MILLIONS of pounds of government money is going towards new education, business and digital projects as well as thousands of homes, according to a new report.

A new report shows £90 million has been spent with six housing projects across the Greater Brighton area having been awarded £48 million of funding from the ministry of housing, communities and local government in the past year.

The largest chunk on housing in the past year is the £15.2 million towards the King Alfred scheme in Hove, where 565 homes and a new leisure centre are planned.

Free Wharf, on the Western Harbour Arm in Shoreham, has £10 million earmarked for flood defences, 540 homes, a public open space, shops, offices and restaurants.

And the North Street Quarter in Lewes also has £10 million going towards 400 new homes by 2025.

The figures came in the annual report for the Greater Brighton Economic Board which gains government funding for an area including Brighton and Hove, Adur and Worthing, Mid Sussex, Lewes and Crawley.

Through the Greater Brighton City Deal and Coast to Capital Growth Deal, the area received £90 million towards a wide range of projects.

The Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Daniel Yates, said: “The annual report is brilliant and demonstrates what the board does in collaboration, not just as a group of authorities, but in line with other organisations and education.”

Councillor Yates added: “We all need to develop collaboratively – and work to develop our own economic needs.

“Brighton cannot develop all of its economy, all of its jobs and all of its housing.”

The former Conservative opposition leader in Brighton and Hove, Councillor Geoffrey Theobald, was a member of the board from its start in 2014.

And he said that he was pleased to see the progress that had been made in its first four years.

Councillor Theobald said: “I think this has been one of the most successful boards that the council has set up in many years.

“It has brought council leaders, universities and business all together and brought money in.

“I am very satisfied we have seen a lot of success with projects that have taken some time to do.”

After years of delay, he said that he was pleased to see projects at Circus Street and Preston Barracks finally happening.