A pizzeria boss is planning to build a block of flats on the site of a former post office.

Saied Abdulkhani, owner of Otello in Church Road, Hove, and leaseholder of the former post office next door which closed last May, has submitted an application to Brighton and Hove City Council to build eight flats and extend his Italian restaurant.

He is hoping to create a two-storey extension above the restaurant, a four-storey new building behind it and refurbish the upper floors of the post office.

Mr Abdulkhani said: "They are going to be luxury, contemporary flats. That is the sort of thing the council is encouraging at the moment so we have gone along with it. We have not finalised the designs yet but hopefully it will be an attractive building and very light and modern. "The new building will go at the back of the restaurant where there is a derelict garage. On the upper floors of the post office there are already some flats which will be refurbished."

He is hoping to let the ground floor of the post office, currently lying empty.

Post office users were angered when the outlet, which was the main branch for the area and dealt with 8,000 customers each week, shut last May after the rent increased and sub-postmistress Mary Hodgson resigned.

Mr Abdulkhani said he had never suggested he wanted the post office to close and the increase was the first in several years.

Post Office bosses promised to find a replacement for Mrs Hodgson but failed.

Attempts to open a mobile branch were unsuccessful and customers were forced to use a smaller branch in Blatchington Road, Hove, which at times had queues coming out the door.

A replacement branch at 30 Church Road was opened in January after newsagents Taylors of Hove underwent a complete refit to provide three counters.

At the time Mr Abdulkhani admitted he was thinking of extending his restaurant but said he would be happy to renegotiate the lease for the branch. A planning application was submitted to the council in January but later withdrawn.

Conservative councillor for Central Hove Jan Young, who led the campaign to save the post office, said: "The chances of it ever being used as a post office again are remote.

"Quite a few people objected to the first application because they thought it would make the area overdeveloped. Flats on the site might be out of keeping with the area but we will have to wait and see what the planning committee say."

Mark Bell, from the Post Office, said: "We are not planning to reopen that branch or any new offices. We have got a replacement branch which offers the same high range of products and services so customers don't need to worry."

Friday May 6 2005