Homes in Brighton and Hove and Eastbourne are being packed in more tightly than almost anywhere else in the country.

An average of 49 homes are now crammed on to each hectare in Brighton and Hove, while in Eastbourne the figure is 57, more than twice the 1995 figure.

Other high scorers are City of London with 245 per hectare, Oxford with 61 and Cheltenham with 56.

The Government recommends an average of 30 and a maximum of 50 to avoid urban sprawl.

Brighton and Hove also has a high number of homes built on previously developed, or brownfield, plots.

Ninety per cent of properties are built on this land, well above the Government target of 60 per cent by 2008.

Protesters point to the figures, released by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, as evidence the city centre is too densely populated.

But the Campaign to Protect Rural England, which is concerned about urban sprawl, highlighted Brighton and Hove as one of ten well-performing authorities.

Housing density in the city increased from an average of 42 homes per hectare in 1995/98 to 49 in 1999/02. It has a high density compared with towns and cities of a similar size.

This, campaigners say, should encourage Brighton and Hove City Council to reject more plans to demolish large family homes with spacious gardens to make room for blocks of flats.

Councillor Carol Theobald, deputy chairwoman of the planning committee, said the statistics could be used by councillors hoping to overturn such applications.

She said: "We are one of the top ten local authorities in terms of housing density. The city is already so packed, the last thing we should do is knock down these lovely family homes.

"Such developments would set a precedent for flats all across the city and would change the style and the character of our streets. We would become like inner London or New York."

Former boxer Chris Eubank hopes to demolish his two homes in The Upper Drive, Hove, to make way for 41 flats.

Developer John Regan, of Birch Restorations, said: "There has to be a balance between those who want to limit developments and those who want to move here."

Homeowners in Wealden could see more developments as the present density of 20 homes per hectare at new sites is well below target.

The figures suggest there is more room for homes in Rother, where there are just 25 per hectare despite 75 per cent of new builds using brownfield sites.

Lewes has 29 new homes per hectare but planners could struggle to meet the target for brownfield sites set for 2008 with the current rate at 55 per cent.

Hastings has 25 homes per hectare and only 42 per cent of new developments are on brownfield land.

Wednesday June 30, 2004