BRIGHTON’S MADERIA DRIVE TO BE GIVEN SEAFRONT REVIVAL
Brighton & Hove City Council has granted, subject to planning, a five-year temporary lease to Sea Lanes Brighton Ltd for the development of the former Peter Pan site on Madeira Drive, Brighton.
At the heart of the development, scheduled to open in November 2018, will be an outdoor heated swimming pool. The pool will see the city transformed into a national centre for excellence for open water swimming, bringing the seafront back to its former glory and act as a further catalyst for the regeneration of Madeira Drive.
The pool will be heated and open to everyone, of all swimming abilities, individuals wanting to swim to get fit and those training for open water swimming events and triathlons. Open water swimming has seen a 20 per cent annual growth since the 2012 London Olympics and the Sea Lanes swimming pool will contribute significantly towards the city’s swimming pool provisions – which currently reach only 44 per cent of the Government’s target.
The locally-driven development has been designed to benefit the local residents, and the local economy, whilst the wider regeneration plans for Madeira Drive are developed. Work on the meanwhile scheme is expected to commence later this year.
Sea Lanes Brighton Ltd is an integral part of the Brighton and Hove community, made up of businesses and individuals that are passionate about open water swimming. They include: members of the Brighton Sea Swimming Club, QED Sustainable Urban Developments, Copsemill Properties and the winners of the 2017 Queens’ Award for Enterprise Swim Trek.
Joe McNulty, Managing Director, of Copsemill Properties, explains: “The swimming pool will benefit local schools and colleges, and will allow children, parents and carers to take part in sea safety and lifeguard courses.”
Alan Robins, chair of Brighton & Hove City Council’s economic, tourism and development committee said: “Madeira Drive is an important part of the city’s tourism calendar, drawing in thousands of visitors a year to events like the Veteran Car Run and Marathon.
“The Sea Lanes development would be a fitting addition to the eastern end of our seafront and compliment the popular and successful Yellowave beach sports venue. I look forward to seeing the plans unfold.”
Joe McNulty continues: “By using a kit of moveable and reusable parts, we are able to create a sustainable, robust and affordable solution while permanent plans are developed.
“The pool will be supported by circa 10,000 square foot of commercial space, and the development will create around 70 new jobs and opportunities for the local community, bringing a much needed and long-awaited rejuvenation to a much loved area of Brighton seafront.”
The commercial buildings aim to attract businesses that will support the ethos of creating a national open water swimming centre, and will include leisure focused local businesses.
