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11th December 2015
Brighton's famous Lanes are going to be one lane bigger. Planning permission was given this summer to demolish the Timpsons building at 15 North Street and construct a new Lane.
Although the Timpsons building is listed, it's considered worth sacrificing as the new entrance will give new access to another, more interesting listed building – Puget's Cottage.
Puget's Cottage is one of the oldest buildings in the old town, dating back to before the Prince Regent made Brighton popular as a seaside resort. It's thought to have been owned by a master mariner when Brighthelmstone was a simple fishing village. The building has been hidden from public view for 140 years, and was only recently rediscovered.
The new Lane is intended to improve access to the Lanes area generally, and act as a through-path from the Pavilion to Brighton Square and onto the Town Hall, making it easier for tourists to access Brighton landmarks. A recent survey found that 8 out of 10 tourists couldn't find The Lanes. The new entrance is intended to address that, creating a high quality entrance.
The plan is part of a wider regeneration scheme for The Lanes that will see a new boutique hotel open in Brighton Square, as well as adding more retail space, creating 70 new jobs in the process.
As The Lanes forms the major remnant of Brighthelmstone (the village Brighton grew out of), the worry is that a development like this won't be in keeping with the existing architecture. However, the developers are making the right noises concerning cohesion, and with the Brighton Society – self-appointed guardians of Brighton's conservation – apparently happy for the development to go ahead, there's seems no cause for concern.
Let's hope the development goes as planned, and allows more visitors to experience The Lanes.