A formal investigation has been launched into the death of hundreds of trees planted as part of a £13.7 million regeneration project on the Hove seafront.
Brighton & Hove City Council planners are examining the failure of the landscaping scheme at Hove Beach Park, formerly known as the “Kingsway to the Sea” project. The investigation was confirmed during a Planning Committee meeting on 2 September 2026, following reports that nearly all of the original new trees died shortly after being planted.
The loss represents a significant financial setback for the flagship project. Estimates from earlier this year suggested that more than £260,000 was spent on the trees that have since perished.
## Potential for enforcement action
During the committee meeting, Head of Planning Nicola Hurley confirmed that the matter is being treated as an enforcement investigation. She noted that while the council was the original applicant for the planning permission, the authority is now effectively investigating its own project to ensure compliance with the approved landscaping conditions.
Ms Hurley stated that the situation could lead to legal or enforcement proceedings, though she declined to provide further specific details while the investigation remains active.
The project, which stretches along the seafront between the King Alfred Leisure Centre and Hove Lagoon, was intended to transform the area with a new skatepark, pump track, and tennis courts. While these sporting facilities remain open to the public, the intended green canopy has failed to materialise, leaving the site’s landscaping sparse.
## Unconfirmed causes of failure
While an official cause of death for the trees has not yet been confirmed by the investigation, several factors have been cited in local reports. These include potential failures in the watering schedule during the establishment period, trees being left in direct sunlight before they were planted, and the impact of the harsh, salty wind typical of the East Sussex coast.
Morgan Sindall Construction is the main contractor for the multi-million-pound scheme. It has not yet been publicly determined whether liability for the losses rests with the contractor or the council’s own maintenance teams.
According to Brighton and Hove News, a new planning application for replacement trees is expected to be submitted once the cause of the failure is fully understood and a more resilient planting strategy is developed.
Planners are expected to scrutinise whether the specific species chosen for the park were suitable for a maritime environment. Future steps are likely to include a requirement for replacement planting to satisfy the original planning conditions, though it remains unclear if taxpayers or the contractors will foot the bill for the second phase of landscaping.
