Walking around the town I often see something I consider noteworthy, so perhaps others will as well. We live in a terraced house where the kitchen and bathroom are in an extension to the main building, projecting into the garden - all perfectly normal. But I've often thought it would be nice to remove the pitched roof of the extension and replace with a flat roof, accessible from the loft conversion on top the main house. Saw a nice example over towards the main Brighton hospital last week:
Such a place would extend our sunshine by an hour, but is it worth the cost and disruption? I think not.
One of the things I did, when I had to earn a living, back in the 90s, was create the first UK version of a European schools environments project called Eco-Schools.. I was pleased to see a local primary school flying the Eco-Schools flag. Well done Elm Grove Primary. I'm guessing a big part of the award was for the greening, softening and brightening of the old asphalt playground.
Elsewhere a proud householder celebrates gardening prowess with the biggest hedge in the street. Or maybe they hate seeing people passing - perhaps my photography was an upsetting experience for them, But I doubt they could see me.
Some boundary features disappear. At the end of my road there used to be a property housing a bit of the National Health Service, but it was sold and converted to offices for rent. It had a delightful flint wall, over 5 feet high, but part was hit by an out of control vehicle, and now the whole section, to the brick pier of a gateway, has been removed. I really hope it will be replaced with a new flint wall, but I'm not holding my breath. Perhaps more history and pleasing streetscape lost??
This picture was taken before the whole wall was removed. Its down to pavement level now.
In Ewart Street I saw some delightful red granite kerbstones. Not so common in our city I thought. But yesterday I saw that the forecourt of Brighton Station is created with red granite setts. Still not common on streets though!
In Brighton dark grey diorite (an igneous rock typically from the Channel Islands) is much more common, you can see some above, in the setts which form the gutter.
Just wanted to finish by blowing my own trumpet. The final image is a place I am proud of, but I have lived in it for forty years. If you have been, thanks for reading.
Decorated for the Solstice - and Christmas too.
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