The possibility of Brighton and Hove City Council gifting land worth a fortune to private developers to enable them to block out our sea-views along a 100-yard stretch of our central seafront is an absolute disgrace.

The council has a duty to strenuously safeguard Brighton's heritage, as its predecessors have done so admirably.

The "enabling" land does not belong to our elected members and now only a gross perceived self-importance or a hidden agenda on the part of any one of them could ever lead them to believe they have the minutest right to change this tradition without a special mandate from us, gained in advance.

Our councillors should be ashamed to even admit they think they have such right or that they are considering such an option.

The West Pier developers are trying to pull a fast one and the purposes of our council must be called into question for even giving it the time of day.

If the development of the West Pier is not viable as a stand-alone project, as everybody was led to believe from the outset, the developers should pull out.

We do not need the West Pier, especially if we are expected to pay for it. Let it sink below the waves and let us be done with it.

-Howard Bayley, Kings Road, Brighton