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Hello! It’s likely you’ve come here via our social media or newsletter.
This is a series of blog posts, each providing you with everything you need to make an informed decision about the proposed development of the Benfield Valley. Each post links to the next so you have time to digest all the information.
We’d recommend reading all of the information. If you have any questions or suggestions, please do let us know.
Please note that this is a live case so details may change as things progress. Each post will be updated as necessary as information changes.
Happy reading!
The BVP Team, x
About Us
The Benfield Valley Project (BVP) is a constituted community group set up in July 2020 to both campaign for the protection of the space and connect the community through events in and around the valley. We are passionate about safeguarding the valley from development in order to preserve an important wildlife site, and about keeping it as a space for the community, now and in the future.
The Story so Far…
Originally owned by Wimpey, the Benfield Valley (BV) was bought by Tim Sainsbury when the supermarket was built at the bottom end of the site. He gifted the freehold back to the then Hove Council to be protected for public use. This was sold by Hove Council as a 200-year lease to a leaseholder for development. The lease has changed hands a number of times.
All planning applications have historically been rejected by the council due to the valley’s ecological and environmental significance as a local wildlife site (LWS).
The Benfield Valley was included in the City Plan Part 2 (CPP2) as having ‘potential for development’ (Special Area 7 - SA7 in the document)
There were strong contests from BVP, Sussex Wildlife Trust and Natural England, all of whom called for the site to be a protected area of biodiversity. You can find these here.
Ecology surveys as laid out in the Urban Fringe Assessment 2015 for the CPP2 were not fit-for-purpose; they were out-of-date desktop surveys and done in January.
Ignoring all concerns from both conservation groups and locals alike (see link above), the government Planning Inspector signed off the CPP2 without removing Benfield Valley and the previous planning committee adopted the plan.
Due to its inclusion in the CPP2, in principle, the planning committee cannot object to planning applications. HOWEVER, in a recorded zoom meeting with the BVP, the then Head of Planning, Leo Littman, told us that the allocation showed that the site had only ‘potential’ for development (ie. they just needed to satisfy the planning inspector) and that if there was enough community opposition (especially where Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is involved), then any application could still be rejected.
The lease changed hands from Benfield Investments Ltd to Hollybrook Homes (HH) in November 2023. The have been told that transfer of freehold will be completed in November 2024.
Hollybrook Homes have now applied for planning permission to develop the site, the details of which can be found on the planning page (see 'link below for direct links to the planning register). Their main plans can be found here: www.benfieldpark.co.uk
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