What an emotive stance from Brighton and Hove City Council - "fear for city" and "the city dies" indeed (February 19).

I have lived in Brighton and worked on the Downs for nearly 20 years and this recent outburst of paranoia about what is actually a golden opportunity to bring in some serious central government and other resources to help conserve the South Downs is really depressing.

I have studied the maps of historic Brighton and it is a fact it grows a linear mile over the Downs every 50 years.

The city is now about five miles deep into the Downs, with only two miles to go before it cuts them in two.

Nigel Green referred to sustainable growth. How big does Brighton and Hove have to become to be "sustainable"?

If the National Park boundary is drawn to allow this urban expansion into the Downs, in ten years' time there will need to be a request to move the park boundary to allow some more unsustainable growth.

The planning controls in the National Park are exactly the same as the current Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Appropriate development is allowed - that which is essential and in keeping with a nationally important landscape.

The city will not die. It will thrive within a quality environment, maintaining its sense of place and the very reason for its allure to those who want to live and work in it.

-Phil Belden, Arundel Street, Brighton