Lord Rogers, who designed the Pompidou Centre, Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome, has been dropped from a contest to undertake a multi-million-pound seafront development.

Brighton and Hove City Council has rejected a scheme by the peer for the King Alfred site in Hove, despite it being the most popular with visitors to a council-run exhibition.

The announcement was made at a city council meeting by leader Ken Bodfish.

Now the battle is on between the two remaining applicants Karis/ING and Barratt/Brunswick.

They have each prepared radically different proposals for the controversial site.

Countryside engaged the Richard Rogers Partnership to prepare its scheme for the sports centre and 400 homes.

Countryside proposed a development intended to be light and airy, reflecting the bright nature of the prime seafront site.

But councillors believe the design of the sports centre, fundamental to the site, was not good enough.

Karis/ING has enlisted leading architects headed by Frank Gehry and Piers Gough to produce four jagged towers, up to 38 storeys tall.

Barratt/Brunswick had designs prepared by the Wilkinson Eyre partnership, which envisaged three tall blocks of flats and the leisure centre in a fourth building, on a nautical theme.

Initial concepts for the three schemes were put out for public consultation last month by the council.

The decision to drop Countryside was made by the council's project board, a group of officers and cross-party councillors set up to oversee the scheme.

Reasons given were the quality of the sports centre, a longer time for its delivery, the financial package and legal arrangements.

Coun Mike Middleton, who chairs the board, said: "We have gone through a thorough process.

"Whichever one or the remaining schemes is chosen will be great for the city."

Coun Bodfish said: "I know this will be a disappointment to the Countryside team. It was a tough choice because all schemes had their merits."