An 'eyesore' building is set to become a self-storage centre with space for more than 1,100 units.

The Hove Car Spares site looking over Shoreham Port in Portslade will be re-clad and transformed into a multi-floor self-storage location in new plans by property consultant Stiles Harold Williams.

Self-storage company StorageMart plan to take over the building after the redevelopment to "support the onward growth of the local cottage industries and established businesses."

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Shattered windows and wooden boards covering entrances dominate the towering structure on the main road into the city from Shoreham and beyond, but cladding on the outside and new entrances will change this.

Previously a hosiery factory and opened with great fanfare by a world-famous ballerina in 1957, the building holds a long history but had gone unused in recent decades, turning into a scrapyard, and more recently an "eyesore to the landscape" according to Storagemart.

The Argus: Plans for the south side of the buildingPlans for the south side of the building (Image: SHW)

The new location will feature video surveillance and access control systems, with a range of unit sizes to suit families and businesses alike across 65,000 square foot of space.

"In light of our thorough market analysis, we are fully assured of StorageMart's capacity to provide our customers with even more streamlined and efficient storage options.

Alex Burnam, senior vice president of real estate acquisitions at Storage Mart said: "Our ambition is to continue to build upon our connections within this vibrant community, which is integral to our strategy for sustained expansion. This historic building is the perfect pallet to do just that."