A consortium out to develop the old Brighton station goods yard site wants a debate on the scheme put off because it is not ready.

A special meeting of Brighton and Hove Council planners was expected to discuss the New England Consortium's proposals for an urban village on April 16.

But the consortium, which wants to provide two hotels, a supermarket, offices, hundreds of homes and a link from the site to the station, has asked for more time to make further adjustments to its scheme.

Consortium project manager Chris Gilbert said: "This is a huge and complex scheme that has attracted a great deal of debate and comment, both for and against.

"Obviously, we are in close contact with the council's planning officials who have made some useful comments on our proposals and want us to consider them.

"We want to examine these carefully and we have asked the council for more time with a view to making adjustments to our scheme and hopefully making further improvements.

"Developing this key site is a complicated project of great significance to the city centre.

"We realise it will be impossible to satisfy all the competing views about how the site should be developed but we are more than happy to take some extra time to consider constructive suggestions about our proposals, from the council and the community."