Hopes for pier restoration to start next year

The Argus Saturday, 25 May, 2002

CAMPAIGNERS for a restored pier say work could be under way within the next year if they get planning permission.

Brighton West Pier Trust chief executive Dr Geoff Lockwood said: "The long-awaited and highly popular restoration of the pier is at last deliverable.

"The civic authorities must be pleased they can deliver this major project over the coming year in advance of the local elections.

"It appears most of the other major capital projects in the city could still be in doubt next year.

"The trust will do its best to ensure, through its partnerships, that by then the restoration of the pier will have moved from planning to implementation to the pleasure and relief of the city's population."

Developer St Modwen has submitted a scheme to Brighton and Hove City Council for two large leisure pavilions on either side of the Grade I listed pier.

It says the new development is essential to make restoring the pier to its original Twenties splendour a viable proposition.

But there has been strong opposition from the pressure group Save Our Seafront (SOS), which has delivered more than 2,200 protest letters to the council.

The trust has officially released more details of its own survey, first revealed last week in The Argus, which showed a substantial majority in favour of the current scheme.

It has given a street-by-street, ward-by-ward analysis of the public consultation which revealed most people in 21 of the 26 council wards were in favour.

Copies of the survey have been sent to all 78 city councillors and to the three city MPs.