Housing
IN SUSSEX
Sussex desperately needs more homes
THE RIGHT HOMES
In the right places
Sussex desperately needs more homes - but we must build the right homes in the right places. Councils are currently under considerable pressure to meet the government’s ambitious housing targets by approving large-scale developments on greenfield land, eroding our countryside and swallowing up the beautiful rural spaces that make Sussex special. Many of these developments are in remote locations, far from jobs or existing infrastructure and will attract buyers from outside Sussex, rather than becoming homes for local people.
BROWNFIELD
First
Before another farmer’s field is lost to concrete, every suitable brownfield site across Sussex should be identified, assessed, and prioritised for development. These are sites that have already been built on – often disused industrial land that could be turned into much-needed homes for local people. According to research by CPRE Sussex, there is space for over 26,000 homes on brownfield sites across Sussex - and many of these sites already benefit from planning permission. This shows that we don’t need to keep building on precious greenfield land when the infrastructure and capacity already exist in our towns.
I’ll establish a Sussex Brownfield Task Force - a rapid-response team made up of planners, surveyors, and regeneration experts to work with councils and developers to bring these sites back into use quickly and sensibly. Many of these sites already have planning permission, so the team would work to help remove blockages or problems that prevent homes from actually being built.
CHANGING THE
Approach
Together, we can build the homes we need while protecting the Sussex we love. We need to build affordable homes for local people, close to jobs, schools and shops.
Smarter Planning, Faster Delivery
Too often, bureaucracy and delay stop good housing projects from getting off the ground.
I’ll set up a team to coordinate housing with transport, employment, and infrastructure needs. It’s about joined-up thinking: if we’re building new homes, we must make sure people can travel easily, find local jobs, and access schools, doctors, and shops nearby.
Homes People Can Afford
Housing policy shouldn’t just serve developers. Sussex needs affordable homes for nurses, police officers, teachers, tradespeople, and young families - the people who keep our county running. I’ll push for a fairer balance of genuinely affordable and social housing in every development, ensuring local people aren’t priced out of their own communities. In Brighton and Hove, the council has recently started buying properties to be used as council accommodation – this is a positive move that I’ll encourage other areas to follow
Unlocking Empty Homes & Upper Floors
Thousands of potential homes already exist behind boarded-up doors and unused upper floors on our high streets. I’ll commission a county-wide audit of empty homes and spaces and work out strategies to bring them back into use. And I’ll simplify planning rules so unused upper floors of shops and offices can be converted into flats - breathing new life into our town centres.
No One Left Without a Home
Housing policy isn’t just about numbers - it’s about people. I’ll link housing and homelessness strategies together so that no one is left behind. That means converting disused buildings for temporary accommodation, funding supported housing, and working with charities such as Off The Fence, Turning Tides and BHT Sussex to provide real pathways off the streets. And I’ll put my own money into this by donating 15% of my mayor’s salary to groups and charities working in this area. In a caring county like Sussex, no one should be sleeping outside.
Regulating Short-Term Lets (Airbnbs)
In some of our coastal and tourist towns, the rapid growth of short-term holiday lets has pushed local people out of the housing market and reduced the number of homes available for rent. As Mayor, I’ll introduce a Sussex Short-Term Let Register so councils know exactly how many properties are being used as Airbnbs or similar. I’ll work with local authorities to ensure fair regulation - including limits in high-pressure areas and stronger planning rules for full-time holiday conversions. Tourism is vital to our economy, but it mustn’t come at the cost of local families being priced out of their own communities.
REVITALISING
old town centres
A strong county needs strong town centres.
If elected, I would launch a Sussex Town Centre Renewal Plan focused on:
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Bringing empty units back into use
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Supporting independent retailers
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improving public safety and reducing antisocial behaviour
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Creating mixed-use spaces with homes, workspaces, cafés and culture
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Upgrading streetscapes, lighting and accessibility
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Improving transport links and parking arrangements where needed
Whether it’s Eastbourne, Newhaven, Crawley, Burgess Hill, Worthing, Bognor or Hastings, every town deserves a vibrant commercial heart where people feel safe, spend money locally, and communities thrive.
YOUR VIEWS
really matter
Tell me about the changes you want to see in Sussex. I want a plan that works for all of us - so your opinions are essential to make this happen. Get in touch to help expand and define the community plan.
DEVELOPING
A Skilled Workforce
Too often, training programmes are designed by colleges without meaningful input from the businesses that actually need skilled staff. I’d change that.
As Mayor, I would convene a Sussex Workforce Skills Partnership, bringing together:
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Local employers
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Further education colleges
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Universities
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Training providers
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Chambers of commerce
Together, we would design skills programmes that match real business needs - from engineering and construction to hospitality, logistics, digital, creative industries and green technology
That means:
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More apprenticeships
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More work-ready training
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More local people with the skills businesses are desperate for
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Less reliance on expensive recruitment from outside the county
Sussex businesses deserve a workforce trained for the real world - and they will have a direct say in shaping it.
YOUR VIEWS
really matter
LAUNCHING
Sussex Business Hubs
Some parts of Sussex have huge untapped potential - they just need the right infrastructure in order to thrive. That’s why I’d launch Sussex Business Hubs: modern, flexible spaces providing:
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co-working areas
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meeting rooms
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small workshop units
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access to business advisors
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digital and creative studios
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start-up support clinics
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networking and training events
The first two locations I’d like to explore are:
Newhaven - a strategic town with port access, regeneration potential and space for light manufacturing and green-tech enterprises.
Crawley - the county’s commercial powerhouse, with Gatwick on its doorstep and the strongest job market in Sussex.
These hubs would give start-ups and growing businesses the space, support and confidence they need to scale up, employ more people and invest locally.