Rival claims restoration bill is outdated

The Argus Tuesday, 25 February, 2003

THE company running Brighton's Palace Pier has launched an llth-hour bid to scupper plans to rebuild the rival West Pier.

In a late submission to tomorrow's meeting of planners to discuss the scheme by the West Pier Trust and developers St Modwen, it says any proposals for the new development are premature because no recent analysis has been made of tlie cost of restoring the crumbling pier.

David Biesterfield, director of the Noble Organisation, said it appeared old figures were being used.

Since then the pier had partially collapsed twice and there had been a steep rise in building costs.

In a detailed report, he casts doubt on the viability of the scheme and says the take-up of leisure development might not be good considering the fate of the Aquarium Terraces.

Estimates of rents are optimistic and no major anchor tenants for the development had been identified, he says.

Mr Biesterfield says a report from independent consultants on viability raises many questions about the scheme.

He adds: "In the absence of any details of how the most significant cost - the works to the pier - has been derived, the scale of the development cannot be justified."

He says it would be unreasonable to permit the new development because of the harm it would cause io the seafront heritage.