A council is selling advertising space in a city centre street while refusing to let a charity do the same.

Brighton and Hove City Council ordered Community Base, in Queen's Road, Brighton, to take advertising on its wall down on the same day council advertisements were put up across the road.

The charity has raised more than £30,000 in the last two years from advertising revenue by leasing out the North Street side of its building for billboard posters measuring 100sqm but was told to take them down because they broke planning rules.

The charity houses more than 30 community and voluntary organisations, including Brighton Housing Trust Advice Centre, Cruse Bereavement Care and Brighton and Hove Victim Support.

It does not receive council funding and says the billboards provided much-needed income.

Community Base organisers said they would be forced to raise rents for office space used by the groups if they could no longer advertise.

Director Colin Chalmers said: "The opposite side of Queen's Road, where the council has put up adverts, is in the West Hill Conservation Area.

"I phoned up and inquired about the cost of the adverts and found out the council is making about £500 a month from each one.

"It is making that money while denying us the chance to do the same, which we think is unfair."

In May the council ordered the charity to take its advert down because it did not have planning permission.

On the same day it placed adverts on lamp posts all along Queen's Road.

Community Base took its ad down and lodged a planning application in June to put a new one up.

The council has informed Community Base it intends to recommend the application for refusal because the advert can be seen from conservation areas.

Mr Chalmers said the advert was in keeping with the area and the council's own adverts were inside the conservation area.

He is angry planning officers have decided to recommend refusal before the deadline for comments from the public.

The planning report states such a large advert would dominate the western end of North Road and would detract from the visual amenity of the area.

Mr Chalmers said: "We have had a lot of comments from people complimenting us on how we have brightened up the place."

Organisations including Brighton and Hove Albion, Brighthelm Community Centre and the Big Issue have written letters in support of Community Base's application. Hundreds of people have signed a petition.

Martin Perry, chief executive of the Albion, said: "We are in full support of this application and ask the council to approve it."

A spokesman said the council could not comment on pending planning decisions.

Green councillor Keith Taylor said: "Money is tight in the community and voluntary sector but bills have to be paid. This poster site would help. I will be working hard to find a solution acceptable to all."

The application will be heard on September 1.