£5m homes plan for old motel

For six months, architects for Brighton-based developer Avalon Ventures have been working on designs for 40 homes on the Bishopstone site.

The yet-to-be finalised plan will include flats, bungalows and three and four-bedroom houses. As required by law on developments of this size, a number of social housing homes for people on lower incomes would also be built

An Avalon Ventures spokesman said it had agreed to purchase the site from the current owner, London-based developer Martin Reuben, on condition planning permission was first obtained for its bid.

He added: 'We are hoping to get the plans in before Christmas, then we will wait to see what happens and whether the council is happy with them.'

The scheme had been designed to blend in with the area's sea and Downland surroundings. 'We are trying to come up with something that is sympathetic with what is in the area,' said the spokesman.

The design of flats, facing the sea, will incorporate a curved Martello tower-style fa ade.

Redeveloping the site as new holiday accommodation was considered and rejected when no hotel operators expressed an interest.

The bid was greeted with dismay by Seaford Town Council west ward councillor Pauline Gower. She was concerned another much needed community facility could be lost to the town.

She said: 'I would be against more homes. We want something for the people of Seaford. We haven't got a large hotel or conference centre and we have lost most of our halls which are big enough for weddings or large meetings.'

Seaford had many good small hotels, she added, but facilities were needed to encourage visitors arriving in the area from Newhaven Harbour, and coach parties, to stop in Seaford.

Cllr Gower said: 'We want people to have affordable homes but we are losing town facilities one after the other.'

Her husband and fellow town council member Cllr Bob Gower accepted something needed to be done to tidy up the site but was sceptical the plans would be welcomed by neighbours.

The motel has been derelict since it was closed by its then-owner the Hilton group three years ago.

Recently, Seaford MP Norman Baker called for action to halt the years of neglect which he feared could result in the motel becoming a permanent blot on the landscape.