A tall buildings review has singled out a 420ft skyscraper for its stunning views and seaside architecture - despite it never being built.

The tower, dubbed the Roaring Forties, was to be the centrepiece of a development with nearly 1,000 flats dominating Brighton Marina and would have been the tallest building in Sussex. But Brighton and Hove City Council last year rejected an application, which would have included ten smaller buildings, for being too big and generating too much traffic.

Now CABE, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, has praised the plans as a model of best practice despite its rejection by planners.

CABE will include it in its latest publication on tall buildings. The tower was one of four designs showcased by CABE at the main annual international property event MIPIM in Cannes last week.

Architects Wilkinson Eyre, responsible for the spectacular Gateshead Millennium Bridge which spans the Tyne, designed the tower. It has never before had a design rejected by a planning committee.

In a preview of the publication, CABE told Estates Gazette: "This is very much about creating a new landmark. The developers and architects did a huge amount of analysis of the views and the effect on the setting.

"The views along the beach were stunning and the scheme also alluded to seaside architecture. It also had good phasing, as you have to be careful not to overburden sites with too much development at once. Each phase could stand alone."

Among the reaons for refusal were that the development would fail to preserve views into and out of Kemp Town Conservation Area and the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty. Developer Brunswick Developments has appealed against the planning committee's decision.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will determine the appeal after a fiveweek public inquiry due to start on February 13 next year.

Brunswick boss Andrew Goodall said: "We are delighted that CABE chose to showcase our development as an example of best practice at a prestigious property conference. It's a huge compliment for the scheme."

Writer and broadcaster Simon Fanshawe, chairman of the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, has regularly backed the scheme.

He said: "No one who looks at the marina thinks it works as a space but this tower is a beautiful way of re-imagining the marina. The council's planning committee made the wrong decision. It's terrific that CABE has given some more evidence of what a good scheme it is."

Councillor Simon Burgess, leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said he personally thought there was a lot of merit in the application.

He said: "The developer has gone to extraordinary lengths to plan this scheme with good architecture. I'm pleased it has been recognised."

Peter Martin, deputy chairman of Brighton Marina Residents' Association, said: "Irrespective of CABE's view of best practice, it's too tall and too dense. It's a very nicely designed building but it's in the wrong place."