IN YOUR Spotlight Argus feature “Attempts to Save Historic Shop” (The Argus, Tuesday, June 16) you give excellent coverage to the case for saving the ancient listed building at 15 North Street.

However, we need to clarify a basic misunderstanding underlying the case for demolition.

The Brighton and Hove Heritage Commission does not believe that the choice is “either save 15 North Street or build a link lane”.

In other words – choose between saving a listed building or creating a commercially valuable link between North Street and the Lanes, but not both.

In fact, it is perfectly feasible to save 15 North Street and build a link at the same time. Simply put, the link lane through the ground floor of number 16 – next door and to the west – keeping the upper parts of number 16 intact.

There is a similar structure at the Ship Street entrance to Dukes Lane and it looks very good.

The “overwhelming support” for the developers’ scheme, reported by Ed Alison Wright, is the result of local traders and stakeholders being presented with this somewhat misleading choice.

We move to suggest that an entrance to the Lanes through number 16 – flanked by a well-restored number 15 complete with period shop windows and doors – would add something distinctive to Brighton’s urban landscape, unlike the bland designs presented by these developers.

Why present a modern entrance to the historic conservation area of the Lanes when we have a listed heritage asset which is presently sited to do that already?

Roger Amerena, chairman, Brighton and Hove Heritage Commission