Moda Living, an owner-operator of private rented housing, and joint venture partner Apache Capital Partners, together with LaSalle Investment Management, have submitted a planning application to transform a former trading estate and goods yard close to Hove station into an ‘urban village’. Subject to obtaining consent for the proposed development from Brighton and Hove City Council, Moda and Apache Capital plan to redevelop the nine-acre Sackville Trading Estate and Goods Yard into 613 homes, including nine live-work homes, designed for rent that Moda will own and operate as part of their long-term plans for this site.
As part of the plans, a further 265 care community apartments will be developed by Mayfield Villages, a specialist retirement care village developer and operator and will include dedicated amenities such as a swimming pool, restaurant and village hall. Once completed, the Moda/Apache Capital and Mayfield/Apache developments will create a multi-generational community joined by a series of new publicly accessible streets and squares. This is a well-established model in the US, where renters and retirees live alongside each other in ‘garden communities’.
The €291.9m (£262m) GDV scheme will give a significant economic boost to Brighton and Hove with the creation of over 500 jobs as well as up to 90 apprenticeships and work placements for young people. Designed by Whittam Cox Architects, the Moda/Apache Capital apartments will be a mix of sizes ranging from studios to three-beds, spread across six buildings ranging from 2 to 13 storeys in height, with some of the homes benefiting from sea views.
Tony Brooks, Managing Director at Moda Living, said: “As a long-term investor, owner and operator, we’re committed to taking the site through planning and construction to completion, then managing the rented homes for the long-term under the Moda brand. This latest project is a major step in developing our brand offer both nationally and in the South of England. With a round-the-clock concierge service as well as many excellent amenities and green space for residents and the local community to enjoy, this will be the best rental offering in Brighton and Hove.”
Richard Jackson, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Apache Capital Partners, said: “Our Brighton and Hove redevelopment scheme demonstrates our ability to bring together two of our existing partners Moda Living and Audley (Mayfield) to combine both Build to Rent and Senior Living homes on one site. This will help us to create an inter-generational community that not only meets the pent-up and growing demand for high quality private rented housing, but also provides a more sophisticated care model for the elderly, enabling them to have care tailored around their needs provided to them in their own homes, whilst enjoying the benefits of the onsite amenities and services. As long-term owners and operators, we will collectively transform the city’s largest brownfield site into a vibrant community that appeals to people of all ages, carefully integrated into the local neighbourhood, whilst generating skilled employment opportunities for Brighton & Hove.”
Kevin Shaw, Managing Director - development at Audley Group, said: “These plans represent a long-term commitment by both Audley Group and Moda to transform the site into an intergenerational offer in a highly sustainable location with easy access to buses and trains right in the heart of Hove. There is a huge need for quality retirement housing in the UK and a desirable location such as Brighton and Hove is the perfect choice for the second Mayfield Villages site.”
Andrew Derry, Development Director at LaSalle Investment Management, said: “We’re pleased to be working with Moda Living and Audley Villages on the exciting regeneration opportunity presented by this development. LaSalle has been involved with this location for an extended period of time, having owned Sackville Trading Estate since 1985 and subsequently acquiring the Goods Yard and Rayner Intraocular Lenses building. Working with Mountpark, we had previously secured planning consent for a retail-led mixed-use scheme and led the planning negotiations and stakeholder engagement to establish the concept for this new residential-led mixed-use development.”
