In an announcement today, the Minister of State for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook MP, on behalf of the secretary of state, gave the green light for 495 homes to be built on land next to the A259 near Brighton Marina. Thousands had objected to the scheme, which the Planning Inspectorate said could include nine blocks of flats up to 12 storeys high. Concerns were also raised about the lack of affordable homes in the plans. The minister's report said if funding is secured or if there is an improvement in the viability position of the site, 198 affordable homes could be created. Without the funding, the report said, the development cannot provide affordable housing "given the high cost of remediating the site".