The next steps in the regeneration of Shoreham Harbour are expected to be agreed tomorrow.
The key public sector players behind the scheme are in the process of agreeing the ground rules for at least the next two years.
Plans for the site include thousands of homes, better transport links and modernised facilities for the port of Shoreham.
The measures will include setting up a standalone project team and funding on a project manager, development manager and support staff to lead the multimillion-pound project.
Tomorrow (Tuesday 7 December) the Brighton and Hove City Council cabinet member for major projects, Councillor Ayas Fallon-Khan, is expected to ask officers to prepare the necessary paperwork.
A report recommends that he “requests officers to prepare a report seeking to adopt a scheme of delegation for the Shoreham Harbour regeneration project at cabinet on 20 January 2011”.
This would create a memorandum of understanding between Brighton and Hove City Council, Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council.
The councils are working together on the project because the harbour is in areas covered by all three, stretching from Shoreham through Portslade to Hove Lagoon in the east.
The council officers would also establish how much of the funding of almost £3 million in this year’s budget can be carried forward to the next financial year.
The sum carried forward is likely to be between £1 million and £2 million.
The three councils are also waiting to hear whether they have been awarded £500,000 “port town” funding from the European Union.
The EU money is for improving links between ports and their surrounding communities.
As well as addressing the housing shortage, the regeneration is intended to help tackle unemployment, poor levels of education and skills and general deprivation.
The project’s aims identify these issues as particularly relevant to south Portslade, Fishersgate and parts of Shoreham.
Councillor Fallon-Khan will formally make a decision about the project at the enterprise, employment and major projects cabinet member meeting at Hove Town Hall tomorrow at 5pm.
