A consultant design company has been asked to draw up long-term plans for a failed school site.

LDA Design will suggest what to do with East Brighton College of Media Arts (Comart) when it closes this summer.

Brighton and Hove City Council hopes to lease the site to City College which intends to turn the old school in Wilson Avenue into an eastern campus including a training and skills centre for builders, bricklayers and electricians.

LDA has until the end of September to put together a master plan of changes needed to accommodate the council and college's plans.

Director Nick Shute said while some college departments, such as music technology and the performing arts could move straight into existing quality facilities at Comart, some buildings would need to be demolished to make way for a new training base for tradesmen such as plumbers and builders. He said: "Our brief is to look at getting a new and vibrant mix of uses into the site, broadly community and education based, which will offer something to the community of Whitehawk.

"We decide which buildings should be retained and which will have to go to make way for new facilities. There probably will be some demolished."

Mr Shute said meetings were already under way with City College and the city council and that community groups such as eb4u, the Government-funded organisation regenerating East Brighton, and local homeowners would be consulted.

He said: "We anticipate going out to public consultation in August. We appreciate that's not a good time but in order to finish by our deadline in September it cannot be avoided.

"We hope that by running it over a number of weeks, even if people are on holiday they will still have time to comment."

He said the company was talking to the council about the best ways to consult with the public.

As part of the master plan, LDA Design will put together a financial appraisal of the changes although it is then up to the council and City College to find the money.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "These consultants were chosen following an open tender process. They won because they have a very good reputation for involving the community and other stakeholders. They will be working on a robust, community-led master plan for Comart."

LDA specialises in landscape architecture, urban design, environmental planning and ecology. Its projects range from strategic studies and detailed designs in regeneration and development to conservation work.