Brunswick Developments' proposal for Brighton Marina was flawed from the outset.

Why build a housing development on a site which needs a platform over the sea?

Perhaps the costs of the substructure, tidal protection, sewage and drainage works were so high, it needed 988 units to make the scheme financially viable - resulting in a 40-storey tower.

Viewed from the clifftop, the profusion of buildings at the base of the tower would have been visually impenetrable.

Of the 988 units, 395 were affordable housing but most were on the north side, where they would have had a dismal view of the back of the David Lloyd gym and the casino.

There was no provision of play areas for children. The nearest open space is East Brighton Park - a steep, 500-metre climb up the cliff path and across the A249 - a journey unaccompanied children would have been unable to make.

The 176 parking spaces for 988 dwelling units didn't reflect the reality that many buyers would own a vehicle. The result would have been free parking in the multi-storey car park used as an overflow and it wouldn't have been available to cinemagoers, shoppers and other users of the marina.

It failed to meet local planning policies in terms of scale, height, parking and preserving views and was properly rejected by a majority of the planning committee.

-Robert Powell, Brighton