Developers have submitted plans to build one of the biggest new office spaces in Brighton and Hove.

Hyde Housing wants to demolish existing buildings at 113-119 Davigdor Road, Hove, to build a nine-story office building with 700 sqm of space – plus 76 new residential units.

If accepted, the plans would also include the creation of basement level car and cycle parking.

The site has previously been home to a number of industrial and retail firms, including a bottling plant and garages. The area north of the site was used as a railway siding and storage yard before construction of the existing Peacock Retail Park in the early 1990s – home to Wickes and Staples.

Phil Graves, from estate agents Graves Jenkins, said there was a growing demand for employer space in the city.

He added: “Particularly office space but the demand is for more modern offices.

“People say there are already lots of empty offices but locations like Preston Road aren’t where occupiers want to be, they want to be in the city centre and feel the vibe of Brighton or a more bespoke area like Davigdor.

“What we have always suffered from in Brighton is medium to large office occupiers of 200 employees or more haven’t seen this as a destination but all that is starting to change.

“Hopefully it will mean that we can keep successful companies emerging from the Brighton scene and keep them here while attracting large space occupiers looking to relocate from London where Brighton is far more cheaper for office space.”

Tony Mernagh, of Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said Brighton and Hove was “desperately short” of both grade A office space and homes.

He said: “Considering we are desperately short of both, planning applications in the city don't get better than that. And on top of all that the application is from Hyde who have demonstrated a keen understanding of what the city needs and the standards of design and construction that it demands.”

Hyde Group was unavailable for comment.