A building dubbed the ugliest in Sussex will be subject to a £35 million transformation by a cutting edge designer.

Proposals believed to be worth tens of millions are being drawn up to develop the Anston House site in Preston Road, Brighton, which has been derelict for twenty years.

Specialist private bank Investec, which owns the site, has revealed it has employed contemporary designers Urban Splash, which specialises in converting former industrial buildings, as part of a team to transform the 1.5 acre plot.

It is believed the site, which has been described as a “gateway to the city”, will become a mixed-use site to include affordable housing, office space and some retail units.