New Home Construction in Brighton
New home construction in Brighton is the stage where a consented scheme becomes real homes: site set-up, groundworks, roads and drainage, building the homes and handing them over. Land to Homes manages construction on the sites it brings forward, working with contractors and suppliers, and plans each scheme around homes that can be built well and then sold or let.
Brighton · BN2Free site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
- Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
- Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
- Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Sites we take on near Brighton
Brighton (BN2) anchors our coverage of East Sussex, which takes in 9 other places. Nearby, we also cover Hove, Portslade and Rottingdean, all within 4 miles. Brighton is part of England’s South East region.
Projects we can take on around Brighton include land where self-build plots could suit the market, fields that need a masterplan before an application and plots where access or drainage is the sticking point. In England, where Brighton sits, planning decisions are made by the local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority).
If you have a site near Brighton that is stuck, a short call is the best place to start.
Our approach in Brighton
Mixed tenures on one site
Homes for sale, homes for rent and affordable homes can be built together, designed so that the tenures are hard to tell apart from the street.
From land to keys
The people who buy or promote the land also plan the build, so the scheme that wins planning is one that can be delivered on site.
Respect for neighbours
Site traffic, working hours, noise and dust are managed under a construction management plan where the council requires one, and neighbours know who to contact.
Energy-efficient homes
Homes are designed to meet current energy standards in each nation, which increasingly means low-carbon heating, high insulation and good airtightness.
Planning and land rules in Brighton
In England, most planning applications for new homes in Brighton are decided by the local planning authority, usually the council, using its Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Many landowners sell without planning, either outright or through an option or promotion agreement that funds the application first. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal, pays your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements, and can buy suitable sites directly, subject to survey, title and contract.
In England, homes are built to the Building Regulations and signed off by council building control or a registered building control approver. Higher-risk residential buildings go through the Building Safety Regulator. Energy standards are being raised through the Future Homes Standard, and most developments must also deliver the biodiversity net gain agreed at planning.
| Who decides applications | The local planning authority, usually the district, borough, city or unitary council (or a national park authority) |
|---|---|
| In-principle consent | Outline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
Questions about New Home Construction in Brighton
What is a new-build warranty?
A new-build warranty is an insurance-backed policy that covers certain defects in a newly built home for a set period after completion. In the early part of the cover the builder is usually responsible for putting defects right, with the warranty provider covering major structural problems later on. Most mortgage lenders require a recognised warranty or a professional consultant's certificate.
What happens to the roads and sewers on a new development?
On many developments the new roads are built to the highway authority's standards and then adopted, so the council maintains them. Sewers can similarly be adopted by the water company. Where roads or open spaces are not adopted, they are usually looked after by a management company funded by residents, and buyers should check this before reserving.
Do new homes have to be energy efficient?
Yes. Each nation's building regulations or building standards set energy efficiency requirements for new homes, and these have been tightened over recent years. In Scotland, new homes generally need zero direct emissions heating, such as heat pumps. England and Wales are moving to higher standards through updates to their own regulations.
What are pre-commencement conditions?
They are planning conditions that must be satisfied before any work starts on site, such as approving drainage details, materials or a construction management plan. Starting work without discharging them can put the permission at risk. We deal with them before work begins, together with any planning obligations that apply to the site.
Do you take on planning and building work in Brighton?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership in Brighton and elsewhere in East Sussex, including Hastings, Hailsham and Portslade. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: New Home Construction · Guide: Buying a new-build home: what to expect from reservation to keys