This is the slum in the heart of a city opposite the church which could have been its cathedral.

York Place is full of litter, graffiti and dereliction. Shops have closed and buildings are neglected.

Bags of rubbish are piled up in doorways. The pavements look dirty and neglected.

On the other side of a traffic canyon is the parish church of St Peter's, an early work by Sir Charles Barry who designed the Houses of Parliament.

The Grade I listed building put up 170 years ago is a symbol of Brighton. Yet it too is crumbling.

Vicar of Brighton Canon Douglas McKittrick has employed consultants Lorica to come up with ideas for renovating the church.

Initial consultations strongly show people and organisations would like to link the revived church to the buildings opposite in York Place.

It is possible that the regeneration effect could be spread further to the southern end of London Road.

Lorica chief executive Stephen Sharpe said the total cost of any renovation scheme for the whole area could be between £60 and £70 million.

He added: "St Peter's needs to be the focal point for reviving a wider area including York Place. We need to look at the whole area.

"We want to hand St Peter's back to the people. It could become a catalyst for the rebirth of this part of Brighton."

Mr Sharpe said people from across the town were being asked to contribute towards brainstorming ideas for the church.

One idea with popular support was to create a physical link between the church and York Place, possibly even with a short underpass of the road.

Ideas for the church itself have included affordable housing at the northern end and a fountain and piazza at the southern end.

A gallery restored within the church and the crypt could also be put to commercial or social use, leaving the main body of the historic building available for worship.

Lorica hopes to come up with firm ideas for the church and surrounding area including costings and sources of finance in the autumn.

Cabinet regeneration councillor Ken Bodfish said he welcomed the idea of linking the church more closely with York Place.

But he added: "We need to have a realistic discussion about a practical proposition. A tunnel is out of the question."

Coun Bodfish said he had never been in favour of the traffic scheme which had isolated St Peter's and put it on an island.

He added that other proposals, such as a more modest bridge, would be worth considering and said there was a need for the area around York Place to become more pedestrian friendly.

Ann Townsend, from the London Road Traders' Association, said: "I think the whole thing has to be seen as a complete unit."

But she added the key to reviving York Place was a fundamental rethink of the traffic problem.

At present York Place has no rear access to the shops. Nothing can stop near them because of double yellow lines and railings for a bus lane.

She added: "Main traders such as Currys moved out fast because of that. Because people can't stop, they don't use the shops."

St Peter's ward Green councillor Keith Taylor said in many European cities, the cathedral thrived and was an integral part of the city centre.

But in Brighton, St Peter's was stuck on an island with no real connection to York Place opposite.

He said: "It's hard to reach the other side because of a ring of moving steel.

"We want to integrate St Peter's Church into the wider area and help it all realise its full potential."

All this will take some time. Meanwhile Brighton and Hove Council is negotiating with the owners of several building in York Place in a bid to improve their appearance.