
Bevendean History Project
Coldean Self Builders - Selba Drive

Brighton Town Council
designated land at the north and south ends of Staplefield Drive for
self-build housing schemes as shown in the plan below.

The plan is dated 20 January 1958. Keep Ref: DB/D/84/24/16359.
The pink area on the left is the site built on by the Coldean Self Builders. The road is named Selba Drive.
The land in Higher Bevendean was originally part of Lower Bevendean Farm formerly owned by Steyning Beard and purchased by Brighton Council on the 29th September, 1913.
The man behind many of the self-build schemes in Brighton was Councillor Desmond Manton.
A group of men who lived with their families in council houses in Coldean formed the Coldean Self-Build Housing Association about 1958.
Plans for the bungalows in Selba Drive were approved by Brighton Town Council on 3 February 1959.
The road was named Selba because it was SEL(self) B(build) A(association). Information provided by one of the original builders.

Layout of the house plots in Selba Drive. Keep Ref: DB/D/84/26/18523
Date: 16 March 1961
The men built 26 bungalows in Selba Drive and were able to move into them about 1962.
Selba Drive took about 31 months to build and the bungalows cost £1,700 each, when they were finished. Two bungalows were more expensive because they had Parque flooring in the hall and the lounge whereas the other bungalows had Marley tiles flooring throughout.
The buildings on the west side of Selba Drive were built with a small storeroom underneath, because of the slope of the land. Garages were built behind the bungalows with a shared drive from the road.
The bungalows on the east side had garages built underneath.

Drawings showing the elevations for the bungalows on both sides of the road.
Keep Ref: DB/D/139/59/2/202

Drawings showing the ground plans for the bungalows in Selba Drive.
Keep Ref: DB/D/139/59/2/202

Selba Drive view North. Image from Google Street View © 2023 Google.
COLDEAN SELF-BUILD ASSOCIATION
Members of the Association were provided with a detailed specification of the bungalows to be erected as set out below: -
Flooring: will include Marley tiles grade “C” in all rooms and wood block flooring of Balmoral design in the hall. Samples of both Marley tiles and various types of wood blocks are available for inspection on site.
Plumbing: this includes a Leisure double drainer sink top in vitreous enamel; bathroom suite consisting of panelled bath open brackets hardboard panel closed brackets, pedestal lavatory basin and low-level WC. This can be supplied in a standard colour range, i.e., cream, blue, yellow or green or in white at a cost of £8 less.
The bathroom will be tiled to half height in six-inch glazed tiles (coloured or white as required). In cases where the bathroom and toilet is combined, the above will still apply.
An ideal standard No.1 Autocrat boiler will be installed in the kitchen, one 2 section radiator in the hall (24” by 16”) and one in the rear bedroom, a 2 bar heated towel rail will be situated in the bathroom.
Doors: external doors can be selected from a limited range; internal doors will be flash type [hardboard closed bracket with locks to all room doors. There will be only one front door with an open porch. The rear door will have a glazed porch with a door frame fitted, but no door.
Kitchen Furniture: the following cupboards will be supplied: -
Sink unit, (one is available for inspection in No. 1 garage) – dwarf covered unit with Formica top, (the choice of colouring will be from a limited range so that sheets can be bought and cut to size).
Larder with tiled slab, broom cupboard and wall cupboard. The kitchen will be tiled to half height.
Fireplace: £15 has been allowed for the fireplace, you can choose your own at any shop or building merchants but Fyne fireplace is limited will allow 20% discount to the association if all 26 are purchased from them. A built-in gas burner can be supplied as an extra. (Cost approximately £3).
Painting: Interior woodwork will be painted white or cream. If a member requires any other colour, the association will provide the paint in order that he can do the painting in his own time. External woodwork, guttering etc will be painted according to the members requirements. No decorations to walls or ceilings will be carried out.
Plastering: No cornices will be put in.

Selba Drive view north showing the bungalows with garages underneath.
Ref: 2020-05-02_P1030258c

Selba Drive view north showing the bungalows built without garages due to the slope of the land. Ref: 2020-05-17_P1040512c

Selba Drive view south where mainly the roofs of the bungalows are visible.
Ref: 2020-05-17_P1040510c


The plan is dated 20 January 1958. Keep Ref: DB/D/84/24/16359.
The pink area on the left is the site built on by the Coldean Self Builders. The road is named Selba Drive.
The land in Higher Bevendean was originally part of Lower Bevendean Farm formerly owned by Steyning Beard and purchased by Brighton Council on the 29th September, 1913.
The man behind many of the self-build schemes in Brighton was Councillor Desmond Manton.
A group of men who lived with their families in council houses in Coldean formed the Coldean Self-Build Housing Association about 1958.
Plans for the bungalows in Selba Drive were approved by Brighton Town Council on 3 February 1959.
The road was named Selba because it was SEL(self) B(build) A(association). Information provided by one of the original builders.

