Residents have welcomed plans for a new rainwater downpipe and to divert away from the main entrance of a block of flats.

Damp is becoming an issue at the entrance canopy of the building in Grand Avenue, Hove.

SHW, a company which manages lease buildings and has submitted the plans, said it was a "recurring maintenance issue" that needs to be fixed.

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Several people have expressed their support for the work.

One said: "Providing a hopper and down pipe with drainage into the main drain is the only logical way to proceed to reduce the amount of rain soaking the wall of the ground floor flat."

Another person who visits the block regularly said: "I have noticed the damp walls to the left of the front door. This has gone on for a long time. The obvious answer is to install a downpipe to divert the rain away from that wall. It is clearly needed."

One resident of the block said: "I am totally in support of this application. It is quite clear there is a problem, the sooner it is sorted out , the better.

"As a resident I am concerned about the long term effect to the fabric of the building. The aesthetic is irrelevant to me."

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Another resident said: "The proposed application, if successful, will allow works to be carried out hopefully to remedy this disgraceful situation that has for a very long time affected the health and comfort of residents."

But one person said: "No modern block of flats in Grand Avenue has any rainwater goods on the front elevation. I would suggest this proposal would have a detrimental visual impact".

A final decision is set to be made this week.