Objectors have ad enough of pier plan

The Argus Monday, 24 February, 2003

OPPONENTS of controversial plans to restore Bighton's West Pier have joined forces.

They have placed an advertisement in The Argus voicing doubts about the scheme by developers St Modwen and the Brighton West Pier Trust.

The scheme goes before planners on Wednesday with a recommendation for approval.

The Regency Society and 14 other amenity groups in Brighton are united in asking councillors on the planning committee not to approve it.

Society secretary John Small said: "There seems to have been a campaign that a decision on the pier must be made on Wednesday but this is not so."

"The advertisement is a way of trying to say to the committee it should not rush a decision."

Rupert Radcliffe-Genge, a leading member of the society, said: "All the societies are united in saying this is a bad idea. It is the wrong plan at the wrong time."

The trust and St Modwen said they did not want to compete in an advertising campaign.

Chief executive Geoff Lockwood said: "Our stance is to be positive about our proposals as the only realistic and the last chance to restore the West Pier rather than being drawn into an argument about alternatives.

"In his book Brave New City, Anthony Seldon opined that the local conservation/heritage societies had become a drag anchor on the future vibrancy of the city.

"I share that view but my experience in trying to secure plans for the restoration of the West Pier over the past seven and a half years is that those societies are damaging and devaluing the term and role of heritage to such an extent that before long we could have another wave of Sixties vandalism."