Telephone and online mortgage broker MyMortgageDirect (MMD) has chosen Brighton for its first major regional call centre.

It is in the final stages of securing premises in North Road which should be open by January.

The move is expected to create a substantial number of jobs for qualified mortgage advisors and significant numbers of back office administrative posts.

The broker, run by Peter Barrett the former managing director of Bradford and Bingley's retail arm, will this week kick off a recruitment drive in Brighton and Hove.

Mr Barrett, who runs MMD from an office in Uckfield, was looking at opening a call centre in Newcastle where rents are cheaper.

But the Sussex businessman, opted for the local option.

He said: "Ultimately we became convinced that Brighton, with its proximity to London and dynamic business and cultural environment, is the place for us.

"It is unquestionably one of the UK's most impressive regional centres and also boasts a rising young professional class that we believe will prosper within the MMD corporate framework.

"Office space is also considerably cheaper to lease here, rather than the capital."

In the first instance, around 30 jobs are expected to be created for MMD's Brighton arm. More - between 150 and 200 - are expected to be added within five years.

Recruitment advertising will start soon but Barrett would welcome approaches "in confidence" now, particularly from young professionals already working for bigger banking employers.

The news is particularly welcome in light of the current service sector trend to transfer customer service and administrative posts overseas, to India in particular.

Mr Barrett said: "If I get a phone call from India the phones goes straight down. That's nothing to do with India but the companies who off-shore their customer-facing operations there.

"Half the time they have never heard of Brighton so the quality of service cannot be as good."