New West Pier could be up in four years

A new pier could rise out of the ashes of the derelict West Pier within four years.

Louise Acford - The Argus Tuesday, 3 April, 2007

The West Pier Trust have revealed they are in negotiations with a company who want to build a new attraction where the remains of Brighton's famous structure stand.

The plans will feature a modern design and include a rebuild of the famous concert hall which was the centre piece of the original construction. But the trust was last night keeping its cards close to its chest over the exact details of its proposals or who the mystery developer is.

Geoff Lockwood, chief executive of the West Pier Trust, said: "We have been fighting for this for 12 years. We are excited but cautious. We have been let down before."

The trust has agreed not to name the company it is in discussions with until work on the i360 tower begins on the seafront this summer.

The tower, which was given final approval by the Government last week, will stand at the base of the West Pier site. It is expected to be finished in 2009.

Dr Lockwood said the trust had ruled out plans for a casino, or any type of gaming, on the new pier. Developers want to build an exclusive hotel and restaurants on the pier, which could be completed by 2011.

He said: "The deal will be totally private sector and will be confined to the West Pier Trust land. Other schemes we have looked at have used adjoining council land.

"It will be a mixture of heritage and new. We will keep elements of the original pier including the concert hall which will be rebuilt in a modern setting.

"In terms of timing once they start work in June a deal will be in place for a sea-based pier by the end of the year.

"The company we are talking to is British and has experience of sea-based leisure developments in the south of England."

Rachel Clark, general manager of the trust, said: "It would be an interesting attraction which in design terms would reflect the West Pier's former glory. Elements of the West Pier which have been retained and stored would be incorporated in the new design."

Simon Burgess, the leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said: "It sounds very exciting and interesting. I have little doubt the i360 makes a huge difference. There will be a lot of serious investors out there wanting to get involved."

The pier has been empty since 1975. For years the trust battled for the restoration of the Grade I listed site but the constraints of the listing made it difficult to attract private developers to the site.

English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund had agreed to fund a restoration project but the structure collapsed after it was twice struck by storms either side of Christmas 2002.

The beleaguered pier was then left a charred skeleton after a huge fire ripped through the historic pavilion in March 2003, followed by an even more devastating blaze that May.

Its fate was finally sealed following the collapse of the concert hall during freak storms in June 2004.