Plans to build thousands of new homes were revealed today.

The new West Sussex County Council planning structure detailing sites for 13,000 new homes is sure to spark controversy.

Both greenfield and brownfield sites will be used.

The biggest planned developments are about 2,500 homes in both the Chichester and East Grinstead areas and more than 5,000 in and around Crawley. Most other major towns in the county can expect up to a thousand new homes.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott caused a storm of protest in 1997 when he announced West Sussex would be forced to build more properties than the council wanted.

The county council was told it would need to build 12,800 new homes by 2011 in addition to the 37,900 in the council's existing draft structure plan. The council lost a High Court bid to challenge the figures.

The new structure plan outlines where the county council will allow the homes to be built.

A council spokesman said the structure plan was "a crucial framework of policies protecting the environment, guiding where to build homes and supporting economic development".

He added: "The plan also tackles the need of supporting infrastructure like transport links, schools and community facilities.

"The county council has worked closely with councils to determine the vision for the future and a development strategy to deliver it."

The spokesman said more than 3,000 individuals and organisations had been consulted last year and their opinions have been taken on board.

Meetings will be held around the county between November and January.

The first will be at Oakmeeds Community College, Burgess Hill on November 19, followed by meetings at Arun Civic Centre, Littlehampton, on November 22 and Durrington Community Centre, Worthing, on November 27.

The draft structure plan will be available for inspection in libraries, council offices and GP surgeries.