The report on local people's proposals for the redevelopment of the King Alfred (Argus, May 15) made interesting reading.

It is great the local community has the initiative and resourcefulness to contribute ideas to the scheme.

All of these will contribute to the development of proposals and the wider public consultation Brighton and Hove City Council has promised.

However, to achieve a development of the site that meets the aspirations of the council and the community, we have to find a way of funding the capital building costs.

We are exploring public-sector funding routes, such as the Lottery, but all options will need some level of private-sector involvement to help pay for the public sports facilities.

This will require us to prioritise what we want on the site. We will therefore need to subject all proposals to close professional scrutiny to ensure they are financially and practically viable.

We've a long way to go yet but we welcome all constructive contributions to ensuring a development of high quality for the city.

-Sarah Tanburn, director, Culture and Regeneration, Brighton and Hove City Council