Layout of the house plots in Selba Drive. Keep Ref: DB/D/84/26/18523
Date: 16 March 1961
The men built 26 bungalows in Selba Drive and were able to move into them about 1962.
Selba Drive took about 31 months to build and the bungalows cost £1,700 each, when they were finished. Two bungalows were more expensive because they had Parque flooring in the hall and the lounge whereas the other bungalows had Marley tiles flooring throughout.
The buildings on the west side of Selba Drive were built with a small storeroom underneath, because of the slope of the land. Garages were built behind the bungalows with a shared drive from the road.
The bungalows on the east side had garages built underneath.

Drawings showing the elevations for the bungalows on both sides of the road.
Keep Ref: DB/D/139/59/2/202

Drawings showing the ground plans for the bungalows in Selba Drive.
Keep Ref: DB/D/139/59/2/202

Selba Drive view North. Image from Google Street View © 2023 Google.
COLDEAN SELF-BUILD ASSOCIATION
Members of the Association were provided with a detailed specification of the bungalows to be erected as set out below: -
Flooring: will include Marley tiles grade “C” in all rooms and wood block flooring of Balmoral design in the hall. Samples of both Marley tiles and various types of wood blocks are available for inspection on site.
Plumbing: this includes a Leisure double drainer sink top in vitreous enamel; bathroom suite consisting of panelled bath open brackets hardboard panel closed brackets, pedestal lavatory basin and low-level WC. This can be supplied in a standard colour range, i.e., cream, blue, yellow or green or in white at a cost of £8 less.
The bathroom will be tiled to half height in six-inch glazed tiles (coloured or white as required). In cases where the bathroom and toilet is combined, the above will still apply.
An ideal standard No.1 Autocrat boiler will be installed in the kitchen, one 2 section radiator in the hall (24” by 16”) and one in the rear bedroom, a 2 bar heated towel rail will be situated in the bathroom.
Doors: external doors can be selected from a limited range; internal doors will be flash type [hardboard closed bracket with locks to all room doors. There will be only one front door with an open porch. The rear door will have a glazed porch with a door frame fitted, but no door.
Kitchen Furniture: the following cupboards will be supplied: -
Sink unit, (one is available for inspection in No. 1 garage) – dwarf covered unit with Formica top, (the choice of colouring will be from a limited range so that sheets can be bought and cut to size).
Larder with tiled slab, broom cupboard and wall cupboard. The kitchen will be tiled to half height.
Fireplace: £15 has been allowed for the fireplace, you can choose your own at any shop or building merchants but Fyne fireplace is limited will allow 20% discount to the association if all 26 are purchased from them. A built-in gas burner can be supplied as an extra. (Cost approximately £3).
Electrical Specification | ||||
Position | Lighting Points | Power Points | Cooker | Clock Point |
Kitchen | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Bedroom No. 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
Bedroom No. 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
Bedroom No. 3 | 1 | 1 | ||
Lounge | 4 wall | 2 & TV Coaxial A/E Point | ||
Bathroom | 1 | |||
W.C. | 1 | |||
Hall | Two 2 way switch | 2 | 1 Immersion Heater | |
Front Door | 1 | |||
Back Door | 1 Outside Swan Neck | |||
Bells | One bell transformer working complete with illuminated push front door. Plain push back door. | |||
Gas Supply | 3 gas points will be provided in the kitchen and one to the fireplace in the lounge. They can also be provided in the bedrooms, if required, at a very small extra cost. |
Painting: Interior woodwork will be painted white or cream. If a member requires any other colour, the association will provide the paint in order that he can do the painting in his own time. External woodwork, guttering etc will be painted according to the members requirements. No decorations to walls or ceilings will be carried out.
Plastering: No cornices will be put in.

Selba Drive view north showing the bungalows with garages underneath.
Ref: 2020-05-02_P1030258c

Selba Drive view north showing the bungalows built without garages due to the slope of the land. Ref: 2020-05-17_P1040512c

Selba Drive view south where mainly the roofs of the bungalows are visible.
Ref: 2020-05-17_P1040510c
