A 72-house development is “dead in the water” after the company behind it went bust.
Construction work on the Coombe Farm development in Saltdean, on the edge of the South Downs National Park, has now stopped.
Gold Property Developments, owned by Ralph and Bradley Gold from Kent, went into liquidation on October 13.
The eight acre site was initially granted planning permission for 60 family homes in June 2018.
One contractor who said he worked on the Coombe Farm site said the development was “dead in the water”.
The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “The developer bought the land and they have gone bust.
“There are partly finished homes and lots of people without jobs. It is a bit of a shock to people working on the site.
“There are lots of building firms going under at the moment.”
The company has seven developments in Sussex, some of which have sold out, although it has not been confirmed if these are all finished.
Mark James, Tobias Banfield and David Robert Baxendale were appointed as joint liquidators of Gold Property Developments. Mr James, Mr Banfield and Ross David Connock were appointed as the joint liquidators of Gold Property Construction, another company owned by Ralph and Bradley Gold.
The liquidators have been appointed to “manage their affairs, business and property, and act without personal liability”.
Bradley Gold has 17 active appointments on Companies House including Lamberhurst Winery Ltd in Kent and a company called Lake District Cabins Ltd.
The old Coombe Farm, in a valley known as Coombe Bottom, was identified as an “urban fringe” site suitable for housing in Brighton and Hove City Council’s 2016 strategic blueprint known as City Plan Part One.
Objectors to the development previously complained about loss of farmland and the strain on local resources. They were also concerned because the site borders the national park.
Brighton and Hove City Council confirmed to The Argus that the planning permission would transfer to any potential next owner if they followed the same plans.
Ralph and Bradley Gold were contacted for comment.
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