This city of ours has two of the most exciting architectural opportunities to come its way for decades, if only those involved have the courage to seize the moment.

The first is the site of the rotting, seafront hulk, Embassy Court, which should never have been built at all.

While it may have merits as an example of art deco architecture, it is the wrong building in the wrong place in the wrong city. A folly when it was built 70 years ago, it was a criminal act to attach a building of that style to the end of the exquisitely elegant Brunswick Terrace. Sadly, it was an omen of many other appalling planning decisions yet to be perpetrated on the Brighton and Hove seafront.

I am not a wrecker. I care passionately about the environment and about our heritage. But when a building is so absurdly out of harmony with its neighbours, we have a duty to put it right, given the opportunity. It is a splendid site with enormous potential. Let us pull down the monster and start again.

I sympathise with those who are concerned about what might take its place. After all, we have such excrescences as the Kingswest and Brighton Centre buildings as examples of how nightmarish mistakes can be.

Lesson number one is that Brighton and Hove Council planners should be kept out of the picture. Down the years, opportunistic developers and weak-minded planners have damaged our seafront heritage irreparably. Strange, isn't it, how publicity about Brighton as a tourism centre always boasts about the splendours of our Regency and Victorian architecture, never about pride in new buildings.

An international architectural competition should be set up. It might involve such bodies as UNESCO and the Organisation of World Heritage Cities, the Royal Fine Arts Commission, the Royal Institute of British Architects, our own Regency Society and inspired individuals such as me! What an exciting challenge to create a most beautiful 21st century building to blend in with the Brunswick ambience, without slavishly copying it.

An even more spectacular opportunity is the island site between York Place and Richmond Place, currently occupied by the decaying St Peters Church. I have already recommended it should be demolished.

The Church of England, in spite of its wealth, does not pay for the restoration of its own churches. Within the past few days, it has also been reported that because retired clergymen are living longer, the church will have problems meeting its pensions obligations. The multi million pound cost of restoring St Peter's is prohibitive. It is a unique opportunity for the C of E to choose the finest architectural talent and build something truly beautiful on the site - perhaps the headquarters for some international corporation.

What a chance to counterbalance the ghastly American Express brute nearby.

Brighton needs something exuberant to replace the crumbling church. And the Church of England could certainly use the money it would generate.