The building housing the King Alfred swimming pool was built and opened in 1983; 19 years is comparatively new in building terms.

Two years ago, many thousands of pounds were spent on retiling the main pool when the swimming facilities were lost for five-and-a-half months.

Many thousands have also been spent on renewing the roof window lights and the mixed changing area. To demolish this building would be a scandalous waste of public money.

The main building that houses the dry sports and offices is 60 years old but has been certified structurally sound by Brighton and Hove City Council's own advisers.

Along with the majority of users surveyed by the council's appointed consultants, I strongly support refurbishment of existing buildings with better use of existing facilities and the surrounding land on the four-acre site.

Councillor Ian Duncan suggested up to 400 flats would need to be built on the site, plus shops and a restaurant in addition to sports facilities. A developer would then pay to regenerate the sports facilities from his profits.

This would be a monstrous overdevelopment of this prominent seafront site and flies in the face of the future planning criteria laid down by the Secretary of State following an earlier planning inquiry.

Firstly, he said any development on the RNVR site should not exceed the height of the King Alfred and should have the least possible frontage to Kingsway. Secondly, he placed great emphasis on the retention of views to the sea.

The seafront environment must be of prime concern. We do not want to find ourselves in a few years time with Embassy Court mark 2.

-Peter S Savage, Kings Esplanade, Hove