Campaigners fighting to keep their local breast care unit have been given a boost.

Brighton and Hove city councillors are being asked to agree in principle to putting the unit on the site of Rosaz House in Bristol Gate, Brighton.

An outline planning application by Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust is being recommended for approval at a planning meeting on Wednesday.

The site, formerly a children's home, is close to the Royal Sussex County Hospital where the existing Nigel Porter Breast Care Unit is based.

Hospital bosses had originally wanted to move the unit to Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. They said the current site was too small and more space was available there.

However, thousands of people signed petitions organised by The Argus and the Friends of the Nigel Porter Unit for Breast Care calling for the service to be kept in Brighton and Hove.

They said the change would mean hundreds of women would have to travel between the city and Mid Sussex and public transport links were poor.

Health bosses bowed to public pressure and agreed to look at both the Brighton and Haywards Heath sites.

The hospital trust has also put in two outline applications to build a unit at Princess Royal Hospital.

The applications will be discussed by Mid Sussex councillors on July 11.

Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust and Mid Sussex Primary Care Trust will make the final decision on where the new unit should be based.

They are expected to announce their choice at a joint board meeting in September.

Health officials have indicated they would be interested in putting up a four-storey building on the Rosaz House site.

There have been five objections from neighbours. There have been many more letters of support and a petition signed by 652 people.