A NEAR £800 million project creating thousands of new homes and jobs sounds like a game changer for the city.

While the bid by the Greater Brighton area may be a way off from fruition, these are the sorts of efforts we have been talking about in our Seafront 2020 campaign, looking to ensure the continued success of our seaside communities.

The sites being mention, Preston Circus Fire Station, Preston Barracks for example, are places we can all imagine investment helping to make great positive changes to the city and Sussex generally.

So the Greater Brighton Economic Board looks to be working well towards trying to gain significant results for all of us.

The thousands of new homes being talked about are equally crucial.

The numbers of people hoping to live in Brighton and Hove seems forever to be growing but with the city cosily and beautifully wedged between the sea and the South Downs unfortunately this presents its own problems when the space starts to run our.

The natural result of this has been for prices to go up, both in buying and renting homes.

So these new homes being talked about must create big numbers of truly affordable properties.

At The Argus we take calls all the time from people who have left the city as they have been re-homed elsewhere, be it Newhaven or somewhere else.

While many of us have to be realistic about living here there is a cruel reality for many who have family ties and to leave is heartbreaking.

So providing more affordable homes could have a big benefit.