AUTHOR Polly Samson and rock star husband David Gilmour have been granted their wish to build a luxury seafront family home by the width of a guitar string.

Brighton and Hove City Council planning chairwoman Julie Cattell delivered the casting vote for plans to demolish Medina House and construct a 15-room property after the committee was spilt on a decision.

Resident Neil Williams, who will lose all sunlight to his kitchen and living room during winter because of the new building, said he was “extremely disappointed” having hoped architects would make further concessions to limit the impact on neighbours.

Save Hove’s Valerie Paynter, who spent years campaigning to preserve the site, said the scheme was “almost perfect” but needed more amendments.

Members narrowly agreed with council officers’ who advised they were “minded to grant” the plans.

Concerns were raised if the current building was truly “economically unviable” to restore.

Architect Keb Garavito-Bruhn said the original brief was to retain it but it had suffered significant deterioration to exposed brickwork and damage from its previous use by diamond cutters. The gable had bowed by a third of a metre.

Planning officer Liz Arnold said while some residents would receive less light, this was outweighed by the benefits to the conservation area in bringing a derelict site back into use.

Cllr Cattell said the loss of light to neighbouring properties was not as severe as had been made out.

Residents hoping the scheme could be modified were disappointed only ten of 12 members voted, with Conservative Jayne Bennett absent and Labour substitute Kevin Allen abstaining.

The new building, which at parts will be 3.4 metres higher than Medina House, includes an open plan living, kitchen, dining room and hall, a study, library, snug, covered garden, gym and five bedrooms.

The building will be raised by almost one metre to reduce flood risk and protect the family’s privacy.

Mr Williams questioned whether the home for the couple, whose net worth is estimated close to £100 million, needed to be so elaborate to the detriment of neighbours.

He said: “Their own studies show we will lose light from my living room and kitchen, it’s going to have a dramatic impact on our quality of life.”

Ms Paynter said: “It’s a beautiful design, I absolutely love it, and I didn’t want to lose the scheme if it went the other way and it was a refusal. All it would have needed would be an amendment in the height but unfortunately at the moment it is imperfect.”