A WELL known building known as the wedding cake will be reduced to crumbs in just a matter of weeks.

The demolition of the eye-catching former American Express offices in Edward Street, Brighton, is due to be completed in May.

But concerns have been raised about the length of time it will take before anything is put in its place with negotiations over the site’s sale continuing.

The Regency Society has questioned whether the replacement the much-loved building will come close to matching its “fine-looking” predecessor.

The building has to be demolished as part of the planning permission granted for the neighbouring American Express headquarters which opened in December 2012.

Regency Society chairman Roger Hinton said the civic group made unsuccessful appeals to the council for a viability report into retaining the 40-year-old Wedding Cake.

Mr Hinton said he was concerned how long the site would be derelict while new owners went through the process of drawing up plans and getting them approved.

He added: “To see it go will make me very sad. It is a fine looking building and there we have not got too many fine looking buildings from the second half of the Twentieth Century.

“It is a great pity it had to be demolished and what is proposed in its place is not very aspiring, the same old mix of housing and employment space.

“There are parallels for what is planned at Circus Street, narrow north south corridors with very little natural light.”

Under the City Plan Part 1, up to 20,000 square metres of high-quality office space, 65 homes as well as 68 cafes, restaurants and shops and a new public square are proposed in its stead.

Property expert Phil Graves said the new scheme would bring considerable and welcome investment into the city while removing the Wedding Cake would improve views of the financial giant’s state-of-the-art headquarters.

An American Express spokeswoman said: “Amex House Demolition is expected to be completed in May. Sale negotiations are on-going. Any purchaser will be required to submit appropriate planning applications to Brighton and Hove City Council and follow any local consultation requirements for future development of the site.”