St William, a developer, is set to appeal after Brighton and Hove City Council rejected their proposal to build 495 homes on a former gasworks site in Brighton. The decision was made during a six-and-a-half-hour meeting at Hove Town Hall, where the planning committee voted seven to three against the development. The proposal included 11 blocks of flats, up to 12 storeys high, alongside 2,791 square meters of commercial floor space and a "green link" between Marina Way and Roedean Road.
The £280 million scheme faced over 1,700 objections from local residents and heritage organizations, pointing out that the project would overcrowd the area and harm its historic character, while offering too few family homes. Despite the committee's decision, St William argued that the development would provide much needed, low-carbon housing on an under-utilized site. They emphasized that 40 percent of the homes would be affordable, subject to funding from Homes England, and highlighted the benefits of public open spaces, new pedestrian and cycling routes, and commercial spaces to support up to 195 jobs.
The site, approximately two hectares in size, is adjacent to the A259 and near Black Rock, Brighton Marina, and East Brighton Park. It has been largely unused, save for storage and two redundant gasometers. St William’s spokesperson expressed disappointment in the council's decision, noting that they had worked closely with city planners and design teams for four years to develop their proposal. The developer is now preparing to lodge an appeal against the refusal.