I was pleased to see Brighton Sailing Club (BSC) received recognition of its predicament regarding the proposed Brighton O development on the seafront “i versus O” (The Argus, November 28).

However, I was less than impressed with the quote in the final paragraph by Jeff Sanders, of Paramount Attractions, responsible for the O, claiming the company had held several meetings with BSC and had “significantly changed” its proposals to accommodate the club.

Paramount held one meeting with three club members in July, prior to submitting its planning application at the end of September.

At this meeting it presented a sketchy outline of the proposal and promised to address our concerns about boat storage and queuing.

When the application was submitted, the O had moved closer to BSC’s arches, increased the overall footprint and reduced the proposed boat storage area by 95sqm. We declined another meeting shortly after the submission of the application as we had little time to consider the impact of the proposals and how best to present our case to the planning officer.

BSC is a volunteer-run amateur sports club. We have many affiliate members in the Brighton Explorers (outdoor multi-sport club) and the Surf Life Saving Club. Together, we offer affordable, healthy, environmentally friendly leisure pursuits for more than 400 locals and their families, raise significant amounts for various charities and bring vibrant life to Brighton beach.

To jeopardise this for a misplaced fairground ride would do a huge disservice to Brighton seafront and its inclusive, cosmopolitan society. We support the well-designed, considered proposal for the i360 but strongly believe the O should be located elsewhere, in a space where it can accommodate the people it will doubtless attract and the facilities it requires to operate.

Brian Rousell
commodore, Brighton Sailing Club
King’s Road Arches, Brighton