Brighton Marina is set to become the first commercial site in Sussex to be specifically protected by paid-for police officers.

Off-duty police will patrol the site in uniform and be paid overtime rates by the marina.

Sussex Police and marina bosses are close to signing a contract which could make the area one of the safest environments in the county.

Other commercial areas of the city, including West Street clubs and pubs, may follow suit.

Organisations in Sussex, including Brighton and Hove Albion, pay for extra police but this is the first residential-commercial site to hire officers.

The idea was born from the success of fixed-site police patrols at the Clock Tower, Brighton, and in George Street, Hove, where crime and disorder has been drastically reduced.

Calls from the Clock Tower area ran at an average of 120 per week until officers were stationed there permanently. They have dropped to two or three a week.

Kirsty Harris, the marina's marketing and property manager, said: "I read in The Argus about how well they had worked and put the idea to members of the marina pubwatch scheme, who approved."

The marina had its own security officers but they had no power of arrest and, like the Clock Tower scheme, she said the presence of bona fide police acted as a deterrent.

The marina's £40 million waterfront development, which includes a 70-bedroom hotel, is a few months away from opening and marina bosses are determined to make the area a safe haven.

The scheme would initially run as a pilot project and start with officers being hired for weekends.

Inspector Paul Smith, of Brighton and Hove police, confirmed: "We have been in negotiation about the possibility of providing officers on specific days and specific times."

The force would maintain control over the officers and they could be called away should an emergency occur.