Today The Argus publishes a colour-coded guide to show how one of Brighton and Hove's most ambitions developments is taking shape.

Foundations for the multi-million-pound 24-acre site on New England Street have been finished and building work is about to begin in earnest.

When complete the site will contain town houses, a supermarket, hotels, a language school and create up to 1,000 jobs.

Brighton and Hove City Council created a strict legal agreement regarding sustainability and community benefits that the developers, construction firm Quoin and Sainsbury's, signed before gaining permission to build.

The plan includes an agreement that buildings would emit 40 per cent less carbon than average buildings, 30 per cent of the housing would be affordable and the public would be fully consulted before the scheme went ahead.

The companies have also agreed to give £2 million towards a community centre, a town centre manager, children's play area and warden, public artwork and other artistic enhancements.

According to the map, blocks A to D are what is known as the core site.

A, B and C2 would be houses by Barratt Homes, who are planning a mix of 247 flats and terraced townhouses.

Block C1 will be a Sainsbury's, though not a superstore as many people feared. It would be about double the size of the branch on London Road, with an underground car park and some more Barratt flats on top.

Block D is to be an employment and training centre run by the Black and Ethnic Minority Community Partnership.

It would be primarily for minority groups but other community organisations, voluntary groups and start-up businesses would be able to use the facilities.

Block E could be a futuristic green housing complex by Bioregional, a firm famous in the architectural world for building London's BedZED, the most sustainable urban housing complex in Britain. The company hopes to build 84 houses on the station site.

Block F would be a £1 million council-owned community centre, leased to The Ethical Property Company.

Training and meeting rooms and offices would be rented to charities and community groups at a peppercorn rent.

G1, G2 and G3 would be 24 houses with a maximum of three storeys. The developer has not been confirmed yet.

Block J is the controversial part of the site, sold to the Beetham organisation which wants to build a luxury hotel.

Despite planning guidance for a hotel of no more than seven storeys, Beetham has applied to build a 42-storey tower block.

Planning officers have recommended the application for refusal and it will be decided at a committee meeting on Wednesday.

Blocks K1and K2 will be a budget hotel, with developers Jurys Doyle again departing from planning guidance and applying to build a tower with seven storeys instead of the suggested four.

There is no committee date set for this application.

Blocks L and M has full planning permission for a residential language school built by developers Study Group International.

It would have 850 pupils, with 350 accommodated on site.

Blocks 0 to R together form a car park for the station which is already open.

The Sunday market, which many feared would be lost, is still held there weekly.

Last is the green section which cuts through the site, representing the pathway running from Queen's Road to New England Road.

Building on the core site begins next month and Quoin aims to have the entire development finished in three years' time.

Director Chris Gilbert said: "This is possibly the most significant mixed-use building project outside London.

"It will generate hundreds of jobs, provide much-needed housing and, critically, regenerate a part of the city which people have been trying to do since the Sixties."