Revised plans for a 38-storey seafront tower have almost halved its height.

Architects have scaled down the design for the King Alfred site in Kingsway, Hove, but added hundreds more homes to make up for losing 19 storeys.

Hundreds of people opposed the original plans by Karis ING, who used world-famous architects Frank Gehry and Piers Gough to design four skyscraper towers containing housing to finance a new sports complex.

Called the Four Maidens by Gehry, the scheme was dubbed the Tin Can Towers and the Four Lager Louts by opponents.

Changes to the plans will be put before the city's policy committee on Wednesday.

They include more flats, including additional low-cost homes and less commercial space.

Homes for sale would be placed in three blocks of between 17 and 20 storeys.

Low-cost housing would be in buildings not more than seven storeys high.

Council officials say the move is important to ensure the scheme is an overall financial success. They believe this is vital if Karis is to deliver its £26 million public sports centre and provide hundreds of homes for local people.

A report recommends increasing the total number of units for sale on the site from 263 to 354. To ensure 40 per cent of the development comprises low-cost homes for rent or shared ownership, these would also increase from 175 to 236. There would be no increase in the total area of the scheme.

The total number of homes would rise from 438 to 590, achieved by reducing commercial space.

The council is being asked to approve the increase as landowner but this would not bind it as planning authority.

A planning application is expected within nine months.

Officials recommend steps are taken to prevent low-cost homes eventually being sold on the open market.

Deputy council leader Sue John, who chairs the King Alfred Project Board, said: "If we want a new sports centre, we need to ensure a viable scheme. After some very detailed investigations by officers and the developers, a report has been produced describing what needs to happen if we're to get that. The revised scheme will continue to deliver much-needed low-cost homes for the city."

But Central Hove Tory councillor Jan Young said while the reduction in height was welcome, the large number of homes would still be a severe strain on amenities.

Westbourne Tory councillor Brian Oxley said: "Twenty storeys is still too high and the whole scheme is now a shambles. We think it would be better to put the housing somewhere else."