Two developers have been shortlisted to provide hundreds of homes and jobs on a key site in Brighton.

CDHA and Urban Catalyst have been chosen from a list of four companies by members of Brighton and Hove City Council's policy committee to build on the Preston Barracks site in Lewes Road.

Councillors chose not to debate the issue, instead following officers' recommendations.

They accepted a detailed report which put the two schemes well ahead of those proposed by Urban Life and Rokeagle.

Both the chosen projects comply with a city council brief to provide hundreds of jobs and homes, many of them affordable.

The CDHA scheme has three tall buildings on the site, with an innovation centre fronting Lewes Road and landscaped courtyards.

Urban Catalyst proposes one tower up to 25 storeys high connected to three lower ones.

The 2.2 hectare site has been used for military purposes for more than 200 years.

A final choice of the preferred developer will be made early next year.

Thursday December 11, 2003