Circus Street regeneration gets green light

The Circus Street development includes plans for a new University of Brighton library and academic building with a publicly-accessible exhibition space; 142 new homes, including 28 affordable homes; 450 student bedrooms in quality and managed student halls of residence; and 38,000 sq ft of new office space plus workshops offering creative businesses start up accommodation and room to grow.

Central to the designs is a public square with small, independent restaurants and shops, larger than Jubilee Square. Opening onto it, the Dance Space is expected to attract 70,000 visitors per year. This state-of-the-art space will be a new home for South East Dance which jointly programmes dance at Brighton Dome and Festival as well as developing dance across the region and beyond. The Dance Space will bring world-class dance artists and companies in to the heart of the city and connect them to local communities, offering opportunities to create, participate in and see a range of dance.

Construction is expected to start in late 2015 with the aim of completing the scheme by mid-2017.

Artist's impression of the Circus Street redevelopment

Professor Julian Crampton

Professor Julian Crampton said: "Having high-quality new teaching and library space, as well as welcoming public exhibition space and a café, will greatly enhance our educational offer at the university. The project will allow the university to further enhance its strong partnerships with the cultural organisations in the city."

Said Richard Upton, Chief Executive of Cathedral Group (Holdings) Ltd: "This is great news – our ambition is to transform the area into a vibrant new quarter of the city, bringing cultural, economic and educational benefits to a currently deprived area. Our goal is to make Circus Street the go-to place for Brighton's creative individuals, innovative business start-ups, students and nearby residents."

Jamie Watton, CEO/Artistic Director, South East Dance, said: "This fantastic news means The Dance Space can become a reality. The Dance Space will be a vital addition to the dance infrastructure of the whole country as well as a sustainable and permanent home for dance in one of the most deprived areas of this otherwise vibrant city. We are delighted to be the chosen cultural partner for this significant development and to support economic regeneration in our home city."