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. St William appealed against the decision and it was called in for determination by the secretary of state in January 2025. The secretary of state agreed with the planning inspector that the appeal should be allowed and planning permission granted. “The derelict Brighton Gasworks site is allocated for housing development but it still took over five years to achieve planning consent via appeal. The decision came alongside two other call-in planning verdicts from the housing secretary.