Lack of investment puts £300m Gehry plan on the scrapheap

A landmark Brighton site could lay abandoned for years after Frank Gehry’s £300m King Alfred development was scrapped.

Preferred developer Karis Holdings missed last week’s deadline to finalise a funding plan for the “wonky towers” waterfront development.

It was scrambling to attract a new investor after Dutch bank ING pulled out of the project in August.

But after five years of wrangling and redesign issues, Brighton and Hove City Council admitted the project would no longer go ahead. The local authority is now at a loss on how to proceed with the redevelopment of its site, which contains a run-down leisure centre.

Council leader Mary Mears said the council was committed to improving sports facilities and would meet next week to decide a way forward.

She said: “The situation is very much complicated by the current economic downturn.

“Virtually all major public works these days are dependent on private investment and at the moment that has dried up.

“However, we want to see a refurbished King Alfred leisure centre and we will do everything we can do to ensure that happens.”

A council spokesman said no maintenance had been done to the leisure centre in years as the council had assumed it would be replaced under the Karis scheme.

Karis had planned to build a 25-storey and 20-storey tower designed by architect Frank Gehry on the site and construct a new £51m sports centre.

But the project was hit by problems earlier this year when Gehry pulled out in mysterious circumstances and was followed by investor ING.