Seafront hotel: It must not happen!

The message from our three-week public survey is clear: "This must not be allowed to happen."

We invited readers to have their say on the controversial plan for a 60-bed hotel, office, shops and apartments complex on the Metropole putting green and received an incredible 900 replies. Never before has one issue aroused such interest with Observer readers.

Only seven per cent of respondents think we need a new hotel, just six per cent approve of the futuristic chosen design by ABK while a mere four per cent think the putting green next to the De La Warr Pavilion is a suitable site.

Those statistics will make uncomfortable reading for local regeneration firm Sea Space, which commissioned a design competition with three top architects to draw-up plans for the development along with a wider town centre masterplan.

They fly in the face of results of a survey held by Sea Space at the public exhibition unveiling the three designs. Visitors were asked which plan they preferred and a level of support for the winning ABK scheme was revealed.

Significantly though, 'none of the above' was not an option in that questionnaire.

Our survey backs-up apparently massive public opposition to the scheme, which has resulted in a 5,000-name petition and the formation of the Save Our Seafront (SOS) action group.

SOS chairman John Lee said: "To get somebody to sign a petition is one thing. But for readers to actually take the trouble of filling out a questionnaire, add their comments and then post them or drop them through the door is quite another.

"It takes a big effort and to get such a large amount shows what tremendous strength of feeling there is about this issue. The results are conclusive. We must never allow this to happen."

A Sea Space spokesman added: "Our current action is to take on board the wide range of views expressed through the exhibition in March along with views gained through other consultation exercises, including your paper's own questionnaire.

"Overall there has been a good mix of opinion including enthusiastic support and useful constructive criticism to feed into this ongoing process."