A hotel where stars of screen and stage once stayed is to be turned into modern housing.

Plans to convert the upper floors of The Grand Ocean Hotel in Longridge Avenue, Saltdean, into flats and use the ground floor as a community space or doctors' surgery, were approved at a Brighton and Hove City Council planning meeting yesterday.

The gardens and original staircase will be renovated while later additions to the Art Deco building will be demolished to make way for four blocks of flats.

More than one third of the 279 flats will be affordable housing and parking for 210 cars will be provided.

The applications were approved on condition developers JG Brighton provides £343,500 for community use, £108,000 for sustainable transport, £107,308 to local schools and £37,500 for public art on the site.

Councillor Leslie Hamilton, chairman of the planning committee said: "The Grand Ocean Hotel is a fine example of art deco architecture and it will be wonderful to see this site restored. The new blocks will replace buildings which were adding nothing to the area and will provide good quality modern housing for Saltdean"