I was sorry to see Valerie Paynter had been singled out by Lawrence Alkin for what he called her "vitriolic campaign" against the proposed development at the King Alfred site in Hove (Letters, December 2).

As convenor of the HOVA group (Heritage Over Vandalism, Actually), I stand alongside Valerie in her valiant Save Hove campaign and strongly object to the planning application.

Although I have retired as borough planning officer of the Brighton region, I believe my views are still worthy of consideration, especially as I have tried to keep abreast of the local planning situation.

Mr Alkin is right to say we badly need affordable homes.

However, I don't agree the way to provide them is by approving the applications for every massive, high-density, high-rise development, especially if it is out of scale and character with its surroundings, just because 40 per cent of the units would be "affordable".

From all my years' planning experience, I am unable to recall a more unacceptable scheme than that proposed for the King Alfred.

Furthermore, we are heading for a situation where the proportion of flats in the provision of social housing is far too high.

Families with young children need houses with gardens, otherwise social deprivation will be one of the consequences.

-Ken Fines, Hove