative timescale would be see the sports centre open in 2023.
Developers Crest Nicholson are teamed with the Starr Trust on the project, which will include community space.
Government announcement here, this includes a spreadsheet of the successful projects nationwide.
Background to the project is here on the council website.
How the new King Alfred buildings might look.
Final appearance would be subject to public
consultation and a planning application