I respond, somewhat in despair, to Valerie Paynter (Letters, August 28) and Ken Fines (Letters, September 6), who argue no substantial number of additional homes can be built because the required services and infrastructure cannot be afforded nor provided.

These homes are required by the Brighton and Hove City Council Local Plan and the South East Regional Assembly.

Interestingly, Valerie and Ken both represent groups opposing the council-supported King Alfred Centre development and both stated they were also against the marina development.

While they base their arguments on lack of infrastructure, they are trying to stop any development whatsoever - which is Nimbyism at its most selfish and unimaginative.

It has been pointed out many times that the city of Brighton and Hove is hemmed in by the sea on one side and the Downs on the other.

As we can't build on either, logically, we can't have any more homes (or more precisely, Londoners).

But new development can takeplace where services and infrastructure, already in place, need only be refurbished and expanded to support additional homes.

Firstly, we need to identify areas where replacement high-density housing would be suitable - where attractive prospects (views, the seafront, tree-lined boulevards, parks and so on) exist and are linked to or close to existing services.

The seafront has always attracted such high-density residential developments, from Marine Gate and the marina in the east to the west side of Hove Lagoon.

In parallel, on the north edge of these high density areas, a continuous, linear community of service streets stretches from St George's Street, Kemp Town, to Church Road in Hove, with offshoots in London Road/Lewes Road and West Street/ Queens Road. These streets already contain shops, schools, churches, restaurants, hospitals and so on.

This model can be used similarly elsewhere, with high-density homes replacing low-density ones wherever there is an attractive prospect, such as areas facing Queens Park and Hove Park.

This happened, post war, along Preston Road, facing Preston Park, and at the Sussex County Cricket Ground - and it is happening now in Palmeira Avenue.

Using this approach there would be no need for new services and infrastructure but what is in place already can be significantly and readily enhanced.

With this in mind, all replacement development should be energy and water efficient, include dedicated bus lanes, pedestrian-friendly service streets, safe walk-to-school routes, restricted delivery times and parkand-ride schemes for traffic efficiency, and compulsory, segregated household refuse recycling.

The council should also implement a scheme of buying segregated, recyclable packaged household refuse (as in Japan).

Brighton and Hove could thus become a vibrant, attractive, new age city.

Sadly, despite the policies in its planning briefs, the council missed just these opportunities in the Brighton Station redevelopment and at the marina.

John Foley, Marine Parade, Brighton