The public was originally given to understand that the King Alfred development would provide a sports centre, funded by a number of flats.

The tables have now been turned and support for permission to build double the number of smaller flats is being sought by providing a reduced leisure centre. The scheme is now developer-led rather than council-led.

Some council officers believe the Gehry design will be a tourist attraction but, apart from the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, the first of its kind (and the attraction has as much to do with cheap flights with Easyjet as Gehry's design), his subsequent buildings have not provided major tourist destinations.

Try calling Frank Gehry Joe Bloggs and one starts to look at the design differently - as an inappropriate development of flats mainly to be used as second homes.

-Selma Montford, hon secretary, The Brighton Society, Clermont Road, Brighton