OPPOSING councillors have united to stop a 17-storey tower being built on the seafront.

Labour councillor Tom Bewick and Conservative councillor Denise Cobb have put their political differences aside to write a joint letter protesting against the tower block proposed for the corner of Sackville Gardens and Kingsway in Hove.

Both councillors represent Westbourne ward (the electoral zone in which the tower would be built) and have written to Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee to oppose the development on the grounds of aesthetics, affordability and a “lack of community support”.

They say the cylindrical building, which would stand 183ft (56m) tall on the site of the old Sackville Hotel, is “too muscular and too solid for this part of the seafront”.

They add that the tower is “maybe a case of the right building in the wrong place".

On affordability, they added: “Westbourne needs more affordable homes geared towards working families on modest incomes.”

They claim the scheme, comprising 107 flats, will be “bought up mainly by property speculators abroad pricing yet more ordinary people out of the local housing market”, adding that “Dubai-style housing ... standing empty for half the year" was not right for the seafront.

The two councillors also wrote: “We don't agree with the heritage purists who will oppose any kind of modern development. But at the same time the strength of opposition to the scheme locally is significant and the council needs to fully take this on board.”

Both Cllr Bewick and Cllr Cobb have said they would like to see a third of the units “offering socially affordable rents”.

To an extent, this reflects the developer’s outlook; previous projects in Hove by the Hyde Group have seen about 40 per cent affordable housing, though the units were for sale, not rent.

The councillors’ letter followed two days of public consultation by the Hyde Group.

Tom Shaw, Hyde's development director for the south, said prices for the block were yet to be determined due to changing market rates.

Countering the design criticisms, he said the building was "high quality" with "real architectural and design merit".

Hyde is not alone – neighbouring councillor Robert Nemeth of Wish ward previously told The Argus “serious effort” had gone into designing the building and predicted a “spectacular” result once residents’ concerns had been addressed.

See opinion page 10.