DEVELOPERS planning a £100 million construction project on the site of the Amex “Wedding Cake” have been told to “go back and come up with a quality development” by architecture campaigners.

This week developer First Base submitted its plans to build a cluster of eight- story buildings on the former Amex House site in Edward Street, Brighton.

The developer says the huge project will provide 168 homes and workspace for more than 1,000 people.

Unlike the Wedding Cake the site will be split into multiple buildings, none of which will be quite as tall as their predecessor, with little roads and pathways running between them.

But whereas Amex House was set back a long way from Edward Street, the new towers will come much closer to the pavement.

Roger Amerena, of Brighton and Hove Heritage Commission, said: “We’re happy about housing being built there.

“And in terms of plus points, we are pleased with the opening up of Mighell Street down to Edward Street which gives a south-north access through that rather blocked development.

“We have some reservations about the stepped nature of that new pedestrian thoroughfare.

“I would have thought it was a walk-through on a gentle slope without steps. We don’t have steps in the area, we usually have slopes. That would be more in keeping and would be easier for the disabled.

“The opening up of another green space is agreeable, however the shadow effect of the proposals will mean that there’s a degree of darkness created by the height of the southwest block, over the area just behind that.

“We’re talking about a green space for people to sit out in and there’s going to be daylight problems.

“The building’s going to be quite tall, it will certainly create a shadow over that spot.

“The view from Dorset Gardens is less impressive than it was with the Wedding Cake.

“That at least produced a central view which was different from the Georgian architecture of Dorset Gardens but it fit quite well – these proposals do not do that.

“And unlike the Wedding Cake these come right to the edge of the pavement. Normally a development is respectful of the terrain.

“There is no congregation between the architectural styles of the proposals and what is nearby, much of which is listed.”

He asked the developers to think again.

“Overall, it’s overdevelopment.

“We need to see reduced height and some more cognisance of vernacular styles and architecture to its east and south. This will loom, not only over Edward Street but it will be looming over Dorset Gardens.

“These proposals are not of sufficient quality, the architecture is too uninspired and we’re doubting the materials, we haven’t seen samples.

“There doesn’t seem to be any recognition of what historic buildings might have to offer in terms of visual attributes.

“They need to go back, not to the drawing board, but to come up with a more quality development.”