New plans for the Brighton station site include a supermarket, homes and a hotel.

It is a huge step forward for the site next to Brighton station, which has been derelict for 30 years.

The council and developers have been at loggerheads over plans to build a supermarket on the 13-acre site.

Now the council's draft planning brief, unveiled last night, says a supermarket could be built after all. It also includes proposals for up to 400 homes, offices, a 400-bed hotel, workshops, and a training centre.

The brief paves the way for new planning applications and work could start on the site within a year. Announcing the plans, the council said it could be a landmark development which would enhance the area and provide community benefits.

Last year a scheme by Sainsbury's was rejected by a Government planning inspector after a public inquiry. The new planning brief says a store of up to 25,000 sq ft could be included, almost twice as big as the current Sainsbury's in London Road but two thirds the size of the rejected store.

Of the 400 proposed homes, a large number would be affordable and provide family-sized housing. There could be 125,000 to 250,000 sq ft of office space on the site plus 20,000 sq ft of workshops and a training centre. A 400-bedroom three or four-star hotel with conference rooms would be acceptable, the brief says.

The council says the scheme as a whole must see a major switch from the car to public transport, walking and bikes. The station's commuter car park would be retained in the short term but spaces could be phased out as car use decreases.

Council policy planning manager Nigel Green said any scheme had to be viable and deliverable. The New England Consortium, which includes Sainsbury's, Railtrack and housebuilders Gleeson, said the draft planning brief appeared to support the kind of urban mixed-use scheme it had in mind.

Chris Gilbert, director of QED, project managers to the consortium, said: "It would be a landmark development and the first of its kind outside London.

"We're convinced our proposals are the best way of achieving the objectives of all with a interest in the site, including those who want to see major improvements to this part of the town centre.

"These include local people who will benefit from the facilities provided there and traders, who can only benefit from a newly-regenerated London Road."

But Green councillor Keith Taylor said a development scheme could be viable without a supermarket.

Sara Bragg of campaign group Brighton Urban Design and Development said: "We remain concerned about the retail aspect. The council says it wants any development to reinforce the London Road shopping centre.

"It's difficult how to see building a huge new Sainsbury's 300 metres away up a steep hill is going to achieve this."

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