Elm Grove junction rebuild due to start in December with rain gardens

Pavement work at the Elm Grove and Queens Park Road junction is due in late November. The main rebuild is expected in December, but the council says dates are not fixed and the job is still out to tender.

Tim Graichi Cucarella

Published 22:41, Saturday, 14 November 2026 · Updated 23:44, Saturday, 14 November 20262 min read

Totland Road in Brighton running downhill from Elm Grove between rows of terraced houses

Totland Road, one of the side roads covered by the order at its junction with Elm Grove. Photo: N Chadwick / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Work at the Elm Grove and Queens Park Road junction in Brighton is due to move in stages. Pavement works are planned for the last two weeks of November, and the main rebuild is expected to start in December and finish in early spring 2027. The council says none of these dates is fixed.

This follows our earlier report on the traffic order: Elm Grove junction closed until February 2027.

What is planned

Late November: enabling work on the pavement at the junction. The council says it stays on the footway and should not affect how the junction runs.
December: main rebuild expected to start.
Early spring 2027: expected finish.

The main scheme is reported to include removing the central island, widening the pavements on Queens Park Road and upgrading all the traffic signals. The signals would change from four crossing stages to three, so pedestrians can cross Queens Park Road in one movement.

The design also adds rain gardens and tree pits, planted with flood-tolerant plants and trees, to soak up surface water. The council is considering a Beryl bike hub and cycle storage.

What is still not confirmed

The job is still out to tender, so no contractor has been named and no construction dates are confirmed. The council has said it will share the programme once bids are assessed and post key dates on its Your Voice project page.

What the traffic order says

The council's temporary traffic order took effect on 2 November 2026. It closes about 120 metres of Elm Grove in both directions and about 100 metres of Queens Park Road at the junction, plus Bernard Road, Totland Road and Sandown Road where they meet Elm Grove. Totland Road's one-way rule is suspended along its whole length. Pedestrian access is kept, and a signed diversion is in place for vehicles. The anticipated completion date in the order is 28 February 2027, and the order can run for up to 18 months if needed.