Plans for a futuristic £2 million eight-storey tower with sweeping curves and modern balconies on Rottingdean's sleepy seafront have outraged locals.

A petition of 3,000 signatures demanding the plan for 14 luxury sea-view homes is thrown out was handed to Brighton and Hove City Council last night.

Retired businessman Harold Williams, who is planning to sell his cottage in Marine Drive to make way for the tower, has quit his new post on the parish council and Rottingdean Preservation Society because of the uproar.

Villagers have united against what has become know as The Rottingdean Blot, forming a protest group called the Whitecliffs Action Group (WAG), led by Skint Records DJ Andrew Mckirdy, whose mother lives close to the proposed tower.

Brighton and Hove's architecture panel, which makes recommendations about major buildings, has already given it the nod of approval.

The full application is to be discussed in the next few weeks.

Mr Williams, a 67-year-old retired company director, stepped down after being elected in May. His resignation comes days after he attended a course for new parish councillors.

He said: "I felt it was the honourable thing to do in the light of the present circumstances surrounding the possible development of our property.

"I am very sorry I had to make this decision as I was enjoying my work as a councillor. My wife Valerie and I have been shunned by our neighbours and things have got out of control. Hopefully this will take the heat out the situation"

Walls near the Williams' home have been daubed with graffiti and stalls urging visitors to sign a petition opposing the tower block were set up almost opposite their home in the village at the weekend.

Vicar of Rottingdean Father Martin Morgan, who signed Mr Williams's parish council nomination papers, was even moved to plead for calm from the pulpit during the main family service at St Margaret's Church on Sunday.

In his resignation letter to the council, Mr Williams said he believed the development on the site of his £700,000 property would be good for the village.

He said: "My personal aspiration for the village is to see modern, well-designed buildings south of the main coast road, which would contrast and complement the old with the new."

Despite his resignation, Mr Williams says he will continue to live in the village and contribute to the community.

He said "All that happened is that I put my house on the market because my family had moved away and we wanted something smaller.

"Along came three or four developers and things went from there. I am not the developer and it is out of my hands. We have even signed the petition against the latest plans as we think what is planned is too high."

Alan Phillips, the Brighton-based architect who drew up the plans for the circular tower, said he believed his design would improve Rottingdean.

He said: "The block would be an immense improvement to that part of Rottingdean.

"It is next to two other blocks of flats on the seafront which have not got a long shelf life. Sooner or later the other two blocks, which are often surrounded in scaffolding, will have to come down.

"Three beautiful blocks of flats looking out to sea would enhance Rottingdean and regenerate the eastern gateway to Brighton and Hove."

Mr Phillips said: "I feel very sorry for Harold and Valerie. They have been ostracised by some members of the Rottingdean community.

"I have also been sent nasty emails by the opponents. One referred to me as a lunatic. As a Brighton architect involved in many projects in the city, including Rottingdean, I take exception to something like that."

Mr Mckirdy said of Mr Williams' resignation: "In the circumstances it was the appropriate thing to do."