Our current campaigns

Decent dwelling standards

The council has adopted perfectly adequate space standards for affordable homes (public sector housing). Unfortunately no such standards apply to private sector dwellings and hence we are continuously faced with proposals for very small dwellings.

We monitored the situation throughout 2010 and made about a dozen representations on individual planning applications pointing out the inadequacy of flats proposed. In only a few cases were applications refused because of small dwelling sizes.

The small dwellings being built have long been a problem both locally and nationally: Britain produces some of the smallest dwellings in Europe. Such dwellings have often very limited space for kitchens, no space for dining tables, very restricted storage space, all of which adds to a most unsatisfactory living environment.

In our opinion such ‘Hobbit homes’ might well help create the slums of the future. We believe there should be one standard for housing in Brighton & Hove and that the one currently used for affordable homes would be adequate.

We have held several discussions with officers and leading members of the council to make our point and feel that there is a broad consensus politically on our proposal.

Brighton & Hove standards for affordable housing are as follows: 1 bed flats 50sqm, 2 bed flats 66sqm, 2 bed houses 76sqm.

Heat recovery from Shoreham Power Station

The Society supports steps that increase renewable heat and power in the city; we believe this is essential in future-proofing our city.

The gas-fired modern Shoreham power station generates electricity, but heat generated in the process (cooling water) is discharged into the sea. We believe that the energy contained in the cooling water could make a substantial contribution to the heating needs of the city, for example, via a district heating system.

The Society's secretary John Kapp has prepared a paper on this issue: Is whole city Combined Heat and Power / District Heating green? Download (Word file)

Shoreham Power Station, with fishing boats moored alongside.

We realise that such a system would be costly and disruptive over a number of years. However, we believe that rising energy prices may well make it a worthwhile undertaking. The Society is lobbying for a proper engineering study to be carried out to establish the feasibility of using this waste heat.

The water near the power station is twice the temperature of the surrounding area, and the Society's secretary John Kapp regularly swims there.

Media coverage (external links):

Members of the Renewable Infrastructure Group swimming in the sea