Controversial plans have been approved on appeal to build almost 500 homes on a former gasworks site in Brighton.
The £280m development, led by St William, is comprised of nine flat buildings of up to 12 storeys which will be built on land at the junction of Marina Way and Roedean Road.
Initially, Brighton and Hove City Council rejected the plans in 2024 after receiving over 1,700 objections during the developments six-week public consultation period. Campaigners warned the scheme was too tall, too dense and out of keeping with the area.
However, Steve Reed overturned the decision this week. He said the regeneration of the ‘unsightly, underused and contaminated’ brownfield land would bring wider benefits, including jobs, new public space, and improved walking routes.
Despite the positives, a growing body of research suggests building new homes on a former gasworks site could pose serious health risks – particularly for children and vulnerable individuals. Toxic substances, including carcinogenic materials and toxic metals, can remain in soil and groundwater for decades and when they are disturbed during construction, they can release harmful pollutants into the air.
Another aspect of the plans that has been majorly criticised is how the homes will look once they have been built. Councillor Gill Williams, who represents Whitehawk and Marina ward, previously said the homes would turn Kemptown into ‘Gotham City’.
The lack of affordable homes within the development has also been debated. Currently none of the 495 new properties have been earmarked as affordable, which has cast concerns that the new flats will be sold to investors or converted into holiday lets.
In a report – where Matthew Pennycook announced the scheme would be going ahead – the housing minister said: ‘The secretary of state notes that it is common ground between the council and appellant that the development cannot provide affordable housing given the high cost of remediating the site and that the Unilateral Undertaking (UU) contains obligations which would require the appellant to use ‘reasonable endeavours’ and a review mechanism to try and secure grant funding for the affordable housing.’
With construction expected to start in 2026, developer St William, who spent four years drafting the proposal, said the scheme will deliver ‘biodiversity net gain’ and 195 new jobs.
Photo by Luke Besley via UnSplash
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