CMPCA

LOTTERY GRANT TO PRODUCE A COMMUNITY WEBSITE
We are delighted to report that our application to the National Lottery’s Awards For All scheme for £6,760 to produce a community website has been successful. . This grant provides an exciting opportunity to fund a specially designed software and training package that allows a team of contributors and editors to be easily trained to develop a genuine community website, by the community and for the community, rather than depending on one ‘expert’. The new website team will, for example, be able to conduct surveys and gather authoritative information on CMPCA residents’ opinions on matters of topical interest. The site will include a ‘comments and messages’ space, which will allow residents to engage in a direct exchange of views and it will also include an area where residents will be able, for example, to record the local history of the area on a street by street basis, and the remembrances of long term residents.
A team of editors will be trained to add and modify the website’s content. Editors need no previous website knowledge as full training will be given. The software package we shall use is similar to that used by the award-winning website www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk designed by www.communitysites.co.uk. A look at either of these will illustrate the ease of contributing. If interested in acting as an editor or in providing material for the new site, please contact John Riddington (john.riddington@tiscali.co.uk or 01273 771431).
We hope that by late next spring this site will replace the temporary site (www.cmpca.co.uk ) that has operated for the past year.

ROYAL ALEXANDER HOSPITAL SITE
The Taylor Wimpey application for a development of 149 flats with a medical centre as well as the separate application to demolish all the existing buildings were rejected by the Council at the beginning of December. Taylor Wimpey appealed against this decision and a local enquiry was held between May 12th & 15th. The enquiry upheld the Council's decision. The letters sent to the council by the CMPCA relating to the RAH can be found on the documents page, as can the planning inspector's report.
Brighton and Hove City Council is in the process of producing a Planning Brief for the former Royal Alexandra Hospital site. The city council held a Public Exhibition of the council’s latest draft land-use and design options for the site. The drop-in exhibition took place on Saturday 24 October in Hove Town Hall Foyer with the exhibition remaining in Hove Town Hall Foyer until Friday 30 October 2009.