Celebrity boxer Chris Eubank has another fight on his hands - with his neighbours.

The former world champion's proposal to sell his two properties in The Upper Drive, Hove, to make way for blocks of flats, has prompted a furious reaction from people living nearby.

Eubank lives in one of the large detached homes, thought to be worth £2 million, with his wife Karron and their four children, while using the next-door property as a gym.

In a letter sent to The Argus, neighbours have vowed to fight the planning application to build more than 40 flats - including 16 earmarked as low cost and reserved for the elderly.

They criticise the proposal for demolishing two historic properties and feel the area cannot support the increased traffic the scheme would generate.

Written by neighbour Fay Green, the letter accuses Eubank of "cynical money-grabbing".

Ms Green said: "This is a lovely area, which in the Sixties and early Seventies was sacked at its extremities by insensitive planners who allowed the building of ugly blocks of flats.

"We thought the bad old days of insensitive planning had gone but clearly pressure on housing in Hove may be forcing a return to bad practice.

"We shall all live to regret it for a long time if this scheme gets the go-ahead. We watched Mr Eubank state in his TV show this week 'With great power comes great responsibility'. If he was not just paying lip service to this wise statement, he should heed it."

The planning application was made by Birch Restorations last July.

At the time, the company said it was submitted to see whether planning permission was likely to be granted.

But Eubank, who once offered to buy and restore the West Pier so he could live there, has since denied he wants to sell up and leave Hove, although his manager Aroon Maharajh has admitted the flamboyant boxer may find the right offer hard to resist.

Angry residents are meeting on Sunday to discuss the issue.