Opponents of proposals for the King Alfred site in Hove have started to come out in force.

They are saying each of the three schemes is too big, too brash and out of keeping with that part of Hove.

Yet all the proposals represent a real attempt by world-class architects to provide a landmark development on a large island site.

Today, The Argus features proposals by Barratt and Brunswick, designed by Wilkinson Eyre, which make a real attempt to respect the neighbourhood while providing striking and original buildings.

The Richard Rogers Partnership, working for Countryside, has produced a light and airy development while architect Frank Gehry has come up with fantastic towers in an audacious, imaginative scheme.

Each of these proposals is exciting and thought-provoking. None is the final scheme and if one were selected, it would be capable of great adaptation to meet considered criticism.

The sort of sniping that has gone on so far has often been far from considered. Much of it has been along the lines that anything bold for this site must be wrong.

Yet within 400 metres of the King Alfred there are many blocks of dismal design and there has hardly been one decent public building in the city since the war.

If Brighton and Hove dismisses these proposals, top architects will shun the city and on the King Alfred site the city will be left with a crumbling, loss-making, expensive, declining leisure centre next to an ugly car park.