Adam Trimingham reports on proposals to build a state-of-the-art language school in Brighton which promises to make the city a leading centre for international education.

Students have been big business for Brighton ever since Sussex University opened its doors 40 years ago.

Brighton University soon followed and now the old College of Technology has renamed itself City College Brighton and Hove.

But the biggest boom of all has been in language schools, which cater for thousands of students from all over the world.

In the early days, the schools were often haphazard enterprises offering sub-standard education in unsuitable halls. But that has largely changed.

The main operators are international concerns such as EF, which has 100 offices in 43 countries.

Now the Study Group, which has offices in six continents, aims to put up a purpose-built international headquarters as part of the New England Quarter development next to Brighton station.

If given approval, this building will be able to cater for 1,000 students and 250 staff. It will have a hall of residence for 400 pupils and a student centre.

All this would give a substantial boost to an area of Brighton that has been in decline for many years.

The Study Group is not a name known to many people in Brighton. But in Hove, the business has a strong presence, operating under the name of Bellerby's and Embassy CES.

UK managing director Nigel Pamplin said: "This headquarters will make Brighton and Hove one of the world's premier centres for international education."

Language schools bring in millions of pounds to the city each year and Michael Cook, area director of Sussex Enterprise, has no doubt about their value.

He said: "They are very important to Brighton and Hove. Not only do they provide hundreds of jobs but they also have added value in students going to shops and restaurants.

"They also conform to the image of Brighton and Hove as tolerant, international and friendly."

Mr Cook said the student presence in the city often encouraged other people to come to Brighton and Hove.

He said a purpose-built headquarters could be an exciting and welcome venture.

It would also enable a dozen existing buildings in Hove used by the Study Group to revert to housing.

But Mr Cook warned that, to be of real benefit to Brighton, the new headquarters should be of the highest highest possible architectural quality.

He said: "We don't want something looking like a Sixties' bus depot."

Cabinet councillor Don Turner, in charge of economic development on Brighton and Hove City Council, said: "Language teaching really is a very important part of Brighton and Hove and something we welcome a great deal."

Coun Turner said the Study Group proposal was an integral part of the Brighton station site development.

He said language schools benefited local businesses but also brought in welcome income for thousands of families who put up the students in their homes.

The students also tended to revisit Brighton and Hove for holidays, often bringing family and friends with them.

Tory education spokeswoman Vanessa Brown said: "Language schools benefit Brighton and Hove in so many ways. My only wish is that our own schools did more in the way of language teaching.

"The Study Group proposals for a purpose-built headquarters sound an exciting prospect."

There is no current estimate for the amount of money language schools bring into the city but it certainly runs into millions of pounds.

Schools range from large ones, taking about 100 pupils a week, to small ones taking 100 a year.

The number of students in the city at peak times can reach 25,000.

A council spokeswoman said students had different spending habits from other visitors, with newsagents and other shops reaping the benefits rather than hotels.

There was also a huge boost to the economy of residential areas through students staying with families.

Pupils are important to Brighton and Hove Buses as most of them use public transport and their peak visiting times are concentrated at times when other visitors, such as conference delegates, are low.

The language school business has grown during the years to the point where the number of students probably exceeds home-grown ones at the colleges.

There have been blips in the growth, particularly this year. Foot-and-mouth, the strong pound and the atrocities in the United States have all contributed to a downturn.

But the general outlook is good and the Study Group proposals may encourage other schools to base themselves in the city.

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Buses, said: "The students are of great value to the company.

"We are able to provide frequent, value-for-money services, partly because of the business they bring all year round."