Construction underway to replace Brighton's ugliest building

A crane towers over the construction site in Preston Road, once home to Anston House - which was left abandoned for more than 30 years.

Foundations for two of three planned tower blocks have been laid, with the concrete core of one of the buildings now standing at 13 storeys high.

A crane stands next to the concrete core of one of the new tower blocks under construction in Preston Road (Image: Newsquest)

The tower blocks will contain a total of 229 flats once complete, with each up to 15 storeys in height.

Described by one councillor as a “blot on the landscape”, Anston House was built in the 1960s but was left derelict after being abandoned since 1987.

Planning permission was granted by Brighton and Hove City Council in 2020, and demolition of the building began in March last year, with one Brighton resident telling The Argus he was “really happy to see the back of Anston House”.

An artist's impression of what the new development will look like, from the view of Preston Park

Brighton architects Conran and Partners, who have laid out designs for the new development, said it will “provide much-needed new, contemporary homes and work space within the city”.

Out of the 229 flats to be constructed, around 30 will be affordable homes, with some of the rents expected to be set at 80 per cent of the local market level.

The development, set to cost £70 million to complete, could give the local economy a £140 million boost, according to one economic analysis.