Housing secretary rules 500-home Brighton scheme can go ahead four years after planning was submitted

The new housing secretary has overruled Brighton and Hove Council’s rejection of plans designed by EPR to build 495 homes on a derelict gasworks site.

Developer St William, a subsidiary of Berkeley Homes, submitted a planning application in 2021 for the Brighton Gasworks scheme, which would see the development of 2ha of land currently used for storage and containing redundant gas infrastructure.

Proposals included a mix of building types was proposed, ranging from three to 12 storeys, as well as 2,791sq m of commercial space.

Permission was refused in May 2024, with the council saying the scale of the scheme was out of keeping with the area, as well as raising concenrs about the the under-provision of large units in the housing mix and over-development resulting in poor living conditions for future residents.

St William appealed and the job was called in for determination by the secretary of state in January 2025. 

According to a letter sent yesterday by housing minister Matthew Pennycook, on behalf of his new secretary of state, Steve Reed, St William’s appeal has been upheld.

Reed agreed with the planning inspector that the appeal should be allowed and planning permission granted.

The government said concerns about the development being too tall and too dense needed to be seen in the context of a development plan which allocated the site for “significant development” and noted that the site had a “history of large structures”.

The secretary also agreed that the redevelopment of the site for a lower number of units was “unlikely to be viable given the high cost of remediation” and that national policy emphasised the “efficient use of land”. 

He also agreed with the planning inspector that the scheme would “establish a strong sense of place and positively contribute to its varied surroundings providing a cohesive and attractive urban environment”.

A spokesperson for St William said: “We welcome the secretary of state’s decision which reflects the government’s commitment to unblock homebuilding and growth. 

“The derelict Brighton Gasworks site is allocated for housing development but it still took over five years to achieve planning consent via appeal. 

“The system has to work faster and this important decision makes that clear.”

>> See also: What does the appointment of Steve Reed as new housing secretary mean for housebuilding?

The secretary of state also ordered that the council pay the developer the full costs of the inquiry proceedings.

The inspector found that the council had ”prevented or delayed development which should clearly be permitted”, that it had ”failed to produce evidence to substantiate each reason for refusal on appeal” and that there were ”substantial procedural failings on the Council’s part”.

The decision came alongside two other call-in planning verdicts from the housing secretary. 

Reed allowed an appeal and granted permission for a film studio at Borehamwood, brought forward by L&G Investment Management and Sky Studios. However, he also dismissed an appeal and refused planning permission for a 148-home scheme proposed by Wates in Reading.

Brighton and Hove Council has been contacted for comment.