🛼Autistic children get new school, residents say skate park not cool, graduate show for art school and more 🎨

Good morning, and welcome to this week's Seagull briefing! We know what you're thinking: this is a Tuesday, what's going on? Unfortunately, our editor hasn't been very well, but we didn't want to deprive you of some news (plus a Charlie Southall update) so we have a reduced offering this week. On with the news!‌‌

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'No to skate park' say dog walkers

Plans to turn a wild space into a BMX pump track, skate park and roller rink have been opposed by residents, families and dog walkers.

The former pitch and putt course on Hove seafront is set to be renovated as part of the council's £10m regeneration project for the Kingsway area. Opponents say it is a very heavily used area throughout the day and the nearby skate park in Hove Lagoon is mainly used in afternoons and evenings.

A petition has been launched, with more than 100 signatures so far.

It says:

This is going to take away and hard core over a disproportionate amount of valuable and now much used community green space.

This area was designated as underused but in fact is enormously well used now by dog walkers, exercise groups and people young and old gathering and picnicking.

We dispute the contention it is underused. This is a quiet area of the seafront surrounded by residential streets and quiet use of the promenade.

The area is serving the benefits of large numbers of the community.

Please reconsider if this big change of use which will see a popular green open space disappear for good is really the best way forward for the whole community.

A council spokesperson said the council has consulted with residents and the wider community throughout the planning process, holding drop-in sessions last month attended by more than 500 people, and has received feedback from the West Hove Seafront Action Group, comprising of residents, representatives from businesses in the area, clubs and voluntary organisations.

A survey about the Kingsway to the Sea project will be open until Friday (June 10th) here, and the petition will run until next Wednesday (June 15th).

New school for autistic children and people with anxiety

A school for children with mental health issues and anxiety is set to open in Brighton.

The 30-student capacity school would, if approved by the council's Children, Young People and Skills Committee on Monday (June 13), fill a gap in provision for autistic children and those with anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions—but not learning disabilities.

It would be a satellite of Portslade’s Hill Park School at the former Cedar Centre in Lynchet Close, Hollingdean, and it is hoped the school would help those who are 'not currently in education or are placed in independent non-maintained special schools', say the council.

🖋 NIBS 🖋

• Charlie Southall watch: an appeal has been made against the enforcement notice requiring the replacement of the tiles he got his mates to rip off the pub, because of course it has. This means the deadline for reinstating the tiles is paused until a planning inspector makes a ruling. Legally the council cannot say who has made the appeal 'as it is not yet in the public domain', but we think we could hazard a guess.

This edition of The Brighton Seagull is sponsored by Cybersyn, a friendly digital analytics consultancy based right here in Brighton. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

🎨Art: Brighton Graduate Show runs until Sunday, every day from 12-5pm, giving the University of Brighton's art, design, architecture and media students a chance to exhibit their final projects. It is held at 58–67 Grand Parade and 154-155 Edward Street.

🌱Environment: A brainstorming session/planning workshop to green up Hanover, Elm Grove and Tarner will be held at Hanover Community Centre this Wednesday (June 8th) from 5.30-7.30pm, giving people a chance to contribute to make the area an even nicer place to live. Sign up here.

Swoop in

If you have a story for Seagull, please get in touch with our editor at [email protected]. And if you want to contribute:

☕️ Where to eat? 🥪

🥙Lunch: Look, we did We Love Falafel last week but Team Seagull haven't eaten out since except having We Love Falafel for lunch what feels like every other day. We can now recommend the standard wrap with tofu. Maybe by next week we'll have been brave enough to try one of the special falafels.

🔜 Next Time 🔜

Hopefully we'll be feeling a bit better next week! If you're not feeling great—we hope you feel better too.

That's all for this week—don't forget to fill in our contributors form if you'd like to get involved, forward to friends who might be interested and if you've been forwarded this and enjoyed it (or are reading on the website), please subscribe:‌