A sole elm tree has uprooted a prestigious college’s £10 million regeneration plans.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee narrowly voted out proposals by Brighton College to demolish its swimming pool and old music school for a new five-storey classroom block.

In a bizarre twist, councillors opposed the proposal despite confusion over what the species of the elm tree was.

Councillor Leo Littman told the committee meeting that replacing what he said was an existing Wheatley elm on the site with a more commonplace elm was like “shooting a Siberian tiger and replacing it with three domestic moggies”.

The council’s arboriculturist told the committee meeting that the tree was in fact an English Elm and not a Wheatley.

Confusingly while the committee voted 6-5 against the actual application, they voted 8-3 in favour of granting listed building consent for the proposals which also includes the demolition of the tree.