The council in Brighton and Hove has launched the first stage of a new City Plan that will direct development across the city for the next 15 years. The scoping consultation runs from 14 July to 7 September 2026 and seeks views from local people, businesses and community organisations about the challenges and opportunities the city faces.
What the consultation covers
The scoping documents ask contributors to identify where new housing could go, how green areas should be protected, ways to improve biodiversity, and what infrastructure and services the city needs to support its economy and communities. The process follows updated national planning rules and begins a new plan-making timetable that is expected to take about 30 months to complete.
- Consultation period: 14 July–7 September 2026
- Geography: covers the city council boundary; excludes the South Downs National Park
- Documents available: online, at Hove Town Hall and in city libraries
- Additional documents: Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) scoping report and a new Call for Sites
Why local input matters
The administration says the new City Plan will set standards for homes, transport, green space, heritage protection, and local jobs and services. A preliminary consultation held in November 2024 drew more than 700 responses, including roughly 200 from young people, and the council says that feedback helped shape the current scoping documents.
"The City Plan is vital because it shapes homes, transport, infrastructure, green spaces, heritage, jobs, local services and safer streets."
That comment accompanies the published consultation materials, highlighting how wide-ranging the plan’s effects will be across daily life in Brighton and Hove. The council has also issued a fresh Call for Sites, inviting landowners and developers to submit locations for possible housing, employment, retail or other uses.
How to take part and what happens next
Residents can read the consultation documents online or inspect paper copies at Hove Town Hall and at libraries across the city. Responses will be used to shape the draft City Plan during the statutory preparation period. The council must also complete a Strategic Environmental Assessment scoping exercise, which is open for comment alongside the planning consultation.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Consultation dates | 14 July – 7 September 2026 |
| Previous engagement | November 2024 consultation: >700 responses (c. 200 from young people) |
| Plan area | Brighton and Hove administrative boundary (South Downs excluded) |
For Brighton and Hove residents the consultation is an opportunity to influence where new homes are built, how much green space is retained, and what priorities the council should pursue for jobs, transport and community facilities. The new national requirements mean the council must follow a prescribed engagement route at this early stage, but the content of the plan will be shaped by the evidence and responses gathered over the coming months.
This is a technical but consequential exercise for neighbourhoods across the city: the choices made now will frame planning decisions for years to come. Those with views are encouraged to take part during the consultation window so their priorities are recorded at the start of the plan-making process.
