MORE than a million pounds is needed to save one of Sussex’s most iconic buildings.

The warning comes as scaffolding is put around the bell tower of Brighton’s St Peter’s Church for emergency work.

Archie Coates, vicar of St Peter’s, is calling on the “good people of Brighton and Hove” to dig deep and help save the Grade II-listed building.

He said: “This is a wonderful building – but it is not just about the building but also what happens inside.

“We have so much going on and we need to make sure that continues.”

Scaffolding went up around the church tower last week for phase one of the works, which is set to cost £365,000.

Such is the scale of the job, it is set to be mid January before all the scaffolding is up.

Close to £200,000 is being covered by grants but more cash is needed to ensure the essential repair work can be completed.

The second phase of work, which will aim to restore the tower to its former glory and preserve it for generations to come, is set to cost even more – and bring the total cost to more than £1 million.

The church was designed by celebrated architect Sir Charles Barry – who went on to design the Houses of Parliament – in the early 1800s.

It was thought of as Brighton’s unofficial cathedral and was the centre of city life for many years.

By the 2000s, the church had hit troubled times and the Church Commissioners decided in 2007 it should be made redundant.

It was taken over by the Holy Trinity Brompton Church in London in 2009 and current vicar Mr Coates brought both the building and congregation numbers back to life.

During the past few years, they have repaired the main body of the building but they now face their toughest test with the tower.

Mr Coates said: “I think there are two reasons it is so important to save it.

“Firstly, with the Valley Gardens development moving forward, the last thing you want is a crumbling church in the middle of it.

“Secondly, there is so much happening here. Every Saturday night we now feed 120 of the street community, we have 300 at tots and toddlers, 15 rough sleepers in here on a Saturday and we have a youth cafe.

“Grants will only get us so far and we rely on the generosity of the good people of Brighton and Hove. The Church of England hasn’t got any money, it doesn’t look like the council will give us anything – but the money has got to come from somewhere.”

To donate to the building work, visit stpetersbrighton.org/giving.