Multi-million pound development plans for a prime city centre site are set to be approved on Wednesday.

Brighton and Hove planning committee is being recommended to back an application by developers Wildmoor.

The site, close to the Clock Tower, is between North Street Quadrant and Air Street.

Some buildings will be retained, including the Quadrant public house, which is listed, but most will be replaced by seven shops and new offices.

There will also be an extension to the pub on the lower and upper ground floors.

Buildings on the site date from the late 19th Century and were owned by the council but have since been sold to developers.

A previous scheme last year was withdrawn after opposition from neighbours and conservationists who said it would harm the area.

Conservationists and the council's architects' panel think the new scheme is an improvement but still have some detailed points about design.

Planning officer Julie Cattell said the site was in a key position. Modern shops would add to the city centre's attractions.

She added that retaining the best buildings on the site was welcome but there had been extensive negotiations over the design of the modern buildings.

Ms Cattell said: "The final submission is considered to be an acceptable solution with exciting elements such as exposed steel beams expressing the floor levels and glazing to a curved corner."

She said it was an improvement on the first plan and would provide a link between Western Road and North Street.