• Green Councillor says protecting areas with family homes in City is ‘snobby’
• Comment is disrespectful to residents and shows lack of understanding about the City economy, say Conservatives.
• Remark follows Green Deputy Leader declaring ‘probably the end’ for big family houses with big plots in the City

The Conservative Group has said that a comment from a Green councillor that it was ‘exclusive and snobby' to protect family homes in the City is disrespectful to residents and shows lack of understanding of the City’s economic need.

Green Councillor Elaine Hills made the remark after Hove Park Ward Councillor Vanessa Brown had given a presentation on behalf of Hove Park residents and the Hove Park Neighbourhood Forum that called for two family homes in Goldstone Crescent to be protected from development into flats.

The comment from Cllr Elaine Hills was as follows:

Yeah just a little point about the fact that there were only large family homes in the area as Cllr Brown said so it should stay like that.  It just sounds very exclusive and almost snobby to say that. - Source, Planning Committee, 17/09/20

Cllr Hills’ comment also followed a presentation from fellow Hove Park Ward Councillor and Professor of Planning Samer Bagaeen about the Dwelling Mix Lifestage Modelling, which showed that a City needed a mixture of housing with some areas retained for family homes if it is to prosper.

Cllr Vanessa Brown, who was denied the opportunity to respond to Cllr Hill’s comment, said that the remark was deeply disrespectful to residents in Hove Park.

“At no stage have I did I say there should be no flats in Hove Park Ward only that they shouldn’t be in that particular location.

“The Hove Park Neighbourhood Forum want to make sure that there is a future for family homes in the city.  This is not ‘snobby or exclusive’ at all - it is about maintaining a stock of houses where families can continue to live, work and contribute in this City.

“These are residents that believe in the future of the City and want to stay – not have their houses and their neighbourhoods slowly developed into flats.

If Brighton & Hove is to be a City for all, it must be a City for families as well.

“I am concerned that we have recently seen a reduction in the number of school children requiring places at schools in the City.  This suggests families are moving out.

“Planning decisions like this that remove more family homes will only exacerbate this trend by setting a precedent for further loss of family homes.” she said.

Cllr Samer Bagaeen, who is also a Professor of Planning, said he was concerned about the recent attitude of the Greens at two Planning Committee meetings he has attended.

‘The comment shows a complete lack of understanding about planning” he said.

‘At the meeting I gave a presentation that referred to the Dwelling Mix Lifestage Modelling.  This approach shows that Cities need to retain some family homes.  Hove Park ward is one such area with 3398 Homes and 671 Flats.

“After all, if families move out, then the tax base of a City erodes.  Students do not pay council tax.

‘For the Green Councillor to simply say it is snobby to protect family homes shows that she just didn’t listen and doesn’t get it.

‘Worryingly, this comment followed comments from 2 weeks earlier where Greens Deputy Leader declared the end of the family home in Brighton & Hove, saying “the days of big family houses in Cities with big plots are probably going.”

The Greens need to come clean about what their vision for the City is.  Do they see a future for families?  Or is it all to be student flats and small apartments with no gardens?” he said.

ENDS.