A public inquiry into plans to build a care home and family houses on the edge of a national park will take place today.

Thornton Properties wants to demolish Court Farm House in Devil’s Dyke Road, Hove, and replace it with a 58-bedroom care home and five detached properties.

It claims the development would create dozens of jobs.


MORE:


But Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee threw out the plans in March 2013, as it did not match with the long-term vision for the site.

The developers have appealed the decision, which will now be scrutinised by a government inspector after an inquiry in Hove Town Hall starting at 10am today.

The land, which is near the junction of the A27 and the South Downs National Park, is part of the Toad’s Hole Valley site.

It has been earmarked for a carbon neutral development including 700 homes, a school and business units in the City Plan, which will guide development until 2030.