Campaigners are gathering support for a petition against controversial plans to build four skyscrapers.

Brighton and Hove City Council has chosen the Karis/ING consortium to redevelop the King Alfred site in Kingsway, Hove.

The consortium envisages towers up to 38 storeys high to fund the £25 million new leisure centre.

Called the Four Maidens by architect Frank Gehry, it has been dubbed the Tin Can Towers and the Four Lager Louts by opponents.

Opposition Tory leader Brian Oxley, speaking at a city council meeting last night, said: "Initial outrage by local people that the scheme was given the green light has now hardened into a determination to fight the council on this by whatever democratic methods are available.

"We have been inundated with requests for forms for a petition that is being collected against the Karis proposal and people are united locally in a way I have not seen since I have been a councillor."

Council leader Ken Bodfish said he had been inundated with messages from people all over the country and the world in favour of the plans.

He said it was a world-class scheme designed in part by Gehry, a world-famous architect, and ING were leading international financiers.

Deputy council leader Sue John said work was carrying on with the developers to refine aspects of the scheme including the provision of a public space with a sculpture by artist Antony Gormley.

Liberal Democrat leader Paul Elgood said it would have been better to finance a sports centre using a community trust.

He said: "This is a world-class architect but not a world-class scheme."

But Green councillor Bill Randall said scores of low-cost homes would be included in a scheme for a city in desperate need of them.