Tensions simmered as councillors debated the prospect of building new housing on “greenfield” sites on the outskirts of Brighton and Hove.
The Conservatives looked to outflank the ruling Greens in trying to provide protection for places such as Benfield Valley, Whitehawk Hill and Horsdean Rec.
They were angry at being unable to present three petitions with a combined total of more than 7,000 signatures to a meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council yesterday (Thursday 22 October).
But their criticism of the mayor, Labour councillor Alan Robins, who chaired the meeting of the full council, provoked a backlash.
Fellow Labour councillors and the Green deputy leader of the council, Hannah Clare, deplored what they said was a personal attack.
By convention the mayor remains politically neutral and colleagues said that, in refusing to receive the petitions, Councillor Robins had acted on legal advice and had been guided by officials.
The seven-hour “virtual” meeting ended with officials asked to look into ways for the council to protect “urban fringe” sites that are currently earmarked as possible plots for housing.
Councillors also asked chief executive Geoff Raw to write to the government as they placed on record their concerns about the threat to green spaces posed by Conservative planning reforms nationally.
Conservative councillor Robert Nemeth said that the council owned much of the greenfield land on the outskirts that is being considered for housing in a policy document called City Plan Part 2.
As the landowner, he said, the council could refuse to give its consent regardless of planning policy.
But his political rivals said that the impetus to develop the urban fringe sites had come from the Conservative government in the first place.
Since then, Councillor Nemeth said, the pipeline of new homes in the built up parts of Brighton and Hove was enough for the greenfield sites to be saved.
Councillor Nemeth said: “I have discussed the City Plan Part 2 with numerous administration and opposition councillors, each of whom would normally either champion the environment or their own residents’ concerns.
“And not one was aware to what degree the City Plan passed the Planning Inspectorate’s target of 13,200 homes.”
He said that sites for 16,000 homes had been found and added: “All councillors that I have spoken to were under the impression that removing the 930 in the urban fringe would leave us short of the target which clearly isn’t the case.
“I realise now that some may have genuinely believed that the plan would be in tatters without the urban fringe sites and must have felt awful going back on their pledges to residents.”
