A derelict factory which once made glamorous gloves for the Queen and Nicole Kidman is at the centre of a neighbourhood row.

Tucked away in a quiet residential street in Brighton, the Cornelia James glove factory provided a touch of class for Hollywood, the West End and at least one Royal honeymoon.

It was only when the Royal Warranted firm moved out of its long-term home in leafy Fiveways that it found not everyone considered it the perfect fit.

The factory is now at the centre of a row, with neighbours accusing the building's owners - the James family - of flouting planning rules in a conservation area.

The Cornelia James operation has moved to Lewes and its former factory transformed into a range of two, three and four-bedroom live/work units called Glovers Yard.

But neighbours in Beaconsfield Villas, whose properties back on to the development, want the city council to order the owners to rip out much of the building work.

Residents did not object when planning permission was originally sought but as the builders put the finishing touches to the scheme, they said it differed significantly from the original proposals.

They say extra and larger windows have left them with no privacy and want the developers to revert back to what was originally planned.

The factory's owners say any changes to the original plans have been from necessity and would cost them more than £100,000 to undo.

Last week councillors discussed the changes, which planning officers are recommending be passed. They voted to defer a decision to see the site for themselves.

Helen Fallowfield, whose home in Beaconsfield Villas backs on to the development, said: "It feels like we're all living in a goldfish bowl.

"The planning permission was for dormer windows which were quite small, in keeping with the conservation area but they've made them much larger.

"They have also put a bay window in, which comes out almost to my neighbour's boundary and they've brought the French windows much farther out too.

"They have done a very nice job but it's different to what we agreed to.

"If there are rules for residents in a conservation area, there should be the same rules for developers."

Peter James, who part owns the former factory, said it had been in such a state of disrepair it was impossible to stick to the original plans.

He said: "We have put in no extra windows and the dormer windows are just four inches bigger. It would have been much easier to tear the building down and start again but we had to keep the existing outside.

"We didn't know what was behind some of the walls. It wasn't as the architects had imagined and the windows had to be changed for technical reasons."

They contacted the planning office but work had to go ahead when there was no response.

He added: "What the neighbours were looking at before was a horrible eyesore. A derelict wreck. I would think this has enhanced their view.

"We're not property developers and we want to be neighbour-friendly. Of course if they want trees put in we could do that."

Cornelia James provided gloves for Princess Diana and the Queen Mother while the firm's clothing has appeared in films such as Star Wars and shows including Starlight Express. The Queen wore Cornelia James gloves as part of her going-away outfit after her wedding.

The units will go up for sale within the next month.