More information about Valley Gardens is given below. This information is separated into the following topics:
Construction is expected to last until summer 2026. We're completing work in sections to minimise disruption.
Find out more about the order of work and expected timescales.
This page will be updated as construction continues.
Dates are indicative and subject to weather and the progress of work.
The main roads (A23 and A259) will be kept open throughout most of the works. Some closures will be necessary for overnight resurfacing. This will be for short periods and advertised in advance.
Side roads will need to be closed when work is happening next to junctions because of the space available. This will be for short durations and alternative routes will be provided.
Access to premises will be maintained. When working immediately in front of properties, the contractor will liaise with occupants and owners in advance.
Contact details for the contractor will be provided to frontages ahead of work starting in each section.
Temporary provision for loading will be provided.
Castle Square is scheduled to be closed for resurfacing from 8pm to 5am on the following nights:
We'll need to close St James’s St for approximately 3 weeks in early 2025. This will be necessary because of the width available to provide safe working space.
Dates will be advertised in advance. Pedestrian access will be possible at all times and alternative routes will be provided for delivery vehicles.
Bus operators will determine bus diversion routes but these will be via either:
Full details will be provided in advance.
Buses will be moved when work is being completed at current bus stops. This will be signed at bus stops.
As roads in the area have high traffic levels and are used by most bus routes in the city, we'll need to complete work at night to minimise disruption.
We'll keep night work to a minimum to reduce noise for residents. The night work will only be required for the resurfacing which is essential maintenance work which would need to be done even if the rest of the project was not being completed.
Events that pass through the area such as Pride, Brighton Marathon, half marathon, London-Brighton bike ride and car rallies will continue to take place. Adjustments to work areas will be made as necessary in advance of these events.
Static events in the gardens will be relocated elsewhere. We're currently exploring alternative options with event organisers for 2025 and 2026.
Remembrance events will continue as normal.
Once complete, the work will provide a much more pleasant space to host events with more accessible routes to and from them.
Steine Gardens will be used as a construction compound during the works. Once construction is finished, the gardens will be re-landscaped with new grass and planting.
Construction will inevitably create some disruption, however:
Once the compound is constructed, information will be fixed to the wooden hoarding about:
Plans for a westbound bus lane between Lower Rock Gardens and the aquarium have now been approved. This is expected to be constructed in the first part of 2025.
This will help reduce bus delays during the Valley Gardens construction period as this moves to the seafront in 2026.
The recently restored fountain will remain accessible to the public. It will be switched off for some of the construction period but this will be kept to a minimum.
If you're an occupant of premises alongside the construction works and have questions about access to properties, deliveries or servicing:
For other questions on the project or if you feel your enquiry hasn’t been addressed, send an email to transport.projects@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
The contractor has an out-of-hours phone number. This can be used to report any problems when contractors are not on site, such as damage to road work barriers.
The out-of-office phone number is 01732 600 888.
This can be used:
The project is funded by a £6m government grant, alongside:
The borrowing will be paid back from future years of the Local Transport Plan. The Local Transport Plan funding is annual funding we receive from the Department for Transport.
The project was subject to extensive public consultation. This included 2 consultations on the design options and design development, in addition to statutory consultations required for Traffic Regulation Orders.
Find full details of the consultation undertaken and decisions made since 2018.
Several changes have been made to the original designs as a direct result of the public and stakeholder consultation.
These changes include:
Unfortunately, much misinformation has been circulated on the impact of the changes on buses and traffic. Similar fears raised before Valley Gardens Phase 1-2 was completed have proven unfounded.
At the early design stage, different options were tested using traffic modelling. Some of the options considered would indeed have had a greater impact on traffic than others. However, these have not progressed and, in selecting the preferred design, we've sought to achieve a balance between:
The option chosen is not forecast to have significant adverse impacts.
The main change is north and southbound traffic will now be on the same side of the Old Steine (east).
The area between the Royal Pavilion and the war memorial will be closed to traffic.
Other changes to traffic movement restrictions are:
General car parking will be removed. Disabled car parking and Doctor’s bays will be retained.
Up to 34 new trees will be planted.
The exact number of trees will depend on:
The art-deco-style bus shelters in Old Steine will be kept alongside the new public space.
Conversion of these to other uses is not included in the project or currently being progressed, however, maintenance work will be completed such as painting and repairing windows.
Where commercial buses stop is a decision of bus operators and not the council.
Before the road layout changes introduced by the Valley Gardens Phase 1-2 project, there was no space for buses to stop in this location. Bus stop kerbs were installed as part of the Valley Gardens project to allow bus operators to use this location in future should they wish.
In making these decisions, bus operators need to consider:
We understand Brighton & Hove Buses will review where buses stop once Phase 3 of the Valley Gardens project is complete.