Rival companies bidding to redevelop Brighton Marina have been told both schemes cannot go ahead - because the buildings are just metres apart.

Brighton and Hove City Council has revealed that major projects from Explore Living and Brunswick Developments to redevelop the western edge of the marina cannot both be given approval as they are too close to each other.

In November, Explore Living submitted plans for for 1,294 flats, new shops, an enlarged and modernised Asda superstore and a new transport interchange.

Buildings are proposed to range from one to 28 storeys in height.

The major scheme covers six main sites - the Asda superstore, the petrol station, the estates office, the McDonald's, the eastern end of the multistorey car park and a site next to the western sea wall.

But on February 5, Brunswick Developments submitted a planning application for a hotel development on the sea wall to act as a western gateway to the marina. The proposal is for a 150-bed four-star hotel with a restaurant and shops on the ground floor.

The hotel development would partly overhang the existing breakwater towards Black Rock beach.

Council officers have said the two bids are too close to each together for both to be given the go-ahead.

The council is now considering options for how to handle "the two competing applications".

A joint statement by Explore Living and Brunswick Developments said: "Brunswick Developments are concluding supporting documentation for their hotel application at the request of Brighton and Hove City Council.

"Explore, Brunswick and Brighton and Hove City Council are working together and remain wholly committed to finding, through collaboration, how the two schemes can be rationalised."

The recently agreed masterplan for the marina will help weigh up both the Explore Living and Brunswick proposals, according to Garry Peltzer Dunn, chairman of the major projects committee.

He said: "There is more protection for the marina now because the masterplan is in place."

A council spokesman said it was expecting more drawings for the hotel development in the near future.

A decision on the Explore Living scheme is expected in the summer.

Brunswick Developments has already received planning permission for the south-western area of the marina and is preparing for building work to begin.

The £250 million scheme includes the Roaring Forties skyscraper, a 40-storey building, 853 flats and almost 2,000 square metres of shops and leisure space.

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