NEW plans to develop a prime town centre retail site have reignited the debate over shopping in Brighton.

Brighton and Hove Council has revealed it wants to redevelop the 19th century buildings between Air Street and North Street Quadrant, opposite the Clock Tower.

The news comes as more shops in another part of town - clothes store Pendulum, Brighton's Pine Specialist and Brighton Sheepskin Shop - announced they are being forced to close.

And the plans have sparked claims by traders that Brighton, with more than 1,300, is in danger of having so many shops that trade throughout the town will be hit.

At a meeting of the council's Land Committee it was revealed that a draft planning brief for the Clock Tower site is to be drawn up.

Council officials say it is too early to predict how the run-down site will be developed. A period of consultation will follow the publication of the council's draft report at the end of April.

Acouncil spokesman said: "The scheme is in its infancy and it is too early to speculate on what will be developed there. A number of people will be consulted before a decision is made."

But town centre experts believe the most likely use for the site will be retail.

And shopkeepers, who say the new £90 million Churchill Square shopping centre opened in September has already hit trade, claim another new retail development could be disastrous.

Francis Hix, spokesman for Brighton Chamber of Commerce, said: "Putting new shops on that site would not be in the long term interest of the town. It would help turn Brighton into a concrete jungle.

"The town does not need any more shops and I don't think we would back a scheme to put new shops on that site.

"Churchill Square has been a success in terms of numbers through the doors but it has hit trade elsewhere very hard.

"We would like to see the site opened up to create a green lung, an area where people could sit and relax.

"Developing it for shopping would put money in the town treasury but it would not benefit the town in the long run."

Tony Mernagh, Bond Street representative on the North Laine Traders Association, challenged the council to follow its own green policies.

Mr Mernagh, who owns the Animal House shops, said: "It would be a bold step for the council to open that area up into a green space for people to enjoy.

"It would not be a bad thing if shops were lost on that site. We already have nearly three times as many shops as other towns our size.

"Brighton centre already has 1,338 shops, compared to around 600 in towns like York."

Mike Wilson, owner of clothing shop Pendulum, has been trading in Duke Street for six years but is now being forced to close.

He said: "We noticed a downturn in December of 40 per cent."

Over the road at the Brighton Pine Specialist, also closing down, manager Janice Cottingham said: "Trade has been slow this year."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.