As Borough Planning Officer prior to my retirement in 1983, I welcome the proposal to redevelop the ageing Brighton Centre and Kingswest building, with a link to an extended Churchill Square (The Argus, February 20).

However, I utterly deplore the argument that the scheme will fail if the King Alfred complex is rejected, as it will be like putting up a sign saying, "Brighton is closed for business." Nonsense! The King Alfred planning application must be judged on its own merits and I cannot believe the Planning Committee will do otherwise. I believe good planning practice is the key to investment and prosperity.

As convenor of the HOVA Group (Heritage Over Vandalism, Actually), I emphasise again that approval of the present King Alfred scheme would be far from good planning practice. I have objected on environmental, social and economic grounds, and also on the geophysics of this exposed site.

I cannot repeat here the details of the HOVA Group's objection, except to stress that in regard to height, density, the bizarre crumpled design and the "riot of colour", the development would be highly intrusive and completely out of scale and character with Hove seafront's series of maritime conservation areas.

Simon Fanshawe (Letters, February 20) says he wants to see affordable housing built for key workers. I certainly agree with him - but to approve the King Alfred scheme on these grounds would imply the demand for social housing could be satisfied by ignoring good planning practice and allowing high-density, highrise development virtually anywhere.

Even then, the need for houses with gardens for families with children would be neglected.

Finally, I would like to say how much I regret Simon's attack on The Brighton Society's Selma Montford. She deserves an honour for her defence of the real spirit of Brighton for more than 30 years.

In particular, I recall her support when I was in office trying to reverse the Sixties mania for highrise urban renewal and advocating the cause of the conservation of our priceless heritage.

-Ken Fines, Convenor, The HOVA Group, Hove