EIGHTY million pounds worth of property has flooded onto the Brighton market.

The first phase of the £250 million Brighton Marina development has been put on the market with £80 million worth of homes made available.

Brunswick Developments have released images to show how the one, two and three- bedroom flats will look with some nearing completion.

Developers said there will be more affordable homes available as more phases are completed and the current homes have been designed to reflect the market.

But Living rent campaigner David Gibson said the £461,000 starting price for two-bedroom flats was beyond the reach of most Brighton and Hove residents.

Marina developers said that the high-spec and spacious properties would offer value for money for new residents and that affordable housing would also be available at the new development from next year.

Investment company GRE Assets launched the sale of the new apartments.

The project will eventually create 853 new homes and more than 2,000m² of commercial space over 126 acres.

The new properties average around 850 square feet for a two bedroom apartment – larger than the 600 square feet for existing two bedroomed properties at the marina.

The first 18 properties are now approaching completion with this part of the development set for occupation from July next year.

It is anticipated that these flats will be sold by next summer while a small number of flats have already been purchased by investors and will be made available for renting.

David Gibson, of the Living Rent Campaign, said: “In Brighton and Hove there is a housing crisis: 22,000 people are on the waiting list with only 600 council properties becoming available each year.

“Private rents cost on average around 50 per cent of average incomes and are unaffordable for many.

“We urgently need to tackle these problems and I can’t see market housing like this for sale at prices nearly 20 times the average income of people working in Brighton and Hove doing much to help.”

Andrew Goodall, of Brunswick Developments, said: “What we are offering in the outer harbour is a different product to the existing Barratt’s development.

“The new flats are about a third to a half bigger if you compare to the existing flats and ours are fitted out to a high specification which costs more to put in.

“The people who are showing a keen interest are either downsizing or upsizing so will be making other properties available.

“As always with these things, we are only able to achieve what the market is able to pay.”

Mr Goodall added that 20 affordable homes would be available from next year and available only to residents who met the need for affordable housing criteria.

He said: “All the affordable homes have a marina view and most have a balcony.

“People will not be able to tell the difference.

“That was a conscious decision by us, we didn’t want to create separate entrances or separate properties.”

Prices at Brighton Marina start from £461,000 for a two-bedroom apartment.

Prices for the few one bedroom flats and the three-bedroomed homes not available yesterday.

Buyers can register their interest by calling Hamptons International 01273 921065 or visiting brighton-marina.com.

FLATS SALE MARKS FINALE FOR 15-YEAR PROJECT

THE sale of flats at the £250 million development of Brighton Marina marks the finish line for a project that has already been 15 years in the making.

Plans for the development were first worked up in 2000 and initially rejected in 2005 before being granted permission a year later.

The first completions will be ready for full occupancy by July next year with further phases of the development, including the construction of a 40-storey tower, set to begin next year.

The towers are being built over the sea, resting on a bed of 930 piles driven 30 metres deep into the sea bed and a 3ft slab of concrete with “self-healing” crystals which can repair hairline cracks that might appear.

The marina currently has 850 homes and 70 “floating” holiday lets which will be doubled by the completion of the project.

It is hoped that this stage of development will inspire Land Securities, landowners of the stretch which includes McDonald’s, Cineworld and the David Lloyd gym, to redevelop their part of the marina.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s city plan also includes proposals for the redevelopment of the ASDA site, which is owned by the supermarket giant.

The development has not been universally popular with a group of residents leading a legal challenge that went all the way to the High Court in a bid to stop it.

High Court judges dismissed the appeal earlier this year and denied permission for a judicial review wanted by residents who claimed building above the cliff height breached the original act of parliament which allowed the construction of the marina in the first place.

Judges ruled that the act did not prohibit further development at the marina.