Brighton and Hove have a housing crisis which is easily the worst of any town in the South East outside London.

Hemmed between the Downs and the sea, the towns have run out of large sites where new homes can be built.

Because the area is so popular, rising home prices mean housing associations face an unequal battle against private developers for the remaining acres of land.

That's why one proposal in the draft Local Plan is of crucial importance for hundreds who live in sub-standard housing or who have no home at all.

It is that in any private development of ten or more houses, 40 per cent of the homes should be what is dubbed "affordable".

Many developers are likely to balk at these figures.

But they represent one of the few ways in which enough new homes can be built in Brighton and Hove.

The Local Plan, a blueprint for development over the next ten years, will also contain crucial decisions over which sites could be designated for industrial or commercial use.

It has important implications for other aspects of local life including design, conservation, and striking the right balance between private and public transport.

Not everyone will want to plough through the whole plan but summaries are available.

The council wants to hear your views. Tell it loudly and clearly what you think about these vital local decisions - especially on solving the housing crisis.